Who Is John Green's Labyrinth

JOHN GREEN: LOOKIN FOR ALASKA

-Book Report-

John Green is an American author for young adult fiction. In 2006 he won Printz Award for his debut novel, Lookin for Alaska. His novel The Fault in Our Stars debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list in January 2012.

Looking for Alaska was published in March 2005 and was inspired by Green's experiences at Indian Springs, fictionalized as Culver Creek Preparatory High School. While he was there, a student died in a way similar to the character of Alaska. Also some characters of teachers are caricatures of some of his.

The book has received some negative reviews on which Green has said that in the book there are some characters that drink and smoke but the book has never been

As some other John Green's books (Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars), in Looking for Alaska there is also one book that is very important for the story and it is The General in His Labyrinth and the important thing about it is: what does labyrinth means in "How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?"

The book is divided to chapters. Every chapter represents one day or part of a day in life of Pudge. The book begins with the chapter "One Hundred and Thirty-six Days Before" and in the middle of the book we find out the meaning behind before as the chapter in which Alaska dies is called "The Last Day" and after that chapters are named as a number of the days after Alaska's death.

The story is told by the protagonist, Miles Halter.

Other major characters are: Alaska Young, Chip Martin, Takumi Hikohito, Lara Buterskaya, Mr. Starnes "The Eagle", Jake (Alaska's

The most important conflicts in the story are not between two or more characters but the ones that characters (mostly Alaska and Pudge) have about themselves. Pudge, at the beginning, says why goes to Culver Creek: "That's why I'm going. So I don't have to wait unlit I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps". He wants a change in his life but is still unsure about it. However when he meets his new friends, his life changes. Alaska clearly has some conflict within herself which is why she commits suicide.

The main message of the book is the question that is set at the beginning (when it doesen't make sense) and answered at the end and it is the meaning of the labyrinth that is suffering and how to get out of it. The answer is forgiveness. ("That which came together will fall apart imperceptibly slowly, and I will forget, but she will forgive my forgetting, just as I forgive her for forgetting me and the Colonel and everyone but herself and her mom in those last moments she spent as a