The novel was an instant commercial success despite scathing reviews. Erich Segal had met both Jones and Gore at Harvard in 1968, when he was there on sabbatical. But it was Gore's Harvard roommate, Tommy Lee Jones, who inspired the half of the character that was a sensitive stud, a macho athlete with the heart of a poet". In 1997, Segal confirmed Gore's account, explaining that he had been inaccurately quoted in the Nashville Tennessean and that "only the emotional family baggage of the romantic hero. In fact, Al Gore mentioned, correctly, that he had read that the characters were based on him and his wife. It is sometimes said that Al Gore falsely claimed that the plot is based on his life at Harvard. New York in 1971 stated that Jenny resembled the "myopic, athletic, brisk princess" Brenda Patimkin in Philip Roth's Goodbye, Columbus. Barrett apologizes to his son, who replies with something Jenny had once told him: " Love means never having to say you're sorry." and breaks down in his arms. By the time he reaches the hospital, Jenny has died.
Barrett realizes that Jenny is ill and that his son borrowed the money for her, he immediately sets out for New York.
She tells him to avoid blaming himself, and asks him to hold her tightly before she dies. From her hospital bed, Jenny speaks with her father about funeral arrangements, and then asks for Oliver. Instead of telling his father what the money is truly for, Oliver misleads him. With their days together numbered, Oliver is desperate and seeks financial relief from his father. Jenny nevertheless discovers her ailment after confronting her doctor about it. After Jenny fails to conceive, they consult a medical specialist, who after repeated tests, informs Oliver that Jenny is suffering from leukemia, making it clear that "she's dying".Īs instructed by his doctor, Oliver attempts to live a normal life without telling Jenny of her condition. The couple move to New York City, excited to spend more time together, rather than working and studying. Graduating third in his class, Oliver gets several job offers and takes up a position at a respectable New York law firm. Without financial support, the couple struggles to pay Oliver's way through Harvard's Law School, with Jenny working as a private school teacher. Upon graduation from college, the two decide to marry, against the wishes of Oliver's father, who promptly severs all ties with his son. Jenny and Ollie are brought together in the unlikeliest of ways. From very different worlds, Oliver and Jenny are immediately attracted to each other and their love deepens. Oliver (Ollie) was expected to assume control of his father's business empire, while Jennifer (Jenny) was a music major studying at Radcliffe College and planning to study in Paris. Love Story is the tale of two college students whose love enables them to overcome the adversities they encounter in life: Oliver Barrett IV, a Harvard jock and heir to the Barrett fortune and legacy, and Jennifer Cavilleri, the quick-witted daughter of a Rhode Island baker.
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