Examples Of Grief In Looking For Alaska

In the novel Looking For Alaska by John Green, one big lesson is that ‘grief is temporary’ is often used as an attempt to comfort. However, the termination of this response to loss is what those grieving fear the most, as it seems to be the only lasting connection one has with the deceased. One example of this is when Pudge goes into Alaska’s room for the first time following her death. He gets hit with a wave of her nostalgic scent, “[W]ith each slow breath, the smell faded as I became accustomed to it, and soon she was gone again”(154). Alaska’s smell symbolizes Pudge’s grief here. When he first entered the room, the smell was strong just like the heartache was right after Alaska’s death, he didn’t accept that she was gone yet. As time passed, Pudge grew ‘accustomed’ to his grief with each ‘slow breath’ (meaning bit by bit).

By losing the anguishing feelings for Alaska stemming from grief is like losing their connection and bond all over again to Pudge. Another example of grief’s end being grim for grievers in Looking For Alaska is when Pudge “wondered whether I {he} should hope for a time when she would be a distant memory” (172). Pudge understands that forgetting her would mean the end of his tribulation, nevertheless part of him wants to hold onto this grief. He fears that accepting her death will mean thinking about her less and less until he ultimately forgets her. Ensuing Alaska’s tragic accident comes a coming-of-age moment for Pudge, a state of utter powerlessness. It’s human nature to want to control life, but life does not function that way. So when Pudge can’t bring the girl he’s in love with back, he aims to control his desolation, since the grief connects him to her. This is a self-destructive coping