The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Bibliography
Green, John. The fault in our stars. Penguin UK, 2012.
ISBN: 978-0142424179
Plot
Hazel is a young girl who is obsessed with the book An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten. She has terminal lung cancer, and her parents make her go to a cancer support group. At the support group, she meets Augustus, who also has cancer. Augustus and her fall in love, and Augustus uses his Wish from the Make a Wish Foundation to take Hazel to Amsterdam to meet the author of her favorite book, in order to find out the ending. When they meet the author, however, he is a grumpy old man who is so cynical that he refuses the teenagers the answers to the questions they ask. When Hazel and Augustus return to the States, Augustus faces one last challenge to his health, and eventually dies. Hazel performs his eulogy at his funeral and receives a surprising gift.
Critical Analysis
The characters of Hazel and Augustus may be identifiable with teenagers. They are both attempting to be individualists through their shared disease. Augustus manages this more clearly through selfless acts rather than complete selfishness, while Hazel moves through the plot largely unchanged in her attitude towards life and people. Augustus seems to grow in his battle with the disease, as he gives his wish to Hazel and allows his weakness to present itself. I found that the characters were both somewhat cruel to their parents in their actions and words - both seemed to disregard their parents as sidekicks to their lives.
The plot is mostly true to life, however, it does have a large amount of predictability in the attitude it takes on death and suffering. Although the plot involves two children who have cancer, there are rare moments when the children are doing child-like activities, such as school or even play. Most of the plot is either the two children "hanging out", or on an adventure in Amsterdam, which is not an entirely plausible setting. Very rarely during the story is a hospital or doctor mentioned.
Green presents through the plot line a point of view that those who suffer are only able to be hurt, not hurt others, such as their parents. He also presents teenagers with the view that a relationship is unilateral, rather than communal. Hazel and Augustus pursue their relationship void of their parents or even their close friend Isaac. This theme of singular romance is prevalent through the book, as well as a theme of finding identity. According to the main characters, identity is found in having cancer and also in another person.
Green presents both gender's sides of the story in The Fault in Our Stars, with a sensitive male figure in Augustus and the voice of Hazel heard loudly. The issue of cancer is presented within a family structure, showing how each character's families affect them and assist them with the disease. The plot also presents conflicts that arise out of the impact that cancer has on the family.
Critical Analysis
The characters of Hazel and Augustus may be identifiable with teenagers. They are both attempting to be individualists through their shared disease. Augustus manages this more clearly through selfless acts rather than complete selfishness, while Hazel moves through the plot largely unchanged in her attitude towards life and people. Augustus seems to grow in his battle with the disease, as he gives his wish to Hazel and allows his weakness to present itself. I found that the characters were both somewhat cruel to their parents in their actions and words - both seemed to disregard their parents as sidekicks to their lives.
The plot is mostly true to life, however, it does have a large amount of predictability in the attitude it takes on death and suffering. Although the plot involves two children who have cancer, there are rare moments when the children are doing child-like activities, such as school or even play. Most of the plot is either the two children "hanging out", or on an adventure in Amsterdam, which is not an entirely plausible setting. Very rarely during the story is a hospital or doctor mentioned.
Green presents through the plot line a point of view that those who suffer are only able to be hurt, not hurt others, such as their parents. He also presents teenagers with the view that a relationship is unilateral, rather than communal. Hazel and Augustus pursue their relationship void of their parents or even their close friend Isaac. This theme of singular romance is prevalent through the book, as well as a theme of finding identity. According to the main characters, identity is found in having cancer and also in another person.
Green presents both gender's sides of the story in The Fault in Our Stars, with a sensitive male figure in Augustus and the voice of Hazel heard loudly. The issue of cancer is presented within a family structure, showing how each character's families affect them and assist them with the disease. The plot also presents conflicts that arise out of the impact that cancer has on the family.
Excerpts of Reviews
"Beautifully conceived and executed, this story artfully examines the largest possible considerations—life, love, and death—with sensitivity, intelligence, honesty, and integrity. In the process, Green shows his readers what it is like to live with cancer, sometimes no more than a breath or a heartbeat away from death. But it is life that Green spiritedly celebrates here, even while acknowledging its pain. In its every aspect, this novel is a triumph."
Booklist
"The Fault in Our Stars is a love story, one of the most genuine and moving ones in recent American fiction, but it’s also an existential tragedy of tremendous intelligence and courage and sadness."
Time Magazine
“John Green deftly mixes the profound and the quotidian in this tough, touching valentine to the human spirit.”
The Washington Post
1. Read other stories in which the main protagonist has cancer, such as:
Ida B. by Katherine Hannigan
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
2. After reading the book, go to John Green's Q&A about the book. http://johngreenbooks.com/questions-about-the-fault-in-our-stars-spoilers/
Have students write their own questions that they would ask the author about the book.
3. Discuss how, near the end of their lives, both Hazel and Augustus chose to make the best of it and went overseas, fell in love, and started a new friendship. Have students think about what they would do, or can do now, to make the best out of a hard situation they are going through, or even just their general lives.
4, Read other books written by John Green, such as:
An Abundance of Katherines
Looking for Alaska
Paper Towns
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Ida B. by Katherine Hannigan
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
2. After reading the book, go to John Green's Q&A about the book. http://johngreenbooks.com/questions-about-the-fault-in-our-stars-spoilers/
Have students write their own questions that they would ask the author about the book.
3. Discuss how, near the end of their lives, both Hazel and Augustus chose to make the best of it and went overseas, fell in love, and started a new friendship. Have students think about what they would do, or can do now, to make the best out of a hard situation they are going through, or even just their general lives.
4, Read other books written by John Green, such as:
An Abundance of Katherines
Looking for Alaska
Paper Towns
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
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