Looking For Alaska

Looking For Alaska by John Green

Before. Miles “Pudge” Halter’s whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the “Great Perhaps” (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

One thing I love about John Green’s books is his ability to create dysfunctional and flawed characters which make them seem real. The whole story was like based from reality and that’s what awed me.

The very important thing I learned from this book is that death is perceived differently by different people. It depends solely on how they experienced it. If the death is sudden and tragic, they would think it is unfair and cruel for taking their lives so early. On the other hand, if it is because of natural causes, then they’d see death as another great adventure for that person who passed away.

The other thing that really touched my heart and taught me a very important lesson in life is the characters’ friendship. They’re a pretty messed up bunch but they managed to stay together through thick and thin. I want a friendship like that because I think it’s the kind of friendship that will last forever. They’re genuine and they don’t believe in keeping secrets around each other. That’s really admirable.

There’s a question at the end of the book where John Green answers some questions about the book and he was asked there if there are two major symbols in the story and who was the enemy. He answered it was Alaska for both. Alaska was a major symbol and she’s also the enemy. Because who may be the biggest enemy in our lives but ourselves? The way we battle with the problems in life entirely depends on us. It’s our life. It’s our choices. Our endings depend on what we choose.

Ong Yi Teng
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