Manuela Botero
9A English
September 26,2014
Student Sparknotes: Themes & Symbols
In the novel "Looking for Alaska", the theme love is presented throughout the story. In the beginning of the book, Miles is sent to Culver Creek Boarding School where he meets Alaska and falls in love at first sight for her. This instant love is the key that shows how love becomes one of the most important themes in the whole story. Each time, a new love relationship is popping out at boarding school and Miles is every-time trying hard to conquer and have Alaska for himself.Toward the end, Alaska kisses with Miles and he says he loves her, but she didn't hear, showing that now love has become a greater and an stronger icon and theme in the main characters' lives. These two examples help to show how John Green develops the theme of love in his novel "Looking for Alaska."
In the novel "Looking for Alaska" another very important theme is friendship. In the very beginning of the story, before Miles was sent to his new school, he was not a very social boy. Later, when he arrived to boarding school, he meet Chip and made a connection with him immediately. Later on, he meets with everyone else at school and he became friends with all of them. This shows the importance of having friends in life and how friendship changed Miles' Life. Another big example, is the friend relationship between Alaska and Chip. They have always told each other everything and they have always been very close friends. These again, show that friendship is presented frequently throughout the story of John Green.
The cigarette is a symbol expressed in the novel "Looking for Alaska." This symbol represents the indifference that is presented in the characters of this book. A significant example that shows how the cigarette is used in this novel is when Miles is smoking with Alaska, and they had the conversation about why they smoke. Miles says he smokes just for fun, but Alaska who thinks different about life, says that she smokes to die. She is always thinking differently and in someway rebelling against life. The cigarette is constantly appearing throughout the whole story showing that it really has a big impact and meaning for the main characters in the novel. This is why, Green's use of this symbol helps the reader understand the different perspectives and point of views of the several characters in the story.
Loyalty is a very common word but not everyone has it in their life. In the book, this term is a very important symbol. It represents the honesty that each character gives to each other. Trusting and being loyal is the most important thing for the Colonel. He is very strict for making sure everyone tells the truth and that no body lies, especially his closest friend. When Alaska ratted on Paul and Marya with the Eagle, she said it was the weekend warriors who did it, but actually it was her. When the Colonel knew about this, he didn't know what to think. He said he wouldn't trust her anymore. This example, shows the importance of loyalty to the Colonel. But it also reflects real life. Confidence is lost very easily just for one mistake done by playing with lies. It is very important to always speak with the truth and to be loyal with your dearest friends.
Another big theme in the whole story of "Looking for Alaska", is the influences. In life, there's two types of influences, the good and the bad ones. In the novel, Miles is an innocent boy before going to boarding school. After he goes to his new school, he is still innocent. But after a while of hanging out with Chip, Alaska and the others, and getting to know the place, he starts to know what his friends did. They all smoke and drink and party most of the time when they weren't studying. Miles, got affected too by the alcohol and the cigarettes, so he began to do the same as his friends. This shows that influences are shown in the book because somehow, Miles was affected by them. John Green's explanations and writing in Realistic Fiction lets the reader understand that influences happens in real life as it also happens constantly in his novel.
9A English
September 26,2014
Student Sparknotes: Themes & Symbols
In the novel "Looking for Alaska", the theme love is presented throughout the story. In the beginning of the book, Miles is sent to Culver Creek Boarding School where he meets Alaska and falls in love at first sight for her. This instant love is the key that shows how love becomes one of the most important themes in the whole story. Each time, a new love relationship is popping out at boarding school and Miles is every-time trying hard to conquer and have Alaska for himself.Toward the end, Alaska kisses with Miles and he says he loves her, but she didn't hear, showing that now love has become a greater and an stronger icon and theme in the main characters' lives. These two examples help to show how John Green develops the theme of love in his novel "Looking for Alaska."
In the novel "Looking for Alaska" another very important theme is friendship. In the very beginning of the story, before Miles was sent to his new school, he was not a very social boy. Later, when he arrived to boarding school, he meet Chip and made a connection with him immediately. Later on, he meets with everyone else at school and he became friends with all of them. This shows the importance of having friends in life and how friendship changed Miles' Life. Another big example, is the friend relationship between Alaska and Chip. They have always told each other everything and they have always been very close friends. These again, show that friendship is presented frequently throughout the story of John Green.
The cigarette is a symbol expressed in the novel "Looking for Alaska." This symbol represents the indifference that is presented in the characters of this book. A significant example that shows how the cigarette is used in this novel is when Miles is smoking with Alaska, and they had the conversation about why they smoke. Miles says he smokes just for fun, but Alaska who thinks different about life, says that she smokes to die. She is always thinking differently and in someway rebelling against life. The cigarette is constantly appearing throughout the whole story showing that it really has a big impact and meaning for the main characters in the novel. This is why, Green's use of this symbol helps the reader understand the different perspectives and point of views of the several characters in the story.
Loyalty is a very common word but not everyone has it in their life. In the book, this term is a very important symbol. It represents the honesty that each character gives to each other. Trusting and being loyal is the most important thing for the Colonel. He is very strict for making sure everyone tells the truth and that no body lies, especially his closest friend. When Alaska ratted on Paul and Marya with the Eagle, she said it was the weekend warriors who did it, but actually it was her. When the Colonel knew about this, he didn't know what to think. He said he wouldn't trust her anymore. This example, shows the importance of loyalty to the Colonel. But it also reflects real life. Confidence is lost very easily just for one mistake done by playing with lies. It is very important to always speak with the truth and to be loyal with your dearest friends.
Another big theme in the whole story of "Looking for Alaska", is the influences. In life, there's two types of influences, the good and the bad ones. In the novel, Miles is an innocent boy before going to boarding school. After he goes to his new school, he is still innocent. But after a while of hanging out with Chip, Alaska and the others, and getting to know the place, he starts to know what his friends did. They all smoke and drink and party most of the time when they weren't studying. Miles, got affected too by the alcohol and the cigarettes, so he began to do the same as his friends. This shows that influences are shown in the book because somehow, Miles was affected by them. John Green's explanations and writing in Realistic Fiction lets the reader understand that influences happens in real life as it also happens constantly in his novel.