GENRE 6: Looking for Alaska by John Green

Bibliography
Green, John. 2005. Looking for Alaska. New York: Dutton Books. ISBN 0525475060

Plot Summary
Before the incident. Miles Halter is fascinated by the last words of famous people. Tired of his safe life at home, he decides to attend the same boarding school in Alabama that his father attended in an attempt to discover what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called “the Great Perhaps.” At Culver Creek Boarding School, Miles is befriend by his roommate, Chip “the Colonel” Martin, and nicknamed “Pudge” in an attempt at irony. The Colonel soon introduces Miles to his group of friends, including the clever, funny, and spontaneous Alaska Young. As the group of friends spends their days studying, drinking, smoking, and playing pranks, Miles falls hopelessly under Alaska’s spell. Then the unthinkable happens…

After the incident. Nothing is ever the same after the events of a tragic night that claims the life of one of Miles’s friends. As he comes to terms with the death, Miles begins to re-evaluate his life and questions whether “the Great Perhaps” is truly worth seeking.

Critical Analysis
The plot in John Green’s novel has a somewhat slow build up at the beginning, but the shocking plot twist mid-way through the novel packs a devastating emotional punch to both the reader and Miles, the novel’s main character. Green purposely splits the novel into two sections that allow the reader to see what Miles’s life was life before and after the devastating plot twist. The clever use of ominous chapter headings (40 days before, two days before) creates suspense by alluding to the possibility of a tragic event occurring. This stylistic device draws the reader into the novel and forces the reader to continue reading in an attempt to discern what might be coming up for the characters.

The characters in the novel are flawed, yet these foibles are essential for the story being told. Oddly enough, the character’s idiosyncrasies make the characters appealing and reflect the reality of today’s teenagers as they grapple with issues of drinking, smoking, sex, profanity, and finding their place in the world. As the main character, Miles is bright, insecure, and heartbreakingly idealistic. He years for acceptance and allows himself to be drawn in way over his head by the Colonel and Alaska. As the object of his affection, Alaska is quirky, clever, impulsive, and prone to indulging in self-destructive behaviors. It is difficult to love Alaska, yet it is impossible not to.

The other characters in the book are equally appealing, though some of them take more getting use to than others. Each character has their own personality traits that contribute to the larger collective and make their unlikely friendships work. The believable, and often humorous, dialogue between characters is littered with profanity, yet the realistic portrayal of the characters will strike a chord with teenagers. The novel’s setting is also essential in creating a story that will stay with the reader. The lack of immediate parental support at Miles’s boarding school allows the characters to form close bonds with each other that become the support system that carries them through the days after the tragic accident occurs.
Green’s novel has created controversy for the mature themes and issues found within the novel. While the book has deep insights on human nature, the need for inclusion, the limitations of friendship, and the meaning of life there have been objections to the profanity, sex, and drinking found in the story. The reality is that teens deal with these issues every day, thus the inclusion of these issues make the novel realistic and that much more powerful. Looking for Alaska is recommended for high school readers, specifically grades 10 and up.

Review Excerpt(s)
2006 Michael L. Printz Award Winner
2006 ALA Best Book for Young Adults
2006 ALA Quick Pick
2005 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
2005 Booklist Editor's Choice
2005 School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Children’s Literature - “Unlike the other award-winning books, this title has characterizations that connect, conversations that ring true, references to inspire further reading, and theological and philosophical truths that speak to young adults and leave them with questions that haunt them.”

Kirkus Reviews - “What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green's mastery of language and the sweet, rough edges of Pudge's voice.”

Connections
- Read some of the biographies by famous people referred to in the book.
- Research the dangerous of drinking and smoking by teenagers. Have students answer the question of why the use of these substances is more dangerous for teenagers than adults.
- Discuss what Miles and his friends could have done differently to prevent the tragic event that occurs in the novel.
- Research the signs of grief and discuss whether those signs where presents in the characters who claimed to love the person who dies in the novel. Discuss how the characters might have coped differently with the death in the novel.