"Looking For Alaska" by John Green
(*spoilers*)
1. What drew me to this book was that it was the same author of a novel that I've read before and liked called, "The Fault In Our Stars".
I expected it to maybe have something tragic happening and have deep thoughts that causes me to think about life differently.
2. What kept me reading past the first ten pages was that once Miles arrives to his new school, he meets friends who are incredibly smart and deep for teenagers and they also like to be pranksters.
3. My reading habits are reading whenever I have time. If I like the book enough, I cannot put down the book and don't want to do anything else but read, which was the case with this novel.
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1. Miles Halter was one of those awkward teenagers who didn't have any close friends and he liked memorizing the last words of famous people. That changed when he left Florida and his family to go to a boarding school in Alabama in search of "The Great Perhaps". There he meets hiss room mate, Chip who is called the colonel, and he introduces him to his best friend, Alaska. In the first half of the book they broke rules, had deep conversations, pulled pranks, and were rebellious. Alaska was always a mystery to Miles, who is nicknamed Pudge by the colonel. After Alaska's death, Miles becomes obsessed with figuring out if she did it on purpose or not and can't help but feel guilty for her passing. In the end, he forgives Alaska for dying because he knows she'll forgive him for moving on in life.
Theme: Death is one of the biggest themes in the book. Miles had an obsession with memorizing the last words of famous people. Alaska felt guilty for her mother's death because when she was little she saw her mom laying and shaking on the ground but Alaska was too paralyzed with fear to call 911 and she blamed herself for it and allowed her emotions to drive her decisions. Some other themes are about life after death, "searching for a great perhaps"or new adventure, and how everybody is battling their own rebellious of suffering.
Tone: There isn't really a constant tone throughout the whole book. Especially since John Green divided the first half the book and called it before from the last part of the book which is called after. One of the main tone is tragedy because a huge tragedy took place in the middle of the book and it affects everyone. Miles had a hard time dealing with Alaska's death,
“I picked up a blue chair and threw it against the concrete wall, and the clang of plastic on concrete echoed beneath the bridge as the chair fell limply on its side, and then I lay on my back with my knees hanging over the precipice and screamed'(pg.171). Alaska Young was mysterious and a tone Green used was unhappiness. A quote from Alaska was, "Y'all smoked to enjoy it. I smoke to die". Sometimes the tone is sarcastic and fun like when the gang is hanging out with each other. For example when the gang was having a prank night, Alaska asked Takumi:
4. Literary elements:
1. Dynamic character- Alaska young left the characters with a mystery: if she crashed her car on purpose or on accident. "She loved mysteries so much, that she became one."
2. Internal conflict- Miles was in love with the version he created of Alaska. "Do you even remember the person she actually was? Do you remember how she could be a selfish bitch? That was apart of her, and you used to know it. It's like now you only care about the Alaska you made up."(pg.165)
3.Ta
kumi Hikohitoska- flat character. He was Miles, Alaska and Chip's friend but wan't that close to them. "I'm tired of all this secret shit. She was my friend, too."(pg.177)
4. Suspence-"And then we heard footsteps outside. Footsteps. We'd waited till 1:00 to turn on the lights, figuring everyone would be long asleep."
5.Resolution- "So I know she forgives me , just as I forgive he. Thomas Edison's last words were: "It's very beautiful over there." I don't know where there is, but I believe it is somewhere, and I hope it's beautiful." (pg.221)
