Although many people may classify A Walk to Remember as a love story, it is, in fact, a classic coming-of-age novel, a genre in which the protagonist undergoes tremendous growth after experiencing either a great adventure or some inner turmoil. In the case of Landon Carter, there is no great adventure — after all, this is not a character who sets out to slay a dragon in order to rescue the princess. But there is great inner turmoil in Landon's life because Jamie Sullivan acts as a mirror in which Landon sees his own behaviors, values, and patterns for the first time and is deeply dismayed by the images he sees.
Landon first notices his own unkindness. When compared to other teenage boys, Landon would not describe himself as the least bit selfish. Certainly, he mocks, laughs at people, and gossips about students, teachers, and townsfolk. But so does everyone else he knows. Landon does not see this as a flaw, per se, but as a trait shared by all teenagers. He is aware of his own unkindness, but he sees it as harmless; in fact, he realizes that he could be so much more cruel, and he prides himself on not crossing an imaginary line he has set for himself. "Gossip is one thing," Landon says, "hurtful gossip is completely another, and even in high school we weren't that mean." What Jamie forces Landon to see, however, is two-fold: First, that those people Landon is gossiping about or mocking are probably aware of his sentiments and are hurt by it. Second, that gossiping and mocking are not required activities for teenagers; after all, Jamie is a teenager who does not participate in these activities.
Landon also recognizes his own apathy and mediocrity. He tends to refer to this trait as "irresponsibility," but that is not really the word that describes Landon's tendency in this area. In fact, Landon has usually tended to do what he is told, shown up when he is supposed to, and otherwise been a responsible student and son. What Landon is not doing, however, is putting much effort into his own life; instead, he is doing only enough to get by. His three best attributes could be considered circus tricks: tying knots; walking barefoot across hot asphalt; and balancing a pencil on his finger. Thus Landon begins to see himself as excelling at a few party tricks while the rest of the world is slipping out of his reach.
