So since I did this with Paper towns, I thought I'd do it with this book too. I think the questions are more vague in this one, so there may not be spoilers... but If I spoil Something... I'm gonna spoil it.
1. "Is forgiveness universal? I mean, is forgiveness really available to all people, no matter the circumstances? Is it, for instance, possible for the dead to forgive the living, and for the living to forgive the dead?"
I think in a sense... and in the sense of the book it is possible for the dead to forgive the living... and in a way for the living to forgive the dead... but I think its a little harder for the living to forgive the dead because a lot of things go unresolved. I think Alaska could forgive Pudge and The Colonel... but I'm not sure they could ever truly forgive her because they both miss her so much. And I'm sure Alaska's mother could forgive Alaska for Alaska being responsible for her death... but I'm not sure if Alaska's father will ever forgive her. Which is sad.
2. "I would argue that both in fiction and in real life, teenage smoking is a symbolic action. What do you think it's intended to symbolize, and what does it actually end up symbolizing? To phrase this question differently: Why would anyone ever pay money in exchange for the opportunity to acquire lung cancer and/or emphysema?"
I feel like its the immortality of it all. It just means that you're young. You're at a time when you can be stupid because you're not going to die anytime soon or have lung cancer or emphysema anytime soon... so it makes sense for teens to smoke. I think it just symbolizes that people are dumb and don't care about their health. That's what I feel like at least when I see someone smoke. I just started reading "The Fault In Our Stars" and that also has smoking in it and its used in a completely different way and its interesting that this is the same author talking about smoking as a symbol.
3. "Do you like Alaska? Do you think its important to like people you read about?"
Alaska is really moody and kind of a bitch... but yeah. How could you not love her? She's so unique and wild and she really is larger than life, as her name suggests. She reminds me of that Katy Perry song International Smile a little bit. She's just really cool.
I think its important to like the person you're reading about... but there are times when I've been mad at the people I'm reading about or the person narrating the book and I've still ended up loving the book. I like feeling a connection to the person I'm reading about, and liking them is a big part... but there were times when I was frustrated with Princess Mia or someone like that and I've still ended up loving the book. Gone Girl is a perfect example, its my favorite book of all time, both narrators of the story are completely unlikeable. So its a cool thing to kind of play with.
4. "By the end of this novel, Pudge has a lot to say about immortality and what the point of being alive is (if there is a point). To what extent do your thoughts on mortality shape your understanding of life's meaning?"
Wow... This is a hard question. I think this goes along with the smoking question. When you're a teenager, you kind of feel invincible and like you're never going to die. So when someone your own age dies, if it is an accident or not its kind of like "ohhh I'm going to die someday. And it could be at any time." I think this is kind of a big bummer to think of... but thats an important thing to think of when thinking about your own future to. If you're dating someone that you don't think will be there for you the way you need them to when tragedy strikes and people around you die... you need someone to be there for you and that sort of amounts to the meaning of life and why we need other people or something. I don't really want to explain this on a blog, but thats kind of just my thing.
5. "How would you answer the old man's final question for his students? What would your version of Pudge's essay look like?"
Another hard one. I don't really know that there is a way out of the labyrinth. I think there are times when you're going to be stuck in the labyrinth forever and its not going to seem like you'll get out... but you do. And you don't know how you do but you're out. And sometimes its just going to be like you're in the labyrinth and you don't exactly know how you got in there. Maybe finding out how you got in is the only way to get out. Cause you can figure out what is making you suffer, and usually changing it will help you end the suffering. I guess thats all you can really do. When I think of most of my problems, they're things I could have easily gotten myself out of... but didn't and that just got me deeper into the labyrinth. And when I start fixing them, it helps me get out.
Alrighty. I hope that was vague enough for it to mean nothing but not vague enough for it to still be interesting to people to read. Lol. It makes more sense to me than to other people probably, but I like John Green. To be a spoiler... idk if Alaska meant to commit suicide or not. I think she knew she was going to see her mom... not sure if she just meant her grave or to actually see her. She was a very sad moody person and it could have been... but it seems like it was just an accident. I think she really wanted to teach and read those books. I think she did want to continue kissing and flirting with Pudge. I don't think she wanted to end it then... but I think she knew she was going to die. So sad. I was really sad when it happened, even though I kind of knew it because I really liked Alaska too.
So those are my deeper thoughts on the books and the questions about it. Hope you guys liked this little discussion and the book. Do you guys think it should be a movie or are you against it? I think its better as a book than a movie, but I'll definitely see the movie too!
Byeee!
-Shannon
1. "Is forgiveness universal? I mean, is forgiveness really available to all people, no matter the circumstances? Is it, for instance, possible for the dead to forgive the living, and for the living to forgive the dead?"
I think in a sense... and in the sense of the book it is possible for the dead to forgive the living... and in a way for the living to forgive the dead... but I think its a little harder for the living to forgive the dead because a lot of things go unresolved. I think Alaska could forgive Pudge and The Colonel... but I'm not sure they could ever truly forgive her because they both miss her so much. And I'm sure Alaska's mother could forgive Alaska for Alaska being responsible for her death... but I'm not sure if Alaska's father will ever forgive her. Which is sad.
2. "I would argue that both in fiction and in real life, teenage smoking is a symbolic action. What do you think it's intended to symbolize, and what does it actually end up symbolizing? To phrase this question differently: Why would anyone ever pay money in exchange for the opportunity to acquire lung cancer and/or emphysema?"
I feel like its the immortality of it all. It just means that you're young. You're at a time when you can be stupid because you're not going to die anytime soon or have lung cancer or emphysema anytime soon... so it makes sense for teens to smoke. I think it just symbolizes that people are dumb and don't care about their health. That's what I feel like at least when I see someone smoke. I just started reading "The Fault In Our Stars" and that also has smoking in it and its used in a completely different way and its interesting that this is the same author talking about smoking as a symbol.
3. "Do you like Alaska? Do you think its important to like people you read about?"
Alaska is really moody and kind of a bitch... but yeah. How could you not love her? She's so unique and wild and she really is larger than life, as her name suggests. She reminds me of that Katy Perry song International Smile a little bit. She's just really cool.
I think its important to like the person you're reading about... but there are times when I've been mad at the people I'm reading about or the person narrating the book and I've still ended up loving the book. I like feeling a connection to the person I'm reading about, and liking them is a big part... but there were times when I was frustrated with Princess Mia or someone like that and I've still ended up loving the book. Gone Girl is a perfect example, its my favorite book of all time, both narrators of the story are completely unlikeable. So its a cool thing to kind of play with.
4. "By the end of this novel, Pudge has a lot to say about immortality and what the point of being alive is (if there is a point). To what extent do your thoughts on mortality shape your understanding of life's meaning?"
Wow... This is a hard question. I think this goes along with the smoking question. When you're a teenager, you kind of feel invincible and like you're never going to die. So when someone your own age dies, if it is an accident or not its kind of like "ohhh I'm going to die someday. And it could be at any time." I think this is kind of a big bummer to think of... but thats an important thing to think of when thinking about your own future to. If you're dating someone that you don't think will be there for you the way you need them to when tragedy strikes and people around you die... you need someone to be there for you and that sort of amounts to the meaning of life and why we need other people or something. I don't really want to explain this on a blog, but thats kind of just my thing.
5. "How would you answer the old man's final question for his students? What would your version of Pudge's essay look like?"
Another hard one. I don't really know that there is a way out of the labyrinth. I think there are times when you're going to be stuck in the labyrinth forever and its not going to seem like you'll get out... but you do. And you don't know how you do but you're out. And sometimes its just going to be like you're in the labyrinth and you don't exactly know how you got in there. Maybe finding out how you got in is the only way to get out. Cause you can figure out what is making you suffer, and usually changing it will help you end the suffering. I guess thats all you can really do. When I think of most of my problems, they're things I could have easily gotten myself out of... but didn't and that just got me deeper into the labyrinth. And when I start fixing them, it helps me get out.
Alrighty. I hope that was vague enough for it to mean nothing but not vague enough for it to still be interesting to people to read. Lol. It makes more sense to me than to other people probably, but I like John Green. To be a spoiler... idk if Alaska meant to commit suicide or not. I think she knew she was going to see her mom... not sure if she just meant her grave or to actually see her. She was a very sad moody person and it could have been... but it seems like it was just an accident. I think she really wanted to teach and read those books. I think she did want to continue kissing and flirting with Pudge. I don't think she wanted to end it then... but I think she knew she was going to die. So sad. I was really sad when it happened, even though I kind of knew it because I really liked Alaska too.
So those are my deeper thoughts on the books and the questions about it. Hope you guys liked this little discussion and the book. Do you guys think it should be a movie or are you against it? I think its better as a book than a movie, but I'll definitely see the movie too!
Byeee!
-Shannon
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