Examples Of Cancer In The Fault In Our Stars

Misery Caused by Cancer in The Fault In Our Stars “You deserve to be happy. You deserve to live a life you are excited about. Don’t let others make you forget that” (Unknown). Though one may deserve to be happy, it is not always appreciated or experienced. In the novel The Fault In Our Stars, John Green recognizes how the joy of life is significantly altered in those who are affected by cancer. It is shown how parents, patients and society alike, all play a powerful role in the misery of others. Green demonstrates how, societal norms, the overbearing strength of cancer, and guilt all help shape that those affected by cancer believe they do not deserve to be happy. Society plays a prominent role in the acceptance of people. Since cancer

This impending guilt ultimately widens the barrier between the person and happiness. A prominent example of guilt is seen in the protagonist, Hazel. Hazel is so afraid of hurting those who are close to her when she dies. She feels such a responsibility to protect her loved ones, that she uses the guilt of her death to isolate herself from happiness. This guilt is demonstrated by her, shortly after discovering the numerous amount of people who missed Caroline Mathers, a teenager who also succumbed to her illness. “‘I’m a grenade,’ I said again. ‘Just want to stay away from people and read books and think about being with you guys because there’s nothing I can do about hurting you: you’re too invested, so please just let me do that okay? I’m not depressed. I don’t need to get out more. And I can’t be a regular teenager, because I’m a grenade’” (Green 99). In Hazel’s opinion, when she dies she will explode like a bomb hurting those who surround her. Segregating herself is a non-negotiable and unwanted chore and so, she feels responsible for reducing the number of people who are emotionally invested in her. Removing the majority of the people who love and care about her from her life, Hazel is only fueling the idea that she does not deserve to be content. On the flip side, guilt is also embedded into the parents of those who have been diagnosed with cancer. Peter Van Houten shows how seeing his daughter suffer through so much pain and hardship created a barricade around himself. He feels so ashamed that he is living healthily. This remorse essentially engulfs all the joy and appreciation of living life to the fullest. As he explained to Hazel, “I had to tell her she would die. Her social worker said I had to tell her. I had to tell her she would die, so I told her she was going to heaven. She asked if I would be there, and I said that I would not, not yet. But eventually, she said, and I promised her that yes, of