OVERLAY REPORT

In the 2004 film *The Notebook*, the story follows two protagonists, **Noah Calhoun** and **Allie Hamilton**, whose goals are deeply intertwined across two timelines (the 1940s and the present day). While both characters are central, **Noah** is often viewed as the primary driver of the narrative’s action. His goal and the obstacles he faces change as he ages, moving from a quest for romantic reunion to a battle against memory loss. ### 1. Noah Calhoun’s Primary Goal In the 1940s timeline, Noah’s goal is to **reunite with Allie and fulfill the promise he made to her**—specifically, to buy and restore the Windsor Plantation house so they can live there together. In the present-day timeline (where he is known as "Duke"), his goal is to **trigger Allie's memory** of their life together through the power of storytelling, defying the effects of her Alzheimer's disease. ### 2. Specific Obstacles Noah and Allie face a series of external and internal obstacles that prevent them from being together for over a decade: #### **A. Social Class and Wealth Gap** Noah is a "country boy" working at a lumber mill for 40 cents an hour, while Allie is a wealthy heiress from a high-society family. * **The Obstacle:** Allie’s parents, particularly her mother Anne, view Noah as "trash" and socially unsuitable. They believe his lack of wealth and status will prevent Allie from having a stable, prosperous life. #### **B. Parental Interference and Deception** When Allie’s family leaves Seabrook at the end of the summer, Noah writes her a letter every single day for a year (365 letters). * **The Obstacle:** Allie’s mother, Anne, intercepts and hides every one of these letters. Because of this, Allie grows up believing Noah has forgotten her, and Noah grows up believing Allie has moved on, leading to years of unnecessary heartbreak and silence. #### **C. World War II** The onset of the war physically separates them and changes their life paths. * **The Obstacle:** Noah enlists in the Army and serves in the Battle of the Bulge, where his best friend, Fin, is killed. Meanwhile, Allie becomes a volunteer nurse, which leads her to meet Lon Hammond Jr., a wealthy and charming soldier who represents the "safe" and socially acceptable choice for her future. #### **D. The Engagement to Lon Hammond Jr.** By the time Noah finishes restoring the house to win Allie back, she is already engaged to Lon. * **The Obstacle:** Unlike the stereotypical "villain" fiancé, Lon is a kind, successful, and genuinely loving man. This makes Allie’s choice much harder; she has to choose between a stable, happy future that satisfies her parents and the "passionate, beautiful, and difficult" love she shares with Noah. #### **E. Alzheimer’s Disease (The Final Obstacle)** In the present-day timeline, the obstacle is no longer social or geographical, but biological. * **The Obstacle:** Allie has advanced Alzheimer’s and does not recognize Noah or her own children. Noah’s goal of "bringing her back" is hindered by the medical reality of her condition. He faces the constant heartbreak of her "coming back" to him for only a few minutes at a time before her memory fades again, forcing him to start the process over every single day. ### 3. Allie Hamilton’s Goal and Obstacles Allie’s personal goal is to **find her own identity and choose her own path** rather than the one scripted by her parents. * **Her specific obstacle** is the "internalized expectation" of her social class. She struggles with the guilt of hurting Lon and the fear of disappointing her parents, which nearly causes her to choose security over her true passion for Noah.