Title of your book:The fault in our stars
Author:John Green
1. Plot and Structure:
What is the central conflict of the story, and how does it develop? The main
conflict in The Fault In Our Stars is about Hazel Lancaster's own struggle with her
terminal form of cancer and the possibility of dying young.She attends a Cancer
Support Group, which she secretly hates but continues to visit because it makes her
parents feel better about how she deals with her illness.When she meets Augustus
(Gus) Waters at one of the meetings, his positive and unique thought influences her
perspective on her situation.But when Augustus dies, Hazel is left alone at the end,
but she realizes that although she cannot control her circumstances, she can make
her own decisions and choices.
•
What is the point of view? (narrative) First person: The story is told by Hazel from
the first person.Hazel is such a down-to-earth and honest person she spares no one
in her story and her language, not even her love, her parents or herself.
2. Characters:
Who are the main characters, and how are they developed throughout the
story? There are two main characters in the story, Hazel (Grace) Lancaster and
Augustus ('Gus') Waters, two cancer patients.
Hazel: She keeps most people at a distance, knowing her death will hurt them, until
she falls in love with Augustus. At the beginning of the story, Hazel obsesses over
the impact her death will have on those around her. She fears getting close to
anyone because she knows that her death, which isn't far off, will hurt anyone close
to her.Through the story, Hazel becomes open to loving and being loved by others
despite the pain that her death may cause them.Hazel realizes that the short time
she had with Augustus is worth the pain she feels of his death. This experience
ultimately changes the way she feels about the impact that her own death will
inevitably have on others.
August (Gus): Augustus is a strong, confident, funny, and charming boy.through the
story the true Gus reveals himself by the act of placing a cigarette in his mouth. The
cigarette metaphor serves as a link that binds the two of them.Augustus wants the
cigarette to represent his control over the thing that could kill him, but in reality the
cigarettes he relies on is when he is feeling the most vulnerable, most like Gus. He
grabs for the cigarette at times of uncertainty, like when he first meets Hazel. At the
beginning of the book, Augustus seems like a very tough, nonchalant boy.When
Hazel gets to know him, Augustus turns out to be a very sweet and sensitive boy
who wants the best for everyone.When his illness returns, you see a combination of
the nonchalant, tough guy who is also very sensitive
, Are the characters relatable or well-rounded? Do they evolve over the course
of the book? The characters are well-rounded because they live a life where there
are problems and not everything is perfect.Hazels life is far from perfect,in the
beginning she wanted to stay in her room all day and didn’t want to love to much
people because it would hurt them a lot if she would die,so you see it is not
perfect.Also August is not perfect he is also very sensitive and very sick.They do
evolve but it stays well-rounded.Hazel begins to go out more with august and fells in
love with August she also begins to love more people and enjoys the life she has
with August and without him.August is at first a very tough boy but he shows his
sensitive side more and more when his illness returns.
3. Themes and Symbolism:
What are the major themes explored in the book?
-Love and friendship.
-Pain and suffering.
-Life and death.
Are there any universal themes or messages that the reader can relate to?
Yes,I think a lot of people can relate to this story because a lot of people have lost a
important person in their life due to cancer, so they can feel the pain the characters
feel in this story.I also think that people can relate to the teenage love and how
somebody you love can change your life perspective.
What symbols do you come across? Augustus's Cigarettes:The cigarettes
Augustus often puts in his mouth but doesn't light represent his attempt to deal with
the things he fears.Grenade:signifies death and the suffering a person's death
causes to those close to them. Hazel uses the term to describe herself
Water :Represents suffering.
4. Setting and Atmosphere:
How does the setting contribute to the mood and atmosphere of the story? It
took place in Indianapolis, Indiana and Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Indianapolis is
Hazel's hometown.The majority of the book takes place here.The most important
setting is Amsterdam. Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters travel to Amsterdam to
meet Hazel's favorite author, Peter Van Houten. This setting is important because if
Hazel can get to Amsterdam, Peter Van Houten will tell her the ending to his book
that ended in the middle of a sentence.They each get one wish from The Genie
Foundation (a fictional Make-A-Wish Foundation). Augustus uses his wish to bring
Hazel to Amsterdam with him, because Hazel used her wish to go to Disney World.
Amsterdam is a paradise for them, with food and lots of sightseeing.You get to know
Hazel from another side beacuse she rarely leaves the house, reads the same book
again and again, rarely eats, and spends all of her time thinking about death.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller nomywentibk. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $11.68. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.