Green portrays how individuals from diverse backgrounds are able to come together and flourish. This is demonstrated by Miles, Takumi, The Colonel, Lara and Alaska. The friendship group is made up of many individuals who have all experienced different things. Lara moved from Romania to America when she was 12 and was relied heavily on by her family for her translating skills. The Colonel was given an academic scholarship to Culver Creek, as he and his mum are living in a trailer park and are unable to afford the school fees. Alaska lives a very complex and tangled life as she struggles to deal with the premature death of her mother. Miles upheld a boring and “lonely life” so he came to Culver Creek to start anew and make some “real friends”. …show more content…
After Alaska’s death, the whole Culver Creek community is deeply sorrowful. The shared mourning process “had made. the Colonel and Takumi and [Miles]. closer”. Their connections were important through the hardships because without one another they would have felt alone. They found strength to deal with the tragedy as they lent to one another for support and understanding. When Alaska’s funeral comes around Miles “could not go alone, and going with anyone but the Colonel would amount to alone.” His connection with the Colonel demonstrates how they find comfort in each other's company. Miles and The Colonel take two different paths of grief. Miles does a lot of reflection during the grieving process. He reflects on how Alaska “collapsed into the enigma of herself” and realises that he could have done the same. However, he states that he “saw where it led. to her”. After Alaska’s death and the initial blame he placed upon himself, he comprehends how it only led to Alaska’s demise. However, the Colonel uses the way Alaska died as a distraction from the grief. Delving deep into every little detail illustrating, he is truly searching for answers. His desire for understanding takes him away from the emotions connected to Alaska’s death. This emphasises that the shared experiences we have as humans can provide a space for us to discover a sense of