Paloma Restrepo, Nicole Saffon, Pablo Correa, Manuela Botero English 9/23/2014 Context: Looking for Alaska
Biography about John Green
(Paloma Restrepo) "John Green was born in Indianapolis, Indiana the 24th of August, 1977. But soon, he and his family moved to Orlando where he grew up. He went to a boarding school (Indian Springs) in Alabama for his last 3 years of high school. Then he went to university, Kenyon College in Gambier Ohio. He studied English and Religious studies and earned his BA in 2000. He served as a hospital chaplain but soon he moved to Chicago to work as an editor and book reviewer at Booklist Magazine. At the same time, he worked at the National Public Radio as a commentator at a program called: All Things Considered".
"John Green wrote his first book while living in Chicago called Looking for Alaska and it was published on 2005. His second novel was published on 2006, and then his third novel on 2008. His books were very successful, so he decided to become a full time author. Then he moved to New York and finally to Indiana where he actually lives with his Family. He married a girl named Sarah and had two kids, Henry and Alicia. He started blogging videos in YouTube with his brother and they had a very good audience but it was finished 1 year later. Right now, he is a New York Best Seller and he is recognized for his high quality works". ( http://johngreenbooks.com/bio-contact/ , http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1981261/bio, http://alabamaliterarymap.lib.ua.edu/author? AuthorID=164)
Connections
(Nicole Saffon) "John Green's teenage life can connect a lot with his novel Looking for Alaska. He wrote this novel, based on his experiences and his years at boarding school. Miles, the main character of the novel liked Religion class a lot, like John Green that liked a lot Religion and which studied different religions in real life. It's also reported that he fell in love with a girl while he was at boarding school, they had a similar relationship to the one that Miles and Alaska share, because Miles loved her, but Alaska only liked him as a friend. When John Green was at boarding school, he also experienced the rivalry of the wealthy, preppy kids and regular common kids. Finally, John Green's life has a strong relation towards his first novel Looking for Alaska".
Paragraph Themes and Big Ideas
Death in looking for Alaska
(Pablo Correa)"This theme is the main theme in the book because this is what the novel revolves around. Even before the actual death occurs, death is a recurring theme, from Alaska’s mother’s death, to Miles’ trying to find out what happens when you die. Alaska is a character in the book that is fully associated with the theme of death. It has played an important role in her life, and also the future of the other characters. This theme reinforces the storyline because the storyline, in the second part of the book, revolves around Alaska’s death. There are many instances where Miles
tries to figure out why this happened, and what life and death is really about. This theme is directly linked to the themes of life and the meaning of life. Death is an important part of life, although many people fail to see it. Death is usually something that most people avoid talking about because it scares them, but it is important to face death and to be aware that it can touch anybody close to you. The book uses death as a theme to show the readers that death is something inevitable but we can never become ready for it".
Guilt
"The theme of guilt is present throughout the whole book in very mysterious ways. It first starts off with Miles’ guilt of leaving his parents behind in Florida. He also feels a lot of guilt towards the fact that he stayed behind at Culver Creek during Thanksgiving, just to spend time alone with Alaska. The theme of guilt really sets in during the second part of the book, after Alaska’s death. Miles, Takumi and the Colonel all feel extremely guilty after Alaska’s death because they all partly blame themselves for what happened. They all felt like they should have known better, and they should have stopped her from leaving. They can’t believe they had acted so careless, and gave her the benefit of the doubt. They had all believed that she was smart enough to know she wasn’t in the right state of mind to be driving, but they all let her go anyways. This is a guilt they will live with forever because they feel as though they could have stopped the whole event from happening. Guilt plays an enormous role in Miles’ life because he feels as though it was his responsibility to stop her, especially because she had just kissed him and made him the happiest guy alive".
Connections Diary of a wimpy kid has a lot of similitudes and its practically the same situation represented on the book in love
LOOKING FOR ALASKA Literary Genre Realistic Fiction
(Manuela Botero) "John Green writes about teenagers who are finding theirselves and who they are. How they experiment life, their experiences and how life actually works. The genre in which he writes and uses for this novel is Realistic Fiction. This genre consist of stories that could have happen in real life to people. It also contains real life and settings, but fictional characters that somehow represent and look alike to the real people in the story. These characters react and act the same way to the ones on the real story that is being narrated. The plots of realistic fiction stories are based mostly on social or personal events or experiences that are very common to happen in real life; such as falling in love, marriage, jobs, divorce, family, tragedy and in how people see and feel about life. For example, in Looking for Alaska, Miles and other different characters in boarding school experiment what love is. Miles at first sight feels attractive for Alaska and he tries hard to have her. It also reflects society and the the bad influences that can be presented in different stages of people's life like alcohol and drugs. For example, again in Looking for Alaska, at boarding school, Miles experiment new things such as alcohol and smoking and somehow made bad decisions and broke some rules. Since everyone in his new school drank and smoke, he became as well influenced by these. Finally, I can conclude that Realistic Fiction reflects life as it could be lived today and it helps children and people understand better themselves and their position with others in this world".
The main characteristic of Realistic Fiction are:
The place of this stories are in the present or very recent past.
The characters are involved in happening events.
Characters' homes are real.
Characters look like real people with real issues that are solved in a realistic way.
Events contain questions that the reader can face in his/her life.
John Green's novels of Realistic Fiction:
Looking for Alaska The Fault in our Stars
Gained Awards:
Winner, 2006 Michael L. Printz Award
Finalist, 2005 Los Angeles Times Book Price
2006, Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults
2006, Teens' Top 10 Award
2006, Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A Booklist Editor's Choice Pick
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection