Looking for Alaska by John Green

The novel Looking for Alaska by John Green is told in first person narrative from the point of view of Miles Halter. The story takes place in Alabama on the campus of Culver Creek Preparatory School following the lives of Miles, a 16 year old boy, and his group of friends that consist of the "Colonel", Alaska, and Takumi. As the novel progresses, Miles' innocence slowly unfolds as he faces the pressures of drinking, smoking and Alaska’s death. Miles changes from being an antisocial person to someone who makes an effort to integrate into a new environment. He also transforms from someone who has an ordinary life to a rebellious youth.

At the beginning of the novel, Miles' old life in Florida is explained as boring, sad and uninteresting. Miles did not have many friends. After deciding to move to a boarding school in Alabama in search of his "Great Perhaps", Miles' parents insisted on throwing him a going­-away party. However, because Miles was antisocial and did not have many real friends, barely anyone came. Miles thinks about this, while explaining about the people he has to invite to his going away party, “ I was more or less forced to invite all my "school friends," i.e., the ragtag bunch of drama people and English geeks I sat with by social necessity in the cavernous cafeteria of my public school, I knew they wouldn't come.” The fact that Miles described his “school friends” as people he has to sit with by social necessity, proves that he does not really have any friends, rather students he is forced to sit with or otherwise eat alone. Another example that demonstrates that Miles is antisocial is how he thinks, “I never really excelled at small talk.” He thinks this when only two of his friends show up to the party. Thi...

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...nk, not only does Miles puts his admission to the boarding school at risk, he also puts his Great Perhaps at risk too. After moving, Miles shows more rebellion against the rules and a more daring side to him.

As Miles changes his physical environment, his personality changes too. Miles' personality evolves from being an antisocial person to someone who makes an effort to integrate into a new environment. He also transforms from an ordinary student to someone who gives in to peer pressure. As the novel progresses, Miles' innocence unravels as he faces the pressures of drinking, smoking and a devastating event. But most of all, he learns a lot more about himself, his personality and his capabilities.

Works Cited

Green, John. Looking for alaska. New York, NY: Speak. 2005. Digital File.

Green, John. Looking for alaska. New York, NY: Speak. 2005. Print.