Erich Segal

"Love Story. Summary."

The protagonist of the story is Oliver Barrett IV, a young man born into a privileged family. He is currently in his senior year at Harvard University and is set to inherit his family's fortune. Oliver often studies at the library on Radcliffe campus, which he finds quieter and more appealing because it attracts more girls.



One day, while studying in the library, Oliver approaches the clerk on duty seeking assistance in finding a book. However, the clerk insults him, referring to him as a "preppie." In response, Oliver insults her back, calling her a "cliffie." Despite this exchange, Oliver is captivated by the clerk's beautiful brown eyes and long legs.



Under the pretense of needing to study the book he was looking for, Oliver invites the clerk, whose name is Jennifer Cavilleri, to have coffee with him. During their time together, they engage in a mixture of insults and flirtation. Despite their obvious attraction to each other, both Oliver and Jenny try to deny their growing love for one another. They convince themselves that they are not falling in love, even though they come from different backgrounds and seem to be opposites.



Oliver then asks Jenny to attend his hockey game, furthering their connection. Despite his usual playboy persona, Oliver realizes that he is unable to use it with Jenny because she sees through him unlike anyone else before. He feels compelled to be authentic and real when he is with her, recognizing that she is different from other girls he has known.

As their relationship deepens, Oliver decides to introduce Jenny to his parents. However, Jenny quickly realizes that Oliver and his father have a strained relationship. Oliver feels overshadowed by his father's numerous accomplishments and struggles to establish hisown identity within the family. Upon meeting Jenny, Oliver's father makes a declaration that marrying her would result in Oliver being disowned and cut off from the family fortune. Taking this as a sign, Oliver proposes to Jenny.



The couple gets married, and for the following three years, Jenny supports Oliver financially while he attends Harvard Law School. They live in poverty and must carefully manage their finances, but they find happiness in each other's company. One day, Oliver receives an unexpected invitation to his father's sixtieth birthday party, which is seen as a peace offering from his family. However, Oliver refuses to attend, which angers Jenny. This leads to a heated argument, and Jenny storms out of their apartment. Frantically searching for her, Oliver spends the entire night looking, until he finally discovers her waiting for him on the stairs leading to their home.



Eventually, Oliver completes his law degree and secures a well-paying job, leading to newfound financial stability for the couple. They indulge in luxuries they had previously gone without during their years of struggle. With their improved circumstances, they decide it's time to start a family of their own. However, Jenny faces difficulties in conceiving a child.



Oliver and Jenny, facing difficulties in conceiving, decide to seek help from a fertility doctor. The doctor conducts various tests, but the results bring devastating news for Oliver. It is revealed that Jenny has leukemia

and her condition is terminal. The doctor, unable to determine how much time she has left, advises Oliver not to disclose the diagnosis to Jenny. Instead, Oliver attempts to maintain a sense of normalcy in their lives, keeping the truth hidden.



However, Jenny eventually discovers her illness on her own when she confronts the doctor. With her condition progressing rapidly, she requires hospitalization. Oliver makes the difficult decision to quit his job so that he can be with her every moment. However, this decision leaves him unable to afford the mounting hospital bills.



Swallowing his pride, Oliver turns to his estranged father for help and asks to borrow $5,000 without revealing the true reason for the request. Despite the three-year-long silence between them, Oliver's father writes him a check, providing the financial assistance he desperately needs.



Oliver informs Jenny's father about her terminal illness, and he moves into their apartment to support them during this challenging time. Taking on the responsibilities of cleaning and maintaining the home, he holds ontothe hope that one day Jenny will recover and return. Despite her deteriorating health, Jenny assures everyone that she is not experiencing physical pain. She describes the experience of dying as akin to "falling off a cliff in slow motion."



As Jenny's illness progresses rapidly, she reaches a critical state, nearing death. The couple, aware of the inevitable, must face the heartbreaking reality. Oliver and Jenny share their final goodbyes, and in a poignant and sorrowful moment, Jenny passes away in Oliver's arms.

Following Jenny's death, Oliver leaves the hospital, carrying the weight of his grief. Unexpectedly, he encounters his father outside. Learning about the true purpose behind Oliver's request for money, his father hurriedly made his way to the hospital to offer support to his son. Overwhelmed by emotions, Oliver breaks down in tears and collapses into his father's comforting embrace, seeking solace in their shared pain.