Pudge In Looking For Alaska

In the book, Looking for Alaska, by John Green, the main character Miles, also known as “Pudge”, overcomes many difficult challenges. He must learn how to deal with bullies and how to stand up for himself. He must learn how to overcome the grief of Alaska’s death. He must also find his “great perhaps.” The first difficulty Pudge must overcome is learning how to handle bullies and how to stand up for himself. In the beginning of the story, Pudge doesn’t know very many people or have many friends. He befriends his roommate, The Colonel, and meets his friends, Alaska and Takumi. The night before the first day of school, Pudge gets drug out of bed naked, duct taped like a mummy, and tossed into a lake. While this happens, Pudge says “They taped

Then they picked me up and hurled me into the water,” (Page 24). Later, they pee in The Colonel’s shoes and ruin almost all of Alaska’s books. Together, they search for who did these things finding out it was a group of kids nicknamed the Weekday Warriors. Alaska, The Colonel, and Pudge get revenge on the Weekday Warriors by putting blue hair dye on their pillows and sending letters notifying their families that they failed. However, this is only the first difficulty Pudge faces. Pudge’s second difficulty is overcoming the grief of Alaska’s death. Pudge had been deeply in love with Alaska since the moment he met her: “And I said, ‘Oh God, Alaska, I love you. I love you,’ and the Colonel whispered, ‘I'm so sorry, Pudge. I know you did,’ and I said, ‘No. Not past tense.’ She wasn't even a person anymore, just flesh rotting, but I loved her present tense,” (Page 152). Right after Alaska had died in a car accident, Pudge was overwhelmed with grief and sadness. However, The Colonel helps him realize that he was in love with the idea of being with Alaska, but not with her: "’You don't even care about her!’ he shouted. ‘All that

He read a quote by François Rabelais: “I go to seek a great perhaps.” Pudge went to Culver Creek Preparatory School to have a more exciting life. Pudge found friends, pulled pranks, drank alcohol, smoked cigarettes, and loved his life. The Colonel, Takumi, and Alaska were major parts of the search for his “great perhaps,”: “’You can't just make me different and then leave,’ I said out loud to her. ‘Because I was fine before, Alaska. I was fine with just me and last words and school friends, and you can't just make me different and then die.’ For she had embodied the Great Perhaps—she had proved to me that it was worth it to leave behind my minor life for grander maybes, and now she was gone and with her my faith in perhaps. (Page 172). Pudge appreciated Culver Creek and his new life there. In John Green’s novel, Looking For Alaska, Pudge overcomes many hardships with the help of his friends. This story shows us that friendship and taking risks can help us live life to the fullest and that one person can change our lives forever. I liked this novel because it is unlike anything I have read before. It is well written, and it is definitely worth the