“Looking for Alaska by John Green Essay Example
“Looking for Alaska by John Green Essay Example

“Looking for Alaska by John Green Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (573 words)
  • Published: August 13, 2017
  • Type: Essay
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John Green's debut novel, 'Looking for Alaska', was published in 2005. The story follows a group of smart but lost adolescents who attend Culver Creek Boarding School for their first junior year. They are the opposite of conventional, with one particularly contrasting member - Alaska Young. The characters, including Miles Halter and Chip Martin, have a complex way of looking at life, causing them to seek adventure and simplicity in a complicated world, but this ultimately leads to their pain. Miles describes Alaska as a hurricane, and her tragic death is the main focus of the novel, even though it is written from his perspective. The story takes place 136 days prior to her death, where readers see Miles as a dull and anti-social geek, and 136 days after her death, where Miles is now a well-developed man with friends who smoke cigar

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ettes and drink wine. Death is a recurring theme in the book, from Alaska's mother's death to Miles' obsession with peoples' last words. Alaska is entirely associated with death within the story.Alaska's life played a significant role in the lives of the characters even after her untimely death. Her character was puzzling, beautiful, and intriguing, but also suicidal and exhibited reckless behavior. Through their actions and conversations, we became familiar with the characters. During "Barn Night," just days before her death, the boys who loved her realized how little they actually knew about her. January 9th, 1997 was a turning point in Alaska's life when she witnessed her mother's death at eight years old and didn't make an effort to save her, leading to overwhelming guilt. Alaska's extreme spontaneity and unpredictability may have

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resulted from this event. Her impulsive actions eventually led to her demise. In the final faith test, students must answer what they believe is the most important question humans must answer and analyze how Buddhism fits into it.The investigation regarding “What will happen to us when we die?” is analyzed by Miles, who acknowledges that the answer may only be revealed through personal experience. However, in his science class, he learns that energy cannot be created or destroyed. In contrast, faith provides answers to all of life’s questions, including the belief that the soul ascends to heaven after death. Alaska is troubled by the question of her mother's death and is compared to a maze throughout the novel. She is trapped in an endless cycle of unanswerable questions that cause her tremendous pain. The labyrinth represents the eternal, unsolvable issues that exist in life and which can lead to self-destruction if not approached philosophically. Green’s message emphasizes the importance of not getting caught up in these answerless questions, otherwise individuals may find themselves trapped within their own agony. Despite the hopelessness Alaska felt, there was still a small flicker of hope left. She became too consumed with guilt and despair instead of accepting that some questions remain unanswered.Miles attempts to analyze various scenarios pertaining to Alaska's death, including its cause, true motives, and her last words. Death is a significant aspect of life which many people tend to avoid discussing or acknowledging due to its harrowing connotations. Nevertheless, it is crucial to confront mortality and understand that it can affect anyone in close proximity. The book utilizes death as a theme to illustrate that it

is an inevitable occurrence, one that cannot be fully anticipated or prepared for.

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