The Fault in Our Stars

This study guide will help you analyze the novel The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. You can also find a summary of the text, full characterizations of the relevant characters, as well as inspiration for interpreting it and putting it into perspective.

Presentation of the text

Title: The Fault in Our Stars (2012)

Author: John Green

Genre: Novel

John Green (b. 1977) is an American author famous for his young adult novels. Some of his works include Looking for Alaska (2005), An Abundance of Katharines (2006), and The Fault in Our Stars (2012).

The novel The Fault in Our Stars is an emotional and at the same time humorous and detached narrative about two teenagers suffering from cancer. The tone of the novel is sarcastic despite, or perhaps because of, the sad subject matter. Behind Hazel and Augustus' love story is a touching and authentic treatment of the themes of terminal illness and death, which makes the novel a valuable school read.

Extract

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Augustus the romantic

Augustus, however, does not let Hazel's rejection stop him. From the beginning, he finds her interesting and flirts with her, courting her. Not once does he seem to doubt his affection for Hazel. Thus, he even writes to Van Houten asking if he can do something about Hazel's wish for him to keep his distance and still win her over. Augustus must accept that Hazel initially wants only friendship, but he makes it clear to her that she cannot prevent his feelings for her: " 'You realize that trying to keep your distance from me will not lessen my affection for you,' he said" (Chapter 8, 57%).

Since Augustus is a romantic, he confesses his love for Hazel on the plane to Amsterdam, without expecting Hazel to say anything in return: "I’m in love with you, and I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things."...