Okay. Let's go to Amsterdam
When Gus and Hazel go to Amsterdam it is a Quest. According to Foster's How to Read Literature like a Professor a quest must have the following:
A Quester: Hazel and Gus
Stated Place to Go: Amsterdam
Stated Reason to Go: Hazel and Gus set off to go find Hazel's favorite author Peter Van Houten so he can tell them what happens after the end of their favorite book, An Imperial Affliction.
Challenges: Hazel has to get clearance from her doctors to go to Amsterdam and her mother has to accompany them. Gus also had trouble convinving his mom to let him go because of his cancer but Hazel isnt aware of this until after they are already in Amsterdam.
The Real Reason: The real reason for a quest is always self knowledge. In this case Hazel learns that her favorite author is not who she though he would be and she learns that Gus has really bad cancer and now he is the grenade.
A Quester: Hazel and Gus
Stated Place to Go: Amsterdam
Stated Reason to Go: Hazel and Gus set off to go find Hazel's favorite author Peter Van Houten so he can tell them what happens after the end of their favorite book, An Imperial Affliction.
Challenges: Hazel has to get clearance from her doctors to go to Amsterdam and her mother has to accompany them. Gus also had trouble convinving his mom to let him go because of his cancer but Hazel isnt aware of this until after they are already in Amsterdam.
The Real Reason: The real reason for a quest is always self knowledge. In this case Hazel learns that her favorite author is not who she though he would be and she learns that Gus has really bad cancer and now he is the grenade.
LITERARY DISEASES
Hazel, Gus, and Issac are all for the purpose of literature diseased. For cancer to be a literary disease it has to have the following four things.
Also Issac is blind. According to How to Read Literature Like a Professor blindness brings sight. After Issac loses his sight he isn't really included much until Gus is dying. The blindness might be about the new sight Gus has given him by showing him how to stand up for himself and how to handle his emotions. After Gus dies when they are using the video game voice activators Issac admits to really missing Gus which once again shows his emotions.
- Not Equal: Cancer is one of the most destructive diseases in society today. Nobody wants cancer and when cancer strikes it can tear lives apart. As we see with Hazel her cancer keeps her from doing things normal kids do like playing on a swing set. Cancer is not only socially but also physically like her
- Picturesque: Cancer caused Gus to lose his leg and Hazel to need a oxygen tank and her nose tubes.
- Mysterious: Cancer comes from mutated cells but nobody knows why some people get cancer and others don't. There's no reason why Hazel and Augustus are cancer kids and other kids get a normal life.
- Metaphorical possibilities: Gus points out its a battle against yourself; "And what am I at war with? My Cancer. and What is my cancer? My cancer is me." (217). Cancer demonstrates the internal battle they are each fighting.
Also Issac is blind. According to How to Read Literature Like a Professor blindness brings sight. After Issac loses his sight he isn't really included much until Gus is dying. The blindness might be about the new sight Gus has given him by showing him how to stand up for himself and how to handle his emotions. After Gus dies when they are using the video game voice activators Issac admits to really missing Gus which once again shows his emotions.
Dreams don't Come True
One prevalent theme (and also quote) from the tragicaly romantic novel The Fault in Our Stars is that "Life is not a wish-granting factory" (Green 214). It is obvious that life for a cancer child is no walk in the park, or should I say no trip to the playground. But Hazel and Gus remind us that "Life is not a wish-granting factory". We don't get to decide what happens to us in live but we have to make the best of what we're dealt. Hazel validates this choice we have to make saying "You have a choice in this world, I believe, about how to tell sad stories, and we made the funny choice. Hazel does more than her fair share of griping but who can blame her she's a kid with cancer and frankly that sucks. Gus' life sucks too but he teaches Hazel how to take a crappy situation and make it seem okay. When Hazel and Gus first meet it is at support , which Hazel didn't want to even go to but Gus makes the best of support group in the literal heart of Jesus. So what if the world isn't a wish granting factory? That doesn't mean you can't make the best of every situation.
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The Fault in Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is a Victorian novel so it combines realism and romanticism. Well, we know The Fault in Our Stars has plenty of romantic elements and a touch of realism, so is The Fault in Our Stars somewhat Victorian? The Fault in Our Stars is definitely realistic because John Green writes (very realistically) from a teenage voice. Hazel Grace watches Americas Next Top Model, and goes to the mall with here friends like a normal teenage girl. Augustus Waters however is the very romantic side of the novel. Gus almost always speaks philosophically. What normal boy writes love notes about infinity and fears oblivion? Gus is perfect but he's too perfect. He speaks so metaphorically and seemingly everything becomes a life lesson with him.
Another way The Fault in Our Stars is a Victorian is the strong independent female character. Hazel Grace and Jane Eyre are surprisingly very similar. Both have endured suffering for Jane suffering begins in Gateshead, For Hazel the source of her suffering is her cancer. Ironically while Jane is an Orphan Hazel can't seem to get any privacy from her overprotective parents. Both Hazel and Jane fall in love and try to resist their love but can't. Jane and Hazel both spend a lot of time on what others think about them, when Hazel is in public she will note how she looks pathetic like at the mall, or when they visit the Anne Frank House she notes what the other tourists must think about her condition. Jane thinks a lot about her own appearance and judges other people by their appearances. One of the biggest similarities is that both women seem to dwell on the negative. Hazel is overwhelmingly concerned with death. Her concern is not unwarranted because she has come close to death but sometimes she seems to wallow in her cancer and lets it consume her psychologically . For example, she tells Gus not to love her because she's a grenade and she will die and hurt everyone around her, she throws a tantrum about not being able to play on her swing set . Jane similarly always focuses on the hard times she faces like Mrs Reed's harsh punishments at Gateshead, the poor living conditions at Lowood, and especially her days living in the woods. At the same time what both girls long for the most is independence, for Hazel its independence from Cancer and for Jane it's freedom from being oppressed by men. |
HAzel and Gus' Playlist
Ronan, Taylor Swift: This one's obvious. Its a song about losing a kid to cancer so it describes the emotions Hazel might feel after losing Gus.
Counting Stars, One Republic: Stars are a important motif in the book, they're in the title. "Dreaming about the things that we could be" reminds me of the love that Hazel and Gus share even though they know they won't ever get the chance to develop their love.
She Looks So Perfect, 5 Seconds of Summer: This song is like the way that Gus picks Hazel out at support group because he says shes beautiful and he sees past the cancer hair and oxygen and she sees past his one leg. The song also gets a little dirty and so do Hazel and Gus.
Gone, Gone, Gone, Phillip Phillips: "I'll love you long after you're gone, gone, gone" explains the relationship between Hazel and Gus where they know one of them is nearing the end of their life but their love will go on after death separates them.
Kiss me Slowly, Parachute: "Kiss Me Slowly" reflects the kind of blind love between Hazel and Gus and how they fall deeply in love.
Just the Way You Are, Bruno Mars: "Just the Way You Are" reflects once again how Gus and Hazel love each other even with cancer and missing limbs and oxygen tanks.
Strong, One Direction: "Strong" reflects the way that they know their love will eventually hurt them right now it makes them stronger so it is okay for now.
Young Volcanoes, Fall out Boy: I feel like Hazel dreams of being a rebellious some what wild teenager living it up but she can't because if she goes too crazy she would die, but "Young Volcanoes" reflects how she wants to be able to live.
Young and Beautiful, Lana Del Ray: Once again about love despite outer beauty.
We are Young, Fun: This song capture the Romance at the height of their romance because they are living more freely and doing what they want to do while supporting each other if they need it like when Gus is at the gas station and they are making the most of their youth while they can.
Drops of Jupiter, Train: The song speaks metaphorically of a trip to Jupiter and Gus always speaks in metaphors and talks about learning from each other life's little lessons and falling in love.
Counting Stars, One Republic: Stars are a important motif in the book, they're in the title. "Dreaming about the things that we could be" reminds me of the love that Hazel and Gus share even though they know they won't ever get the chance to develop their love.
She Looks So Perfect, 5 Seconds of Summer: This song is like the way that Gus picks Hazel out at support group because he says shes beautiful and he sees past the cancer hair and oxygen and she sees past his one leg. The song also gets a little dirty and so do Hazel and Gus.
Gone, Gone, Gone, Phillip Phillips: "I'll love you long after you're gone, gone, gone" explains the relationship between Hazel and Gus where they know one of them is nearing the end of their life but their love will go on after death separates them.
Kiss me Slowly, Parachute: "Kiss Me Slowly" reflects the kind of blind love between Hazel and Gus and how they fall deeply in love.
Just the Way You Are, Bruno Mars: "Just the Way You Are" reflects once again how Gus and Hazel love each other even with cancer and missing limbs and oxygen tanks.
Strong, One Direction: "Strong" reflects the way that they know their love will eventually hurt them right now it makes them stronger so it is okay for now.
Young Volcanoes, Fall out Boy: I feel like Hazel dreams of being a rebellious some what wild teenager living it up but she can't because if she goes too crazy she would die, but "Young Volcanoes" reflects how she wants to be able to live.
Young and Beautiful, Lana Del Ray: Once again about love despite outer beauty.
We are Young, Fun: This song capture the Romance at the height of their romance because they are living more freely and doing what they want to do while supporting each other if they need it like when Gus is at the gas station and they are making the most of their youth while they can.
Drops of Jupiter, Train: The song speaks metaphorically of a trip to Jupiter and Gus always speaks in metaphors and talks about learning from each other life's little lessons and falling in love.
Meaning Behind the fault in our stars
The Fault in Our Stars, is based off a line from Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar. In the play Caesar says, "The fault, dear Brutus is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are underlings." Fate is not what dooms everyone, but rather his or her own failings. The human conditions drive one's decisions, actions, and failures. John Green's opinion towards Shakespeare's belief is quite the opposite, "never was Shakespeare more wrong than when he has Cassius note..." (Green 111). This quote is found in a letter from Van Houten to Augustus. Augustus already knows that he can not control his cancer, but Van teaches him the fault is not always in ourselves. This part adds to Augustus's character but ties his metaphorical nature together. John Green argues against Shakespeare that faults are in the nature of things and tragedies can not be avoided. Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac didn't do anything to cause their cancer; it's a fact that can not be changed. The reader learns fate is set in stone and you can't do anything about it.
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