Part 1 What We Learned:
在序言中，John回到故地，运用他在服役时学到的隐蔽技巧远远地凝望着昔日的爱人，隐隐约约地描绘出一个悲而不伤的结局。他独自在现实与回忆，懊悔与坦然间徘徊，与Savannah的浑然不觉形成鲜明的对比，这种隐而不发的爱比起种种激情反而更能打动人心。
开篇交代了John的童年和家庭背景，我们看到这个一岁就没有妈妈被父亲独自带大的孩子的心路历程。其中有两点讲述让我印象深刻：
一、他与他的父亲。虽然他深刻地理解父亲独自带大他的不易，他知道自己与父亲之间存在的巨大差异，但是年幼的他并不能很好地去面对和承受，残缺的原生家庭、内向平庸的父亲，贫乏的物质基础无一不让他感到困顿，所以在青少年期，他走向了另一个极端；
二、无所不在的阶级固化矛盾。他们居住的房子，他穿的、吃的、用的、有的，都与朋友们存在巨大的差异。阶级固化的矛盾似乎超越了时空，恒久地存在着。就好像最近热映的泰剧《天才枪手》中演绎的一样，青年们被封锁在自己所在的阶层里，似困兽之斗。
Part 2 Q&A
1. What’s John’s job?
John was a soldier.
2. What did John's father do for a living?
John’s father worked for the post office. His responsibility was to drive a mail delivery route. Not great, but okay for them.
3. What’s John’s father’s hobby? Did John like it?
John’s father’s only hobby was collecting coins, he collected coins including all the dates and mint marks. He was most content while sitting in his den, studying a coin dealer newsletter.
John didn’t mind the hobby—for a while, when he was in the first or second grade, but after six or seven years of weekends spent with his dad instead of friends, he eventually began to grow out of his passion for collecting.
4. What’s John’s father like? (Personality)
John’s father was a quiet man. He was passive and introspective, he seldom showed much emotion, rarely grew angry or joked. He was even socially awkward and spent long hours alone every day, just lived for routine.
5.Did John and his father get along well? Why or why not?
John didn’t get along well with his father, because they differ entirely incharacter and they lacked appropriate communication.
