John Green's Looking for Alaska has a very misleading title. I delved into the booking expecting sled dogs, cold weather, and Inuits. The book actually focuses on a teenage guy going to a new school, a prep school for intelligent and apparently mentally unstable teenagers.
Green jumps right into the thoughts of our teenage outsider and takes us on an adventure of epic proportions. We explore all the facets of teenage delinquency and enjoy the stereotype that focuses every male character in the book on what females "have to offer." Note: I am not a cliche teenager, I may be lazy, but I don't break rules, so this book is a wild ride and a very detailed insight to everyone else's brain. Ew. This book is gross yet enjoyable. Perhaps I should go back to children's books. Within the story's introduction, we meet Miles "pudge" Halter, Miles only to his parents. Through his eyes we uncomfortably ease into delinquency and illegality present in Mile roommate, Chip, and his friend, Alaska. Following multitudes of mischief and pranks, Alaska is accused of a pseudo-crime against other students, ratting. In redemption, Alaska plans a huge prank that would shake the foundation of any kind of mistrust in Chip "the Colonel." This masterful prank represents the climax; and in truth, I wish I had thought of something so devious in our high school. In dramatic conclusion, Alaska shows her true color, and frankly, it's faded. All the while during all of her pranks, they were used as a distraction from her depressive secrets and past. Finally, her self blame and "mistakes" in the past come back to slap her in the face. As a repercussion, she makes a stupid decision, and consequently pays for it with a gift that is only meant to be given once, her life.
Many major game changing things about boys and girls erupt in this novel. First of all, no matter who is portrayed as stronger among the gender differentiation, there is always an Achilles heel. Alaska, the sex addicted female allowed to choose her own name is essentially a ring leader of everything that happens. Though Alaska, Colonel, the master prankster, and our point of view, Miles "Pudge" Halter all may seem to work together, be carefree, and flawless, it is their own mental instability that, from the beginning, attaches the readers, leaves us waiting and eventually emotionally destroys us.
