Mag.a phil. Jennifer-Raphaela Kraßnitzer, BA

The Apples’ Journey off the Tree

An Analysis of the Meaning of Family in John Green’s Young Adult

Masterarbeit

Zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades

Master of Arts

Masterstudium Anglistik und Amerikanistik

Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt

Fakultät für Kulturwissenschaften

Begutachter: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jörg Helbig M.A.

Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik

August/2015

Eidesstattliche Erklärung

Ich versichere an Eides statt, dass ich

- die eingereichte wissenschaftliche Arbeit selbstständig verfasst und andere als die angegebenen Hilfsmittel nicht benutzt habe,

- die während des Arbeitsvorganges von dritter Seite erfahrene Unterstützung, ein- schließlich signifikanter Betreuungshinweise, vollständig offengelegt habe,

- die Inhalte, die ich aus Werken Dritter oder eigenen Werken wortwörtlich oder sinn- gemäß übernommen habe, in geeigneter Form gekennzeichnet und den Ursprung der Information durch möglichst exakte Quellenangaben (z.B. in Fußnoten) ersichtlich gemacht habe,

- die Arbeit bisher weder im Inland noch im Ausland einer Prüfungsbehörde vorgelegt habe und

- zur Plagiatskontrolle eine digitale Version der Arbeit eingereicht habe, die mit der gedruckten Version übereinstimmt.

Ich bin mir bewusst, dass eine tatsachenwidrige Erklärung rechtliche Folgen haben wird.

Klagenfurt, 26. August 2015 (Unterschrift) (Ort, Datum)

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To my grandfather

(January 1927 - December 2008)

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Acknowledgements

At this point I want to thank my family, especially my mom and grandma, for their support and guidance I would not want to miss in my life. Thank you for always believing in me.

I also want to express my gratitude to each and every one who inspired, motivated, and supported me.

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Contents

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 1 2. Young Adult Literature ………………………………………………………... 4 2.1. History of …………………………………………... 5 2.2. Young Adult Fiction Today ………………………………………………. 7 2.3. Characteristics and Importance of Young Adult Fiction …………………. 9 2.4. Family Life in Young Adult Fiction ………………………………...…….. 12 3. Looking for Alaska ……………………………………………………………... 15 3.1. Family Structure ………………………………………………………...…. 15 3.2. Family Life ………………………………………………………………… 17 3.3. Influence on the ………………………………………………. 20 3.4. Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment ………………………... 23 3.5. Importance of Friends ……………………………………………………... 24 3.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison ……....………………….. 26 4. An Abundance of Katherines ……..…………………………………………….. 28 4.1. Family Structure ……………………………………………………………. 28 4.2. Family Life…………………………………………………………...……... 29 4.3. Influence on the Protagonist ……………………………………………….. 32 4.4. Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment ………………………… 34 4.5. Importance of Friends ……………………………………………………… 35 4.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison …………………………... 36 5. Paper Towns ………………………….…………………………………………. 39 5.1. Family Structure …………………………………………………………….. 39 5.2. Family Life ………………………………………………………………….. 40 5.3. Influence on the Protagonist ………………………………………………... 44 5.4. Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment …………………………. 46 5.5. Importance of Friends ………………………………………………………. 47 5.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison …………………………… 49

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6. Will Grayson, Will Grayson ………..……………………………………………… 52 6.1. Family Structure ………………………………………….…………………… 53 6.2. Family Life ………………………………………………………….………… 54 6.3. Influence on the Protagonist ………………………………………….………. 55 6.4. Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment …………………………… 56 6.5. Importance of Friends ………………………………………………………… 58 6.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison ……………………...……… 59 7. The Fault in our Stars ………………………………………………….…...……… 63 7.1. Family Structure ……………………………………………………………….. 63 7.2. Family Life …………………………………………………………………….. 65 7.3. Influence on the Protagonist …………………………………………………… 67 7.4. Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment …………………………….. 70 7.5. Importance of Friends ………………………………………………………….. 72 7.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison …………………...…………. 73 8. Differences in the ………………………………………………………...... 75 8.1. Family ………………………...………………………………………...……… 75 8.2. Friends ……………………………...………………………………………..… 79 9. Identity and Development …………………………………………….…. 83 9.1. Looking For Alaska ………………………………………………………...…... 83 9.2. An Abundance of Katherines ……………………………...……………...……. 85 9.3. Paper Towns …………………………………………………………………… 87 9.4. Will Grayson, Will Grayson ………….………………………………………… 88 9.5. The Fault in our Stars ………………………………….………………………. 89 10. John Green and Family ……………………………………………………...……… 90 11. Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………….. 93

Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………………… 95

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“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I

look at it, until it begins to shine.”

Emily Dickinson

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lightening of a fire.”

W.B. Yeats

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1. Introduction

Family is an important aspect in Young Adult Fiction due to its impact on the young and their further developing processes during the stories. Although it is not always chosen as a major in his novels, U.S. American author John Green includes different approaches to his protagonists’ parents and relatives in all of his five novels. Due to the diversity of subjects and characters in his novels as well as his considerable popularity in the field of contemporary Young Adult Fiction this particular author is chosen as basis for this

Master’s thesis. His significance in modern popular culture and youth culture is additionally verified by the movie adaption of two books (The Fault in our Stars, released 2014 and Paper

Towns, released 2015). Further, his texts are exemplified to demonstrate currently prevailing narrating structures in terms of teenagers and their parents. Each of Green’s novels is analyzed according to the meaning of family. Therefore, Looking for Alaska (2005), An

Abundance of Katherines (2006), Paper Towns (2008), and Will Grayson, Will Grayson

(2010), The Fault in Our Stars (2012) serve as primary texts in this paper. The novels are discussed in this specific order due to their dates of publication.

Aside from the described scenes of upbringing and their interaction during various life situations, the inclusion and its method of parents’ appearances in the stories an essential role in the analysis. Hence, these factors build the main interest of the thesis. An additional subject of examination is the structure of the families’ portrayal in the chosen literature.

Within the chapters discussing family structure, effect and depiction of various constellations of families with children and teenagers are examined. While the focus lies on the described families, their structures, and tools of influence, an additional part of the thesis is dedicated to the comparison between family and friends. In the course of this comparison the meaning and extent of the protagonists’ social environment is explored. 1

The purpose of this analysis is to detect the differences of families’ and friends’ impact on the main characters’ development. According to this, the role distribution of relatives and peer groups can be extracted and compared in their function and significance.

While the first chapter of the thesis deals with the role of family in Young Adult Literature, its history and recent developments, as well as a particular approach to the characteristics of the genre, chapter three to seven examine the five primary texts by John Green. Each example is analyzed according to the subchapters ‘Family Structure’, ‘Family Life’, ‘Influence on the

Protagonist’, ‘Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment’, ‘Importance of Friends’, and ‘The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison’. The first subchapter describes the construction of the portrayed families including the number and constellation of members as well as relations between them. The depiction of the everyday life of the protagonists’ families is subject to ‘Family Life’. Aside from domestic life, the social environment at the characters’ homes is examined. The aspects discussed in the previous subchapters are set into relation with the adolescents in ‘Influence on the Protagonist’. Furthermore, the impact on the characters’ development and the storyline are shown. The following subchapter, ‘Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment’, examines the fictional figures surrounding the main characters. Hence, the focus on family life is eventually shifted to friends and acquaintances.

These analyses are intensified with the fifth subchapter of each primary text chapter. The role of peer groups is thematized and examined according to its meaning in terms of the protagonists’ character developments and the often connected change of the storylines. The purpose of the last subchapter serves the comparison between family and friends in the novels, already suggesting which group of people impact the main characters the most. This order is chosen intentionally to emphasize the significance of the theme of family within the theses. Therefore, the chapter describing the fictional characters’ social environment is consciously placed between the description of family structures and friendships.

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Similar to the subchapters restricted to the comparison between the two analyzed groups of characters, chapter 8 discusses the meaning of family and friends in the five novels and their importance within the story. However, this chapter is mainly dedicated to the differences and occasional similarities the two groups present in terms of structure and portrayal. The following chapter goes into detail with identity and character development of the adolescent protagonists. Additionally, the distinctions in the portrayal of family and friends among the five stories are marked and compared. This is necessary to examine the importance of each group concerning the main characters’ development over the course of the stories. The last chapter, ‘John Green and Family’, sums the families’ appearances up and explains which different tools of portrayal the author uses in his Young Adult Fiction to create diverse relationships between teenagers and their families. Further, the relevance of parents and additional family members is displayed for which the close reading of the respective books and the differentiation of families and friendships serve as basis. Within this chapter the value of family and the degree of necessity regarding their inclusion in John Green’s fiction is explained.

The purpose of the paper, therefore, is to detect which position is ascribed to parents and family members in contemporary Young Adult Fiction, exemplified through the five already published novels of highly accredited and appraised author John Green. Taking into consideration the comparison of family and friends, two aspects embodying major pillars of teenagers’ social environments, the meaning of family relations in youth literature written and published in the 21st century is filtered and presented.

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2. Young Adult Literature

The term Young Adult Literature, used interchangeably with Young Adult Fiction

(abbreviated YAL), describes literary works written and published for an adolescent .

While definitions of age vary, the most common is set by the Young Adult Library Services

Association. According the YALSA, a young adult, and therefore member of Young Adult

Literature’s target group, is between twelve and eighteen years old (see www.ala.org).

However, this limitation is not exclusively valid due to the expansion of readers beyond the predetermined age groups. The audience of this respective branch of literature may therefore also include adults in their early and mid-twenties.

In terms of genres, this type of literature includes several subgenres referring to specific problems of young adults or certain themes, settings, and structures used in the novels. Texts specifically thematizing typical adolescent problems are mainly labeled problem novels or coming-of-age novels. Apart from Science-Fiction stories for young adults, the genres of Young Adult Literature are dominated by female authors by 68% according to statistics published in 2013 (see www.torbooks.co.uk).

Although the definitions and age limitations for Young Adult Fiction distribute a clear image of the addressed readers, the lines between this type of literature, children’s literature and common adult literature are mostly loosened. Hence, certain texts attract a diverse audience across predefined target groups. A renowned example for such a consolidation is the Harry

Potter series by Joanne K. Rowling which was intended to be children’s fiction but became popular in all age groups.

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2.1. History of Young Adult Fiction

The documented beginnings of Young Adult Fiction as a separate literature genre are located in the 1920s (see Wadham, 2013: 28), although due to the fact that “adolescents, teenagers, or young adults were – at least until the late 1930s – still widely regarded as children […], there was no separate category of literature specifically targeted at them” (Cart, 2010: 8). However, several works aiming at a young audience and openly declaring this have been published in earlier times, mostly around the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century.

One of the main representatives of this early stage of literature for adolescent readers is Sarah

Trimmer, a British 18th century author of children’s fiction, who first coined terms regarding books for specific age groups. Apart from reference to children’s literature with the expression ‘Books for Children’ (including children until the age of fourteen) and ‘Books for

Young Persons’ (describing readers between fourteen and twenty-one) for youth literature.

The reason for her understanding of YAL is her definition of the so-called young-adulthood which describes teenagers and young adults between the age of fourteen and twenty-one. In addition to Trimmer, several other writers published popular YAL throughout the century.

Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist (1838) and Great Expectations (1860), Mark Twain’s The

Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), Lewis

Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland (1865), as well Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo

(1844) are listed as such (see Campbell, 2010: 11-15).

Although the mid-twentieth century produced a broad range of literature for young adults, two novels particularly popular until the present day were originally intended for an older audience. J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (1951) and William Golding’s Lord of the

Flies (1954) describe adolescent characters and therefore attracted this specific group of readers. With this, the blurring of lines between genres and age groups is emphasized which 5 loosens the strict categorizations of adult and young adult fiction. Along with these novels, several works emerged between the 1950s and 1960s portraying young characters and their lives from a different point of view than before. While earlier texts for young adults widely excluded the depiction of negative aspects, the focus shifted with the new classifications. The mostly included nostalgic perspective mainly disappeared and was replaced with a more realistic and destructive approach to the everyday life of teenagers. The most renowned text marking this new classification is The Outsiders (1967) by S. E. Hinton (see Campbell, 2010:

11,12).

During the 1960s and 1970s the popularity of Young Adult Fiction increased, which is partly connected to the emerging of specific research regarding adolescence and its effects on teenagers. The enhanced attention paid to this particular stage in a human being’s life also resulted in the publication of several significant books that shaped the genre’s development.

Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) serves as an example of the impact

YAL made in the mid-nineteenth century. However, the attention paid to this specific type of literature was limited, which, to a certain extent, depended on the contentual focus:

Years ago, before the advent of YAL in the late 1960s, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and the adventures of Frank Merriwell were considered teen literature. These novels avoided controversial topics such as sexuality, substance abuse, divorce, and death. They focused on one socio-economic class, for the most part – white middle- class teenagers engaged in white middle-class activities. They were considered superficial by many literary critics because they lacked credibility in portraying the true nature of adolescents’ lives. (Herz, 2005: 9) With progressing time, the focus shifted from white middle-class teenagers to diverse settings and fictional characters. These emerged in the late 20th century and started to represent ethnical minorities and their experiences during adolescence.

The 1980s are frequently seen as flourishing in terms of literature for adolescents. Aside from the rising sales figures, the interest in specific subgenres of the respective type of literature increased (see Campbell, 2010: 11-19). Crime, detective and mystery novels aimed at a young 6 audience therefore started to emerge and become well-known. This trend, however, slightly changed with the beginning of the following decade.

The early 1990s changed the expectations towards youth literature in terms of themes and storylines. While the previous decades portrayed either nostalgic and romantic views or negative approaches, the demand of more mature and realistic descriptions of teenage life grew stronger. With progressing time, YAL included topics of family problems, identity struggles, alcohol or drug abuse and addiction, depression and mental illnesses, suicide, bullying, as well as sexuality and started to discuss them more explicitly and openly (see Cart,

2010: 49-51).

2.2. Young Adult Fiction Today

Contemporary Young Adult Fiction includes topics used in previous decades but expands according to modern society and technology. While themes discussing friends, family, love, sexuality, drug and alcohol abuse remain present, the increasing involvement of new media within the stories represents a strong influence arising from the 21st century. In order to create believable and relatable texts, factors such as social networking platforms are needed in the fictional worlds. Further, current economical or political crises as well as social reconstructions and developments are frequently woven into the novels. Linked to this, the aspect of diversity is applied in a considerable number of publications. This includes factors of race, class, nationality, religion, appearance, lifestyle, sexual orientation, and political preferences. Such novels are often labeled as dystopian fiction covering current issues and painting possible or fictitious scenarios of the near future:

In recent years, the role that young adult fiction plays in particular strands of adult society has shifted significantly. More than a pastime for the demographic for which it is named, young adult fiction drives cultural engagement for a large portion of literature 7

America. Additionally, as more young adult authors work toward bleak and post- apocalyptic world-building, the novels that are consumed profitably by the book-buying audience are acting as a zeitgeist of the current climate in America, politically, civically, and culturally. (Garcia, 2013: 3)

Apart from the depicted problems and themes, contemporary Young Adult Literature uses additional media for distribution and expands into broader subgenres. In terms of subgenres, , mystery, utopian science-fiction, and graphic novels gain considerable importance.

Concerning the use of new media, the Internet represents the most significant source for readers. Aside from additional information and interactivity in from of fan written stories, discussion platforms or audiovisual material, the introduction of e-books enables the audience to read novels online. Based on this, a considerable number of Young Adult Fiction is also available in e-book format, which offers an alternative to printed novels.

Although the problem in its core has existed for a few decades, and was coined during the 1960s, it presents one the most important subgenres of YAL in the 21st century. Due to the inclusion of renewed social structures and values, as well as current difficulties, it remains omnipresent in the field of adolescent literature. Generally, it describes young adults’ first confrontation with society and its attitudes although the fictional characters might be described in closer detail than their surroundings.

As a result of Young Adult Fiction’s popularity, a new genre has emerged in the early 21st century, widely continuing its traditions and characteristics. ‘New Adult fiction’ is dedicated to young adults and post-adolescents ranging from age eighteen to thirty. Although main themes include the encounter with life after high school graduation, such as attending college or having a job for the first time, features of YAL occur. These are often intended to analyze a fictional character’s childhood and youth according to certain issues.

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2.3. Characteristics and Importance of Young Adult Fiction

The main intention of this branch of literature, to create associations between the fictional characters and the readers, represents the most significant characteristic. Due to the attempt to establish a realistic relationship between the lives of the novels’ characters and the target group, the stories’ contents frequently describe everyday situations. These are mostly connected to relatable activities such as the attendance of school or college, social interaction with friends and parents or the development of romantic relationships. Hence, the inclusion of such topics is an additional characteristic of the genre. However, their appearance is often strongly connected with the subgenres. While coming-of-age novels usually feature the above mentioned themes, science-fiction or fantasy literature for adolescents might not discuss them as intensively. In order to establish the aspired relation between readers and fictional characters, the displayed content has to follow mostly realistic patterns which make them believable for an average teenager. Based on this, the aspect of identification is an important aspect in Young Adult Literature. Further characteristics include understandable language concerning style and choice of words, a humorous , relatable characters in terms of personal history and described life situations, clear and understandable dialogs, the description of difficult life situations or problems and the process of finding solutions, as well as the inclusion of several themes and strings of aside from the declared main topic.

These characteristics do not drastically differ from those appearing in adult literature:

It is important to note that as YAL gained popularity among teenage readers, the literary talents of the authors also became more evident. YAL authors incorporated into their books the same elements as those in adult novels: a consistent point of view, a significant , a well-delineated but not complicated , vivid , realistic and lively dialogue, and an attractive style. (Herz, 2005: 10)

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Nevertheless, Crag Hill defines two elements that help to distinguish Young Adult Literature from other types of fiction. He believes that “[v]oice and point of view are, arguably, two characteristics that separate YA literature from both children’s and adult literature” (Hill,

2014: 7).

Often, examples of literature for young adults are not comprehensibly written but rather challenge the reader to reflect upon the stories and characters that represent certain social, economical or political topics, as Patty Campbell also describes it:

It seems to me that in its essence the young adult novel is naturally productive of ambiguity and ambivalence, because the narrator/protagonist is by definition unreliable, limited by the lack of maturity and understanding of adolescence. In that misty mirror, reality can be seen in distorted and ambiguous versions of itself, and the reader must grope for the truth in that inaccurate reflection. (Campbell, 2010: 46)

One of the further characteristics simultaneously functions as field of application, namely the usability in education. While Young Adult Fiction pursuing educational success is mainly restricted to the genre of the bildungsroman or apprenticeship novel, the increasing popularity of the coming-of-age novel enables the inclusion of contemporarily popular youth literature in schools to fulfill educational purposes (see Wolf, 2011: 1-4). Along with the associative function aimed at the realistic portrayal of typical problems adolescents face on a regular basis, the possibility of its discussion in an educational context bears the opportunity of enriching and broadening the young readers’ perspectives. In order to accomplish such intends, the coming-of-age novels used in classrooms mostly feature descriptions of problems and their solutions. The most frequent topics are therefore related to family aspects, friendships, addiction, alcohol and drug abuse, sexuality, love, bullying, death and suicide, and/or depression and mental instabilities:

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Young adult authors often state they write books about teens for teens just for this purpose: so teen readers can identify with the main characters and their struggles and hence learn about themselves. Teachers often teach young adult novels for a similar reason: they believe their teenage students can relate to the characters and situations and hence will be more interested in the books and become more engaged readers – readers who react emotionally to books and who allow books to affect them. (Alsup, 2010: 9) Through detailed discussion and reading of such novels, teenagers affected by the depicted issues in their social environment might also find encouragement and information. It can be of considerable importance to certain readers who might be affected by the depicted issues in their immediate environment:

Young people not only experiment with substance abuse but also may be significantly affected by family members’ substance abuse. Whether they find themselves complicit in the lies and cover-ups of a codependent household or try to distance themselves from it, they may well feel that they have little control over the day-to-day circumstances of their lives. As maturing individual separating themselves from their families, though, they make choices, and these choices – as well as the choices made by many of their peers to become addicted – make a significant appearance in fiction for young adults. (Trupe, 2006: 23) On these grounds, the assumption of Young Adult Literature’s indispensability can be made.

Based on the relatable topics discussed in the respective genre of fiction, an additional factor for including it in classroom activities is the acquiring of contextual knowledge. While certain teenagers might benefit from particular themes in the novels, each student gains knowledge about social discrepancies and current difficulties (see Hayn, 2012: 66-74). Hence, the readers’ awareness concerning social, political, and economical aspects is raised. Along with the contextual learning, reading skills are improved. Further, introducing contemporary

Young Adult Fiction that presents current problems and thematizes adolescents’ position in life, their struggles and the description of self-identification, the interest in reading might be sparked and promoted. Therefore, the application of YAL represents an important factor in an adolescent’s personal life as well as in school (see Alsup, 2010: 9,10).

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2.4. Family in Young Adult Fiction

The inclusion of family, particularly parents, in Young Adult Literature is of essential value for the adolescent fictional characters. Although the relationship between the teenagers and their relatives is often portrayed as difficult, the processes they undergo and the positions their families hold during these phases are an important factors in the texts.

The degree of believability concerning the family depictions contributes to the associations made between readers and characters. Mostly two types of relationships with parents and other relatives are demonstrated in YAL. On the one hand, the adolescent protagonists might be described as part of harmonious families. In such cases they mainly represent intact family bonds lacking serious problems and fights. On the other hand, some novels display considerable discrepancies between parents and children. These frequently result in either reconciliation or emotional and geographical distancing. A frequent subject thematized in literature for adolescents is the growing importance of friends and peer groups that mostly outweigh family members’ positions. This is particularly present in the coming-of-age or problem novel:

As the adolescent undergoes physical and psychological changes, behavioral changes ensue. The peer group’s significance increases as the teenager pulls away from parents and family. Young men become more adventurous and reckless as they test the limits of parental control and strive for peer acceptance. Increased freedom and responsibilities such as driving are accompanied by inherent risks. Experimentation with drugs, alcohol, or sex can all be dangerous, and adolescents are often blind to the risks involved in these activities. Peer pressure exacerbates the peril, as does the adolescent of the “indestructible self,” the idea that negative consequences of risky behaviors only happen to other people. Increasing maturity, greater cognitive abilities, and a solid family background are often inadequate deterrents in the face of peer pressure. (Bilz, 2004: 36) Through this an imbalance between family and friends is created in several examples of

Young Adult Literature. Despite the inclusion of parents and their instructive function, they are often not as highly acknowledged by the teenage protagonists as their same-aged friends.

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Contrary to this, John Green widely focuses on the description and significance of both groups, family members, particularly parents, and friends.

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“Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk

beside me and be my friend.”

Albert Camus

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3. Looking for Alaska

The main character, Miles, decides to leave his home in Florida to attend the boarding school in Alabama his father did in his youth. While he does not have any friends in his schoolmates in his old high school, he instantly establishes contact to a peer group at the new one. The main part of the novel describes Mile’s daily life on campus with his new friends who are represented by his roommate Chip and their classmate Alaska. Although Miles is the protagonist in the story, Alaska’s past and present form the main theme in the book. Towards the end the teenager dies in a car accident. Her friends are left behind with mysteries concerning the reason for her death. Since Miles and Chip are the people Alaska spends her last night with, they concentrate on finding an answer to the teenager’s motives and whether she committed suicide. Although the end does not unmistakably clarify whether it was an accident or not, the findings of the protagonist and his roommate suggest suicide based on

Alaska’s difficult past and family background.

3.1. Family Structure

The main family structures described in Looking for Alaska are those related to the main character Miles and his friends Chip and Alaska. Each family differs from the others in terms of parental structure and family members.

Miles’ family is portrayed as intact nuclear family consisting of the protagonist, his mother and father. In terms of role distribution, the mother is mostly portrayed as more emotional than her husband, although he shows his feelings when Miles arrives at boarding school:

“I can unpack, Mom,” I said. My dad stood. He was ready to go. “Let me at least make your bed,” Mom said. “No, really. I can do it. It’s OK.”Because you simply cannot draw 15

these things out for ever. At some point, you just pull off the Band-Aid and it hurts, but then it’s over and you’re relieved. “God, we’ll miss you,” Mom said suddenly, stepping through the minefield of suitcases to get to the bed. I stood and hugged her. My dad walked over too, and we formed a sort of huddle. It was too hot, and we were too sweaty, for the hug to last terribly long. I knew I ought to cry, but I’d lived with my parents for sixteen years and a trial separation seemed overdue. “Don’t worry,” I smiled. “It’s a-gonna learn how t’talk right Southern.” Mom laughed. “Don’t do anything stupid,” my dad said. […] “I love you,” they both blurted out simultaneously. (Green, 2013: 13) Further, both parents are described as equally empowered in their child’s upbringing. No gender gap or stereotypical demonstrations of female and male positions within the family are included in the story.

In contrast to the protagonist, Chip and Alaska represent teenagers from broken homes.

Chip’s parents are divorced due to his father’s cheating:

“Worst day was when my dad left. He’s old – he’s like seventy now – and he was old when he married my mom, and he still cheated on her. And she caught him, and she got pissed, so he hit her. And then she kicked him out and he left. I was here, and my mom called, and she didn’t tell me the whole story with the cheating and everything and the hitting until later. She just said that he was gone and not coming back. And I haven’t seen him since. […]” (Green, 2013: 142) His mother has gained full responsibility for her son since and lives in a trailer park on minimum wage. Similar to Chip Alaska has mainly been raised by one of her parents, although in her case her father carries full responsibility for his daughter. Based on her mother’s death during Alaska’s early childhood years, her father represents the position of a single-parent.

Hence, three different models of families are woven into the story, featuring the image of a happy traditional family, and two single-parent households, each either led by a female or a male character. Apart from the mere structure, the origin of and developments to their present appearance include a variety of family problems. These describe cheating and divorce as well as sudden death. Through the decision to combine these three models by establishing a

16 friendship between Miles, Chip and Alaska, the diversity of the term family as well as the practical circumstances of it are introduced.

3.2. Family Life

Despite the fact that Miles is the protagonist in Looking for Alaska, Chip’s and Alaska’s descriptions of family life are also included in this chapter. Due to their frequent appearance in the novel and the strong importance Alaska’s family history has on the unfolding story, it has to be examined equally to the other characters’ in order to draw a decent comparison.

Miles’ family life is mainly depicted at the beginning of the novel and prior to his attendance of boarding school. The daily life is described as harmonious due to the lack of portrayed fights or difficult life situations. Additionally, the teenager’s decision to transfer to a boarding school in another state is supported from the start (see Green, 2013: 10). Hence, the main character’s parents represent a supportive and loving background without interference in terms of their son’s future and his wishes. This is specifically demonstrated by the use of questions concerning his choice of school instead of suggestively presenting alternatives or forbidding Miles to transfer:

“Is this why you want to leave, Miles?” Mom asked. I mulled it over for a moment, careful not to look at her. “Uh, no,” I said. “Well, why then?” she asked. […] “Because of me?” my dad asked. He had attended Culver Creek, the same boarding school I was headed, as had both of his brothers and all of their kids. (Green, 2013: 11) Apart from this, the language used to describe family scenes suggests respectful and loving treatment. This is also continued at later stages in the story. Miles agrees with his parents to call them every weekend, which implies they do not expect him phoning them on weekdays.

Therefore, they show considerable concern each time the protagonist talks to them other than on weekends. “I usually only called my parents on Sunday afternoons, so when my mom heard my voice, she instantly overreacted. “What’s wrong, Miles? Are you OK?” (Green, 17

2013: 95). The concern hereby symbolizes the fear of an accident or similar harm affecting their son. Miles’ upbringing and the bond to his family is also present in his approach to his parents. The need he feels to hear his parents’ voices after Alaska’s death serves as an example for this:

The night before, I’d braved the cold to call my parents, and this time when I said, “Hey, it’s Miles,” and my mom answered with, “What’s wrong? Is everything OK?” I could safely tell her no, everything is not OK. My dad picked up the line then. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Don’t yell,” my mother said. “I’m not yelling; it’s just the phone.” “Well, talk quieter,” she said, and so it took some time before I could say anything, and then once I could, it took some time to say the words in order – my friend Alaska died in a car crash. […] “Oh, Miles,” Mom said. “I’m so sorry, Miles. Do you want to come home?” “No,” I said. “I want to be here… I can’t believe it,” which was still partly true. […] “What can we do for you right now?” my mom asked. “I just needed you to pick up. I just needed you to answer the phone and you did.” (Green, 2013: 172, 173)

Similar to Miles, Chip values his mother but differs in his view of his father and the concept of family. “So where are your parents?” I asked from the bathroom. “My parents? The father’s in California right now. Maybe sitting in his La-Z-Boy. Maybe driving his truck.

Either way, He’s drinking. My mother is probably just now turning off campus.” (Green,

2013: 17) Since his mother separated from his father after he cheated on her, the teenager feels compelled to only one of his parents. Although he is ashamed of his mother’s present living circumstances, Chip envisions a better future through his achievements, which he openly announces (see Green, 2013: 141,142). Aside from the wish to improve life for him and his mother, the teenager’s relationship to her is also coined by friendship. This becomes clear when his mother covers him with lying about his stay at home without knowing what

Chip really has in mind:

“I’m taking Miles and Takumi home for the weekend to New Hope,” the Colonel told him. “Miles liked his taste of New Hope that much?” the Eagle asked me. “Yee haw! There’s gonna be a hoedown at the trailer park!” the Colonel said. He could actually have a Southern accent when he wanted to, although like most everyone at Culver Creek, he didn’t usually speak with one. “Hold on one moment while I call your mom,” the Eagle said to the Colonel. Takumi looked at me with poorly disguised panic and I felt lunch – fried chicken – rising in my stomach. But the Colonel just smiled. “Sure 18

thing.” “Chip and Miles and Takumi will be at your house this weekend? … Yes ma’am … Ha! … OK. Bye now.” The Eagle looked up at the Colonel. “Your mom is a wonderful woman.” The Eagle smiled. “You’re tellin’ me,” the Colonel grinned. “See you on Sunday.” (Green, 2013: 123,124) As he refers to it, she views him as capable to know what he should be doing and to carry responsibility for it. “As we walked towards the gym parking lot, the Colonel said, “I called her yesterday and asked her to cover for me and she didn’t even ask why. She just said, ‘I sure trust you, son,’ and hot damn she does” (Green, 2013: 124). Further, his life at home is shaped by openness towards guests which is demonstrated by the Thanksgiving dinner Chip’s mother provides him, Miles and Alaska with. Since this also involves an overnight stay at their trailer suggested by the boy’s mother, the hospitality offered for his friends is emphasized:

“The Colonel’s mother heard that we were on campus and couldn’t bear the thought of leaving us familyless for Thanksgiving. The Colonel didn’t seem to keen on the whole idea – “I’m going to have to sleep in a tent,” he said, and I laughed. (Green, 2013: 111) This implies Chip’s mother’s interest in her son’s social environment and her active participation in it. Therefore, the relationship between mother and son is portrayed as intact and close, despite Chip’s random attempts to separate his family life from his life at boarding school.

In contrast to the family circumstances in Miles’ and Chip’s cases, Alaska faces the shadows of her past with each encounter with her father. Since her mother’s death is related to Alaska’s incapability to take action, and she therefore chose to attend boarding school as soon as possible, present family life plays a subordinated role in the teenager’s life. Despite the lack of actual performance of family members in the story, her experiences and memories are omnipresent in the novel and frequently responsible for the girl’s actions. However, the few scenes of family life portrayed as well as the stories told about them by the fictional character are coined by a feeling of guilt and sorrow. “Well, you were a little kid,” Takumi argued. […]

“Yeah. I was a little kid. Little kids can dial 911. They do it all the time. Give me the wine”

(Green, 2013: 145). Due to the sudden death of Alaska’s mother during her childhood and the 19 little girl’s passiveness and inability to call for help, the character continually holds herself responsible for the tragic incident:

It was the central moment of Alaska’s life. When she cried and told me that she fucked everything up, I knew what she meant now. And when she said she failed everyone, I knew whom she meant. […] I imagined a scrawny eight-year-old with dirty fingers, looking down at her mother convulsing. […] And in the time between dying and death, a little Alaska sat down with her mother in silence. […] She must have come to feel so powerless, I thought, that the one thing she might have done – pick up the phone and call an ambulance – never even occurred to her. (Green, 2013: 146) Based on this she also despises her home and father and chooses to stay at school or at her boyfriend’s house whenever it is possible. Therefore, the story does not contain any scenes of interaction between Alaska and her father other than those she occasionally tells her friends about.

3.3. Influence on the Protagonist

The family circumstances portrayed in Looking for Alaska have considerable impact not only on the protagonist Miles but also on the characters of Chip and Alaska. Due to their different parental structures and family histories, the teenagers’ behavior is influenced in several ways.

Miles is mainly influenced by his parents’ motivation and the emotional halt they offer him throughout the story. This includes the supportive position they take in their son’s decision to leave the state to attend boarding school in Alabama. Although Miles chooses his school for his own reasons, the fact that his father graduated from it also contributes to the result of his selection. Most of the time the protagonist does not fully recognize the importance of his family although he does appreciate their caring attitude at certain stages in the story.

However, the impact his family’s presence has on him is emphasized when the teenager tells his parents he intends to spend Thanksgiving at school with his friends. Despite the fact that

20 he deliberately chooses to stay at campus he is surprised and slightly intrigued by his parents’ instant change of plans as they spend Thanksgiving abroad:

So during third period, I called my mom at work. I wanted her to say it was OK, I guess, for me to stay at the Creek for Thanksgiving, but I didn’t quite expect her to excitedly tell me that she and Dad had bought plane tickets to England immediately after I called and were planning to spend Thanksgiving in a castle on their second honeymoon. “Oh, that – that’s awesome,” I said, and then quickly got off the phone because I did not want her to hear me cry. […] It was stupid to feel as upset as I did. I ditched them, but it felt the other way around. Still, I felt unmistakably homesick. (Green, 2013: 97,98) Apart from the main character’s individual experiences with family and its impact, those of his friends also contribute to his understanding of value ascribed to their parents and other relatives. A scene that highlights this acquired knowledge is the one describing the friends’ night at the barn. As Alaska invents a game which features telling stories about one’s best and worst day in life, each of the characters present in the scene associates their stories with their family members. Based on this, the inclusion of the teenagers’ families proves a strong relation between them and their relatives. Additionally, it underlines the high importance the theme of family is awarded with in the novel. Although Lara and Takumi also share stories of their families, their connections become important again only at the end of the novel. Chip’s and Alaska’s memories and future prospects play superordinated roles.

Although Chip’s family background is only mentioned a few times in the novel, it has a considerable influence on his attitude towards his future. This is proven by the story he tells about his best day in life:

“Best day of my life hasn’t happened yet. But I know it. I see it every day. The best day of my life is the day I buy my mom a huge fucking house. And not just like out in the woods, but in the middle of Mountain Brook, with all the Weekday Warriors’ parents. […] And I’m not buying it with mortgage either. I’m buying it with cash money, and I’m driving my mom there, and I’m going to open her side of the car door and she’ll get out and look at this house […] and I’m going to hand her the keys to her house and I’ll say, ‘Thanks.’ […] So that’s the best day of my life.” (Green, 2013: 141,142) Based on the strong wish to afford a better life for himself and his mother, it can be concluded that family, in this case his mother, values highly in the teenager’s opinion. The resentment he 21 feels over his father’s betrayal is demonstrated in the scene of his first encounter with Miles

(see Green, 2013: 17). Since Chip’s reaction to the term parents is considerably emotional, as it is his response, a strong influence on the teenager’s attitude towards family relations is suggested. This influence describes on the one hand the anger he feels for his father, on the other hand it functions as motivation to strive for a prosperous future including his mother’s wellbeing. Despite his living conditions at home, Chip does not hide his family background and their living circumstances at a trailer park but collects his friends for a Thanksgiving dinner as suggested by his mother.

In contrast to Chip and Miles, Alaska mainly veils her origin and remaining family members from her friends. Nevertheless, she occasionally tells selected stories about home and her parents. The main impact that can be extracted from her character is the omnipresent feeling of guilt concerning her mother’s death. Therefore, the influence of the teenager’s family is mainly negative. Although she still keeps contact with her father, Alaska mainly stays away from home whenever it is possible. Reason for this is the guilt she ascribes to herself based on her father’s attitude shortly after his wife’s death. “No one talked for a minute, and then

Takumi asked, “Your dad blamed you?” “Well, not after that first moment. But yeah. How could he not?” (Green, 2013: 145). Throughout the story Alaska seeks compensation for her inability to take action as a child. Hence, she is desperate to graduate from boarding school and tries to limit her noticed breaking of house rules:

So she became impulsive, scared by her inaction into perpetual action. When the Eagle confronted her with expulsion, she blurted out Marya’s name because it was the first that came to mind, because in that moment she didn’t want to get expelled and couldn’t think past that moment. She was scared, sure. But more importantly, maybe she’d been scared of being paralyzed by fear again. (Green, 2013: 147) Therefore, the parental influence causes Alaska on the one hand to avoid her home and father in order to escape terrifying memories and guilt, on the other hand to desperately try to prevent further disappointment.

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While each of the three characters examined in this chapter is considerably influenced by their parents and family background, they differ in effect. Chip and Alaska are mainly driven to either positively change the future or avoid further harm in their own and their parents’ lives.

Contrary, Miles is focused on his own life, acknowledging his parents and their worries about his wellbeing. The major impacts of family life and destinies are therefore shown in and shared through the minor characters’ stories rather than the protagonist’s.

3.4. The Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment

Although the theme of family relations plays an essential role in Looking for Alaska, the major part of Miles’ social life is filled with his friends at boarding school. The structure of the novel supports this construction of the character’s social environment by the transfer to another school and the portrayal of his life on campus, which functions as main setting.

The beginning of the novel introduces Miles’ parents and depicts his family life shortly before he leaves for boarding school. At this stage the protagonist’s social life consists exclusively of the teenager’s mother and father. This is proven by the lack of guests at his farewell party, which is planned by Miles’ mother:

And when that final Friday came, when my packing was mostly done, she sat with my dad and me on the living-room couch at 4.56 p.m. and patiently awaited the arrival of the Goodbye to Miles cavalry. Said cavalry consisted of exactly two people: Marie Lawson, a tiny blonde with rectangular glasses, and her chunky (to put it charitably) boyfriend Will. […] The only thing worse than having a party that no one attends is having a party attended only by two vastly, deeply uninteresting people. (Green, 2013: 9,10) However, this changes with the character’s transfer from his high school in Florida to a boarding school in Alabama.

Through the encounter with his roommate, Chip, the protagonist’s social environment is extended with same-aged friends. Since Chip is already familiar with the school and its 23 students, he represents a key factor in Miles’ friendship with Alaska, Takumi and Lara. As the story progresses, the main character’s social life is increasingly consumed by his friends and classmates. With this, the monopoly in his social contacts held by the teenager’s parents is eventually outweighed by the importance ascribed to his new friends at boarding school.

However, the family aspect is not completely erased. Miles’ parents obtain a steady but minor position depicted by the weekly phone calls and the boy’s desire to hear their voices after

Alaska’s death. The inclusion of Miles’ father for the group’s planned prank in the end of the novel also supports this:

“Hey, Miles,” my dad picked up. “Is everything all right?” […] “Yeah, Dad. Everything is fine. Hey, remember when you stole the school bell and buried it in the cemetery?” “Greatest Culver Creek prank ever,” he responded proudly. “It was, Dad. It was. So listen, I wonder if you’d help out with the new greatest Culver Creek prank ever.” “Oh, I don’t know about that, Miles. I don’t want you getting in any trouble.” […] “Yeah, well, I need you to pretend to be our speaker. Dr William Morse, a professor of psychology at the University of Central Florida and an expert in adolescent understandings of sexuality.” […] “I won’t even ask. Hmm.” Hes sighed. “Swear to God you’ll never tell your mother.” (Green, 2013: 240)

3.5. Importance of Friends

Due to the fact that the main part of Looking for Alaska is set at a boarding school campus, the majority of characters Miles interacts with are students and teachers. Through the friendship with his roommate Chip he is able to join a peer group consisting of the two boys,

Alaska, Takumi, and at later stages also Lara. These students represent the protagonist’s friends in the novel and according to the focus on school life, are accredited with high importance.

At the beginning of the novel, marked by the transfer to boarding school, Miles encounters friendship and its benefits. The first half of the story is coined by depictions of the protagonist’s and his friends’ lives on campus involving rivalry with fellow students, meeting

24 expectations in classes, and spending time with the newly transformed group. Hence, the time the teenagers spend together takes up most of the first half of the book. As the story proceeds, the characters eventually open up and let the others know about their past. The scene at the barn including Alaska’s invented game of mainly contributes to this (see Green,

2013: 124-146). Since at earlier stages only few personal features are directly addressed, the sharing of the best and worst days in the teenagers’ lives marks a turning point in the novel.

The reader does not only perceive information on the characters’ personal lives and family circumstances, the stories Alaska tells in this scene represent a key issue in the end of the novel.

With the unveiling of Alaska’s past the construction of friendship in the novel is brought to the next level. While the first half of the book is mainly dedicated to developing friendships and enjoying the benefits of company, the second half puts the fictional characters’ relations to the test. This is primarily done through Alaska’s death and the search for answers her friends are left behind with. The intensive preoccupation with the girl’s personality and her motives for a suicide as well as their feeling of guilt caused by their inaction in terms of their friend’s intention to drive inebriated, force Miles and Chip to reflect upon their friendship.

Aside from the self-recrimination, the power relations between family and friends are tested.

Since Alaska’s family background serves as basis for the boys’ investigations, the two areas of social relationships overlap in the second half of the novel. Through a thorough reconstruction of the girl’s feelings and thoughts shortly before her suggested self-chosen death Miles and Chip can trace the roots of the happenings back to Alaska’s family history and the connected guilt she directly and indirectly expresses over the course of the novel.

Hence, the inosculation of the themes of family and friends is proven in the death of Alaska’s character. Further, the importance of her friends is emphasized by the effort they make in order to solve the mystery of her death. The relationships between them are also tested by the

25 accident based on their inactivity during the last hours in the girl’s life. Additionally, the value of friendship is presented to both the fictional characters and the reader through the demonstration of sharing sorrow and pain not only joy and pleasure with each other.

3.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison

Although the active roles family members play in Looking for Alaska are limited by the strong emphasis on campus life and friendship, the essential meaning of the theme is reflected in the story. Based on the protagonist’s descriptions, the active participation of his parents is limited to phone calls as soon as he enters his new school. Therefore, the novel does not exclusively prefer one over the other but rather assigns roles of activity and passivity.

Since the main setting is Miles’ boarding school, the active role is claimed by his friends. The depictions of everyday life at school, the necessity of sticking together, and the development from friendship to love are primarily thematized. Through this, the theme of friendships is foregrounded. However, the passive role ascribed to family is not explicitly put in the back due to the omnipresence it maintains throughout the story. Although, superficially viewed, the aspect of friendship is given preference, family relations find their way into the characters’ lives through stories they share with each other, memories that resurface, and Alaska’s personality and fate which affects the whole group.

In terms of importance, family plays a slightly subordinated role due to its passivity but is never fully eliminated from the storyline. Further, Alaska’s death combines the two aspects as they are both needed to find a solid explanation for her actions.

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“It takes a lot of time to be a genius. You have to sit around so much, doing nothing, really

doing nothing.”

Gertrude Stein

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4. An Abundance of Katherines

Colin, who serves as main character in the novel, is a child prodigy who craves for a popular status in society based on academic findings or inventions. His desire to become a genius instead of being known as former child prodigy is one of the main themes in the novel that influences the teenager’s personality and life. In addition to the focus on knowledge and aspired popularity, Colin’s bad luck with relationships serves as the storyline’s basis.

Following the breakup with his nineteenth girlfriend, each of them named Katherine, Colin is persuaded by his best friend Hassan to forget about his broken heart and go on a road trip with him. The road trip leads to a stay in Tennessee due to Colin’s interest in an advertising promoting the tomb of Franz Ferdinand I. Although the tomb is revealed to belong to someone else at the end of the novel, the friends stay in town after they meet Lindsey whose mother offers them a job and accommodation. In the course of the story, the protagonist discovers the lack of necessity in his pursuit of becoming a genius. Additionally, he engages in a romantic relationship with Lindsey, which breaks the pattern of Katherines.

4.1. Family Structure

Concerning family structures three families presented in An Abundance of Katherines are examined in order to compare and demonstrate the value ascribed to them. These are Colin’s parents, who also functions as protagonist of the story, his best friend’s Hassan’s parents and

Lindsey’s mother.

Colin’s family consists of himself, his mother and father. They represent a classical core family with one child. Although they do not play a superordinated role in story, his parents function as guidelines due to his former status of a child prodigy. In contrast to this, Hassan’s 28 family is introduced briefly but described as similar to Colin’s. The teenager lives with his mother and father, a fact that interferes with their intentions for their son’s future. In terms of structure, both families consist of a son, a mother, and a father. Therefore, Lindsey’s family background differs from Colin’s and Hassan’s in its roots. She lives alone with her mother due to her father’s absence. Additionally, she is portrayed considerably independent from her mother, which also contradicts with the two male characters.

4.2. Family Life

Considering the limited scenes featuring the boys’ parents, the description of family life in their cases is narrowed down to introductory passages and stories appearing at later stages in the novel. However, the few passages describing their families portrays them as worried but not persuasive.

Although Colin is not used to spontaneously leave town, he decides to do so after his recent separation from his girlfriend. When he confronts his parents with his intention, they first search for alternatives in order to cheer him up again and change his mind but eventually give in and allow his road trip. Apart from the scene of Colin’s departure, his mother is described as slightly more worried. This is proven by her reactions when the protagonist asks about phone calls hoping his ex-girlfriend would want to talk to him again as well as her immediate behavior after Colin’s breakup with Katherine:

“Of course, sweetie,” his mom said. “We’ll be here all day. You just come down whenever you want and we love you and you’re so so special, Colin, and you can’t possibly let this girl make you think otherwise because you are the most magnificent, brilliant boy – “ (Green, 2013: 4) His father mainly takes the position of academic encouragement. While this is not explicitly mentioned in the introductory chapters, it is revealed through the stories featuring Colin’s nineteen failed relationships. Hence, his father pursues Colin’s academic work and intends to 29 guide him to a prosperous future which also affects the teenager’s character. This is also present in the opposite reaction to his mother’s on the separation from his recent girlfriend.

“Well, at some point we need to sit down and assess your options,” his dad said. His dad was big on assessing. “Not to look for silver linings, but it seems like you’ll now have some free time this summer. A summer class at Northwestern, maybe?” (Green, 2013: 3). Through the focus on the acquisition of knowledge and the nurturing of his prodigy skills, the father is slightly more present in the protagonist’s life than is mother.

In contrast to Colin, Hassan is no prodigy and also refrains from pursuing higher education or work of any kind. This issue is also omnipresent in his family life due to his parents, especially his father’s, endeavor of convincing him to either study or work. Since the teenager shows no interest in either at the beginning of the novel but rather watches television most of the day, the family’s interaction is reduced to a minimum. In terms of power equality,

Hassan’s mother is asked first concerning the permission for the planned road trip:

In the well-appointed living room, Hassan’s mom sat in an easy chair, sleeping. “Hey, Mama,” said Hassan. “Wake up.” She jolted awake, smiled, and greeted both of the boys […] Colin answered […] saying, “My girlfriend dumped me and I’m really depressed, and so Hassan and I are going to go on a, a, uh, vacation where you drive. […]” Mrs. Harbish shook her head and pursed her lips. “Don’t I tell you,” she said in accented English, “not to mess with girls? Hassan is a good boy, doesn’t do this ‘dating’. And look how happy he is. You should learn from him.” “That’s what he’s going to teach me on the trip,” Colin said, although nothing could have been further from the truth. Hassan barreled back into the room carrying a half-zipped duffel bag overflowing with clothes. (Green, 2013: 11,12) However, his father makes the final decision which suggests a patriarchal structure within the family:

Suddenly a pajama-clad Mr. Harbish entered the living room and in English said, “You’re not going anywhere.” “Oh, Dad. We have to. Look at him. He’s all screwed up.” Colin stared up at Mr. Harbish and tried to look as screwed up as he possibly could. “He’s going with or without me, but with me at least I can watch out for him.” “Colin is a good boy,” Mrs. Harbish said to her husband. “I’ll call you every day,” Hassan added. “We won’t even be gone long. Just until he gets better.”Colin, now completely improvising, had an idea. “I’m going to get Hassan a job,” he said to Mr. Harbish. “I think we both need to learn the value of hard work.” Mr. Harbish grunted in agreement, 30

then turned to Hassan. “You need to learn the value of not watching that awful Judge Judy, for starters. If you call me in a week and have a job, you can stay wherever you want as long as you want, as far as I’m concerned.” Hassan seemed not to notice the insults, only meekly mumbling, “Thanks, Dad.” He kissed his mother on both cheeks and hurried out the door. (Green, 2013: 12) Although the boy is granted permission to go on the trip, it is exclusively combined with the restriction to get a job and start to work.

Lindsey’s family life considerably differs from the other two characters’ not only due to the different structure but also because of the treatment and interaction described in the novel.

Although the girl’s family owns a factory that represents the only source of income for the small town, she does not behave arrogantly but keeps good contact with most of the former and present employees. In terms of the relation to her mother, Lindsey is depicted as independent and detached. Despite the fact that they live together, the teenager spends most of her time with her boyfriend and other friends from school. An aspect that proves the detachment from her mother is the way she talks to her. While Colin and his friend address their parents with mom and dad, Lindsey calls her by her first name. “Christ, Hollis. Don’t go bragging about it,” Lindsey said. She walked past her mom, unlocked the store, and everyone walked into the sweet air conditioning” (Green, 2013: 52). This only changes in the end of the story when the girl is depicted as insecure and lets her guards fall down:

“Jesus, Hollis, do you stay up all night every night trying to figure out how to ruin my life? Sell the land, put the factory out of business, and then the town will die and then I’ll for sure have to leave?” […] Lindsey put her arms around her mom’s waist and pressed her face against her chest. “Five years is a long time, Mom,” she said. (Green, 2013: 192,193) Hence, the family life as it is portrayed in the beginning changes over the course of the novel.

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4.3. Influence on the Protagonist

Despite the absence of Colin’s and Hassan’s parents in the main part of the story, each of the three teenagers is affected by their parents in a certain way. In contrast to Lindsey, the other two characters are indirectly influenced due to the absence of their families for the major part of the novel.

Since all three teenagers stay at Lindsey’s house most of the time, her mother functions as a replacement for the others’ parents. While her own daughter does not fulfill all the tasks given to them herself, the parental impact surfaces later in the story. As soon as the girl discovers the financial difficulties and her mother’s inability to fire any of her employees, her attitude changes and she starts to reflect upon her own life. This change in thinking is demonstrated by the difference in Lindsey’s talking. Through the switch to the term mom instead of using her mother’s first name, the family relation as well as the influence her presence really has on the teenager is revealed. In addition to the different addressing, the choice to drive home with her mother instead of with her friends emphasizes the altering of the way the girl thinks about her family’s value (see Green, 2013: 193).

Colin and his friend are mainly influenced by their own parents but also benefit from the new experiences offered through the stay with Lindsey’s mother and the job given to them. By witnessing their new friend’s family relations and her behavior concerning them, they also reflect upon the relationships with their own parents. Although Colin keeps contact with his mother and father exclusively with his daily phone calls and Hassan mainly refrains from active participation in family life throughout the novel, they do change their opinions regarding themselves. Despite the fact that these developments are not directly triggered by their parents, they represent solutions to the problems the teenagers face at the beginning of the story. Colin is influenced by Lindsey’s mother to a certain extent and starts to think about

32 himself not as a future genius who needs to be remembered by everyone but rather as a person who is remembered by certain people for the kind things he would be doing and telling:

The past, like Lindsey had told him, is a logical story. It’s the sense of what happened. But since it is not yet remembered, the future need not make any fugging sense at all. […] I figured something out,” he said aloud. “The future is unpredictable.” […] Colin’s brain was spinning with the implications: if the future is forever, he thought, then eventually it will swallow us all up. Even Colin could only name a handful of people who lived, say, 2,400 years ago. In another 2,400 years, even Socrates, the most well- known genius of that century, might be forgotten. The future will erase everything – there’s no level of fame or genius that allows you to transcend oblivion. The infinite future makes that kind of mattering impossible. But there’s another way. There are stories. […] Colin though of Lindsey’s storytelling lessons. The story’s they’d told each other were so much a part of the how and why of his liking her. Okay. Loving. (Green, 2013: 210,211) Hassan on the other hand is inspired to take responsibility for his life and enroll for classes at a college in order to do something instead of merely succeeding in doing nothing at all:

But then, back there, I started thinking about what Hollis is doing. I mean, she’s giving up all her time and her money so people can have jobs. She’s doing something. […] And I’m a not-doer. Like, I’m lazy, but I’m also good at not-doing things I’m not supposed to do. I never drank or did drugs or hooked up with girls or beat people up or stole anything. I was always good at that, although not so much this particular summer. But then doing all that stuff here felt weird and wrong, so now I’m back to happily not- doing. But I’ve never been a doer. I never did anything that helped anybody. […] I’m a total non-doer. I’m just sucking food and water and money out of the world, and all I’m giving back is, ‘Hey, I’m really good at not-doing. Look at all the bad things I’m not doing. […]’ So that’s it. I’m going to start doing.” […] Colin laughed. “You’re still funny,” Colin said. “And you have been doing stuff. You registered for college.” “Yeah, I’m getting there. Although – if I’m going to be an all-out, full-on doer,” Hassan noted, faux morose, “I should probably register for three classes. […]” (Green, 2013: 193,194) Both teenagers are motivated to think differently by Lindsey’s mother who represents a temporary replacement for their own parents. Through her effort to keep the factory running despite financial difficulties in order to pay each of her current and former employees without having to dismiss anybody she gives Colin and his friend new perspectives and goals.

Although their own parents do not impact them as deeply as Lindsey’s mother does in the end of An Abundance of Katherines, they are present either through the wish to attend college or the daily phone calls.

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4.4. The Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment

Colin’s relationships are shaped by two kinds of characters, the first being people who actively surround him, the second containing his former girlfriends who are not present physically but indirectly omnipresent through his stories and his continuing occupation with them. However, the second group of people remains present in the protagonist’s mind and mainly contributes to his intention of inventing a mathematical theory based on his failed relationships. Therefore, the second group remains widely unnoticed and is not seen as part of the social environment established through the road trip.

Although Colin’s parents are part of his social relations in the beginning of the novel, they represent a minor aspect in it after his encounter with Lindsey and her social environment.

The teenage girl introduces her boyfriend, Colin, several other friends from her High school and her mother to the main character. With this his social environment is extended with same- aged characters and a middle-aged woman who replaces his parents during his stay in

Tennessee. Aside from Lindsey, her friends and mother, Hassan claims a considerable part of

Colin’s relationships. Based on their long friendship and him being the main character’s only friend except for several failed relationships with various Katherines, Hassan represents his only social contact aside from his parents before he meets Lindsey in the course of the road trip. Hence, the decision to go on a trip to an undefined destination results in the extension of

Colin’s social environment and the development of a love interest in a girl not related to his pattern of Katherines.

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4.5. The Importance of Friends

A major influence on the protagonist’s as well as his friend’s behavior and attitude towards life is ascribed to their new friends, especially Lindsey. Although the teenagers do spend time with Lindsey’s boyfriend and several other friends of them, the girl functions as main representation of friendships. This is due to their first encounter, as well as to the fact that they live together in her house during the major part of the novel and are hired for the same job.

The plain fact that Colin and Hassan are invited to stay at Lindsey’s house and work for her mother represents the high degree of importance ascribed to her character. In addition to the accommodation, food, and money they are offered, their new employer’s daughter also introduces them to other same-aged people and thereby enriches the boys’ social contacts.

The newly gained friendships display the main source of socialization during the two characters’ stay in Tennessee and are therefore ascribed considerable importance. Apart from the times they spend with Lindsey due to their work and the house they live in, her friends and boyfriend are especially important in Hassan’s development. In contrast to Colin he adapts to their lifestyle and discovers a first love interest for one of the group’s girls. Hence, he spends a considerable amount of time with them in the second half of the story. It is also due to this group of friends that Hassan and Colin gain new experiences, such as the hunting and camping trip. Additionally, they deepen their relationship with Lindsey through her boyfriend’s cheating and behavior while camping. Based on this, the close friendship as well as Colin’s developing romantic relationship with Lindsey are triggered and empowered mainly through the influence of the remaining members of the group, particularly her former boyfriend.

However, Lindsey’s character is the most important factor in the theme of friendship due to the key point she embodies, which is necessary for the whole novel. Since Colin and Hassan 35 meet her while they are on the road trip without any intentions to stay in Tennessee, she functions as trigger element for the further storyline. Although her mother suggests inviting the boys and offers them a job and accommodation, this would not be possible without meeting her character in the first place. Further, she also establishes contact between Colin,

Hassan and her friends which enables and initiates love interests and spending time together.

Further, Lindsey is also portrayed as character who is in charge of the day schedules and planning of procrastination. This is proven on the one hand by the way she treats the tasks her mother gives to the three of them. On the other hand, it is demonstrated by the persuasive and demanding way she takes it for granted to tell her new friends where they would be going, which is marked by her intention to secretly follow her mother out of town in order to find an explanation for her behavior (see, Green, 2013: 188,189). Based on the role Lindsey takes as leading figure and key element in the strings of action, she represents the most important source of influence among the protagonist’s friends and acquaintances.

4.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison

Due to their limited appearances, Colin’s and Hassan’s parents are mainly replaced by the parental influence of Lindsey’s mother. Her role in the story is a rather important one based on the job opportunity, the accommodation and the inspiration and motivation to think differently about oneself and the future. In Colin’s case the expectations put upon his shoulders by his parents and himself to be renowned for special achievements and discoveries evolving from his status as a child prodigy are transformed. When he realizes why Lindsey’s mother puts so much effort in the existence of her factory, namely to prevent her employees to lose their jobs and financial securities, the protagonist understands that he does not have to become popular for his efforts in order to be remembered but that rather his actions within his social environment can keep him honored. Similarly, Hassan is impacted by Lindsey’s mother 36 and her drive to save the factory. While he rejects taking responsibility for his life and starting either to study or work, he changes his mind on the subject of actively doing something:

Hassan stood up, smiling through his busted lip. He rubbed the Jew-fro as he walked by, and then paused at the doorway and said, “Me and Thunderstick decided to take our show to college,” Hassan said, and Colin opened his mouth to talk, but Hassan said, “I only registered for two classes in the fall, so don’t start creaming yourself. I’ve got to ease my way into it. Don’t tell my how fugging happy you are. I know.” (Green, 2013: 187) After spending time with Lindsey’s mother and helping her work through her papers, Hassan comes to the conclusion he does not want to be good at doing nothing but instead he wants to be good at actively engaging in something. Hence, he enrolls in college and decides to register for more than two classes straight away.

Lindsey on the other hand serves as important influence representing the protagonist’s friendships. Despite the fact that her mother causes altered ways of thinking in the characters, the teenager functions as key element. Without the encounter with Lindsey, Colin and his friend would not meet her mother and therefore be inspired to change their lives and plans for their future. She mainly embodies the trigger for the unfolding events. Apart from Lindsey, however, the protagonist’s best friend is also a main source of influence. Concerning the road trip, Hassan suggests going on an adventure in order to forget Colin’s latest failed relationship. With this he paves the way for the further story and the encounter with Lindsey, who introduces them to her mother.

Summing this up, the aspect of friendships plays a superordinated role in An Abundance of

Katherines because of the initiative the characters show, either consciously as Hassan or unconsciously as Lindsey, which leads to the protagonist’s development and final wellbeing.

Although Lindsey’s mother is responsible for the new perspectives given to both, Colin and his friend, her influence is slightly subordinated in comparison with the one of his friends who eventually enable her to be an inspiration.

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“The only journey is the one within.”

Rainer Maria Rilke

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5. Paper Towns

The protagonist of the novel is Quentin, a teenager in his last year of high school, shortly before graduation. He belongs to a group of friends who are socially outcast at school. His neighbor and childhood friend Margo on the other hand, is popular among their schoolmates.

The protagonist has lost contact with her since their childhood years but reestablishes their connection through her request to spend the night driving around town. Margo appears at

Quentin’s window with the request to accompany her with his mother’s car on a trip through several neighborhoods. Although the protagonist does not know what he is going to experience he agrees. Margo’s trip is intended to take revenge on people who hurt her, including her cheating boyfriend and best friends. The day after their trip across town, Margo disappears. Since she usually leaves hints concerning her whereabouts, Quentin searches for them until he finds her. He and his friends go on a road trip to bring her back. This attempt does not succeed due to Margo’s unwillingness to return home which leaves her staying on her own and Quentin driving back home with his peers.

5.1. Family Structure

Paper Towns portrays two families in closer detail, namely the protagonist’s, Quentin’s parents and Margo’s household. Both families are connected by their status of close neighborhood but differ in both, their structure and attitude.

Quentin lives with his parents, who are both psychologists, as an only child. Since his mother and father are well educated and working, there is no gender based inequality in the parental power structure. Apart from the nuclear family they represent, the novel does not feature any scenes in which one parent is preferred or decides alone. Moreover, they are frequently depicted talking about their decisions regarding Quentin. The style of raising their child is not 39 strict and shaped by their authority but rather caring and based on the attempt to understand their son’s motives and thoughts (see Green, 2010: 85,86).

Contrary to Quentin’s parents, Margo’s family is described as unable to understand their daughter. They take on strict reforms in order to discipline the teenager. Her mother and father are mainly displayed as balanced in terms of decisions which excludes a patriarchal family structure. Compared to Quentin’s family Margo’s is also different concerning family members. While Quentin is an only child, Margo has a sister to whom her parents intend to pay full attention when they decide to eliminate their older daughter from their lives.

A third family, which is rarely mentioned but at certain stages referred to is Radar’s. Since he is one of Quentin’s best friends, the stories about his parents are shared among them. Similar as in Quentin’s and Margo’s families, Radar’s family consists of himself, his mother and father. Hence, they also portray an intact core family. The same can be observed in other school mates’ families at a later stage in the novel. Based on this, Paper Towns conveys an image of nuclear families which excludes divorces, the death of one parent or single-parent households.

5.2. Family Life

The first half of the novel describes the protagonist as well as Margo’s family in closer detail, while the second part mainly concentrates on the teenagers and their relation to each other.

Due to the rather detailed portrayal of the two main families, the attitude towards their children as well as the way they treat each other can be examined.

The daily life in Quentin’s family is shaped by his parents continuing intention to understand each of their son’s actions and the linked reasons. This determination is explained with their professions which are located in the field of psychology. Hence, they believe to benefit from 40 their psychological knowledge and transfer it to the upbringing of and interaction with their son. This is one reason that contributes to their conviction that they can trust Quentin and his explanations. Due to this his mother believes him without questioning that he feels sick and therefore cannot attend school that day:

Mom came into my room the next morning and said, “You didn’t even close the door last night, sleepyhead,” and I opened my eyes and said, “I think I have a stomach bug.” And then I motioned towards the trash can, which contained puke. “Quentin! Oh, goodness. When did this happen?” “About six,” I said, which was true. “Why didn’t you come get us?” “Too tired,” I said, which was also true. “You just woke up feeling ill?” she asked. “Yeah,” I said which was untrue. I woke up because my alarm went off at six, and then I snuck into the kitchen and ate a granola bar and some orange juice. Ten minutes later, I stuck two fingers down my throat. I didn’t want to do it the night before because I didn’t want it stinking the room up all night. The puking sucked, but it was over quickly. Mom took the bucket, and I could hear her cleaning it out in the kitchen. She returned with a fresh bucket, her lips pouting with worry. “Well, I feel like I should take the day –“ he started, but I cut her off. “I’m honestly fine,” I said. “Just queasy. Something I ate.” “Are you sure?” “I’ll call if it gets worse,” I said. She kissed my forehead. I could feel her sticky lipstick on my skin. I wasn’t really sick, but still, somehow she’d made me feel better. (Green, 2010: 136,137) Her instant reaction to stay at home herself and care for her son suggests not only her trust but also the love with which his parents approach the teenager. Therefore, Quentin’s spontaneous decision to skip his own graduation ceremony is met with surprise and the attempt of suggesting reconsideration, but without anger:

The families of graduates were spread out across the bleachers, and I ran back and forth across the basketball court a couple of times before I spotted Mom and Dad about halfway up. They were waving at me. I ran up the stairs, two at a time, and so was a little out of breath when I knelt down next to them and said, “Okay, so I’m not going [breath] to walk, because I [breath] think I found Margo and [breath] I just have to go, and I’ll have my cell phone on [breath] and please don’t be pissed at me and thank you again for the car.”And my mom wrapped her hand around my wrist and said, “What? Quentin, what are you talking about? Slow down.” I said, “I’m going to Agloe, New York, and I have to go right now. That’s the whole story. Okay, I gotta go. I’m crunched for time here. I have my cell. Okay, love you.” (Green, 2010: 239) Apart from the way they treat their son, Quentin’s parents convey the image of a harmonious marriage. This is mainly demonstrated in interaction and conversation scenes in the novel.

The couple does not show any signs of family trouble or fighting. Moreover the fact that

Quentin’s mother and father discuss their parental decisions with each other before they 41 confront their son with them, contributes to the harmonious image. Further, this also proves both characters’ equal power in terms of the upbringing of their child.

Quentin mainly interacts with his parents on a basis of trust which refers back to their intention of treating the teenager with care and respect to fully understand him. Hence, the protagonist hesitates with following Margo across town in the middle of the night and also worries about his mother’s car he has to take without permission. Additionally, the main character has doubts concerning lying to his parents and therefore plans his explanation for staying at home carefully and provides proof (Green, 2010: 135-137). Although these doubts, based on the intact relationship he has with his parents, are still present at the day of his graduation ceremony, the teenager briefly explains his absence and starts his journey to find

Margo.

Margo’s life with her family represents the opposite of Quentin’s, mainly based on the relationship with her parents. Although no severe difficulty but an intact relation is portrayed with her sister, Margo does not feel comfortable with her life among her family. This is clearly demonstrated by her habit of running away without any warning. The fact that she leaves hints behind, symbolizes her desire to be found connected with the precondition that her parents have to thoroughly spend time thinking about her to solve the mysteries intended for them. Since she is never found because of the hints but either through the help of the police or due to her voluntary return, her latest trip does not involve the desire to be found by her family members.

The decision to refrain from leaving hints to be found by her family is described to root in the increasingly difficult relationship Margo has with her parents. Her mother and father openly state that they do not understand their daughter and show little effort to change this, which is directly opposed to the intentions of Quentin’s parents who attempt to understand him in any case: 42

“Deb,” my mom said in her therapist voice. Mrs. Spiegelman just shook her head – the smallest shake. “What can we do? We told the detective. We filed a report. She’s an adult, Connie. “She’s your adult,” my mom said, still calm. “Oh, come on, Connie. Look, is it sick that it’s a blessing to have her out of the house? Of course it’s sick. But she was a sickness in this family” How do you look for someone who announces she won’t be found, who always leaves clues that lead nowhere, who runs away constantly? You can’t!” My mom and dad shared a glance […]. (Green, 2010: 102,103) Moreover, Margo’s parents do not show any desire to fully know their child and understand the reasons for her actions. They rather choose to eliminate her from their lives by trying to discipline her. When they introduce the conclusion they have come to at Quentin’s house, his parents show their disapproval of such a solution:

Mom stood up and put her hands on Mrs. Spiegelman’s shoulders. “Debbie,” she said, “I’m sorry. It’s a very frustrating situation.” […] “I’m not frustrated,” Mrs. Spiegelman answered. “I’m done.” “That’s right,” Mr. Spiegelman said. “We’ve got a locksmith coming this afternoon. We’re changing the locks. She’s eighteen. […]” Mr. Spiegelman continued talking to my mom. “We’re happy to pay for her to go to college, but we can’t support this … this silliness. Connie, she’s eighteen! And still so self-centered! She needs to see some consequences.” My mom removed her hands from Mrs. Spiegelman. “I would argue she needs to see loving consequences,” my mom said. “Well, she’s not your daughter, Connie. She hasn’t walked all over you like a doormat for a decade. We’ve got another child to think about.” “And ourselves,” Mr. Spiegelman added. (Green, 2010: 101,102) This also marks the essential differences in Quentin’s and Margo’s family life. Additionally, the interaction between Margo and her parents is not as caring and loving as the protagonist’s mother and father pursue it to be. Linked with this is the lack of trust they confront their daughter with. This is highlighted shortly before Margo leaves her home for good:

And right then, the floodlights came on all around Margo’s house. In one swift motion, she somersaulted through my window, into my room, and then rolled beneath my bed. Within seconds, her dad was standing on the patio. “Margo!” he shouted. “I saw you!” From beneath my bed, I heard a muffled, “Oh, Christ.” Margo scooted out from under the bed, stood up, walked to the window, and said, “Come on, Dad. I’m just trying to have a chat with Quentin. You’re always telling me what a fantastic influence he could be on me and everything. “Just chatting with Quentin?” “Yes.” “Then why are you wearing black face paint?” Margo faltered for only the briefest moment. “Dad, to answer that question would take hours of , and I know that you’re probably very tired, so just go back t –“ “In the house,” he thundered. “This minute!” (Green, 2010: 26,27)

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Based on this, the two teenagers are placed in essentially different families that value different things and approach the issue of a decent upbringing and education with distinguished methods.

5.3. Influence on the Protagonist

Although the two portrayed families differ from each other in terms of the approach towards their children, they have a considerable influence on Quentin and Margo. These impacts are mainly shown in Margo’s unannounced departure from her hometown and the preceding night which focuses on hers and the protagonist’s trip around town. While Quentin’s family background is mainly shaped by positive attitudes and trust, Margo’s symbolizes a pendant.

Based on the trusting and caring environment in which Quentin lives, he faces difficulties meeting Margo’s expectations and standards. The first half of the novel, therefore, displays the positive influence his parents have on him in form of hesitation concerning Margo’s suggestions and demands. Since these plans feature the breaking of rules which the protagonist is uncomfortable with at first, his upbringing can be held responsible for the appearing doubts. The protagonist’s doubts are mainly linked to the not allowed absence during the whole night as well as the stealing of his mother’s car:

“Hmm,” said Margo. “Remind me if breaking and entering is a felony.” “No,” I answered firmly. “No it’s not a felony or no you won’t help?” “No I won’t help. Can’t you enlist some of your underlings to drive you around?” […] It took Margo more than the promised minute to return to my window, but not much more. But in the time she was gone, I’d started to waffle again. “I’ve got school tomorrow,” I told her. (Green, 2010: 26,28) In the course of the night, Quentin is described feeling uncomfortable about their actions several times:

I pushed her hand away. “We can’t break into SeaWorld,” I repeated. “There you go with the breaking again.” Margo paused and opened another Mountain Dew. Light 44

reflected off the can onto her face, and for a second I could see her smiling at the thing she was about to say. “We’re not going to break anything. Don’t think of it as breaking into SeaWorld. Think of it as visiting SeaWorld in the middle of the night for free.” “Well, first off, we will get caught,” I said. I hadn’t started the minivan and was laying out the reasons I wouldn’t start it and wondering if she could see me in the dark. “Of course we’ll get caught. So what?” “It’s illegal.” (Green, 2010: 68,69) However, this proof of parental influence is not as strongly present in the second half of the novel as it is in the first. Although the teenager thinks about his parents and tells them what he intends to do, his decision does not include them as a priority but his missing friend Margo.

Similar to Quentin, Margo is also influenced by her family but rather negatively than positively. The teenager feels detached from her parents and senses their incapability to understand her. Her decision to leave her home and abandon her family is therefore influenced by the daily life with them. With Margo’s decision to leave and live somewhere else without informing anyone about her location she frees herself from the influence and breaks contact with her parents. It is only renewed briefly at the end of the novel due to

Quentin’s persuasion and to keep in touch with her sister with whom she does not have the same problems as with her mother and father.

The families in Paper Towns strongly impact both characters, Quentin and Margo, but differ in their effect and type of influence. While the protagonist’s parents are depicted as supportive and understanding, his friend’s mother and father are unable to understand their daughter’s thoughts and motives that ground her actions. Hence, Quentin mainly benefits from his parents, Margo on the contrary is forced to break free and begin a new life separated from her family who mirrors her old self which she despises. With this decision the weighing and distribution of priority in the protagonist’s social environment is newly structured.

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5.4. The Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment

In the beginning of the novel Quentin’s relationships are equally balanced between his family and friends. This, however, changes as the story proceeds and Margo becomes a part of his social life again.

The first half of Paper Towns mainly describes Quentin’s relation to his parents, who represent the first part of his social life, and to his two best friends, Radar and Ben, who claim the second part. His parents symbolize a loving and caring family background while the protagonist’s friends are considered as outsiders in school but correspond with his interests and social status among his classmates. The group is extended with Radar’s girlfriend,

Angela, who occasionally joins their meetings and conversations. Based on the fact that

Quentin’s attendance of school functions as one of the key points in his life, the contact to his friends is frequently described. His developing friendship with Margo crosses the line between school and private life due to them being neighbors and childhood friends. With her entrance in Quentin’s social environment, he also establishes contact with Lacey, Margo’s former best friend. In response to Margo’s departure, the main character decides to go on a road trip and search for her. This is particularly important in terms of is relations since his two best friends and Lacey join him and skip their graduation ceremony as well. Hence, through the protagonist’s neighbor and her sudden disappearance, his social life is extended and his group’s social status at school is upgraded.

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5.5. The Importance of Friends

Due to the main content of the novel, namely the search for Margo in form of a road trip,

Quentin’s friends play an essential role in the story. Prior to Margo herself, Ben and Radar represent the aspect of friends. Their relationship is mainly based on shared interests and social status within their school.

Since the three friends face the same threats posed by their classmates, they are depicted as group in most of the scenes set at school. Through their holding together they can defend themselves which mainly happens verbally. Another important aspect in their friendship, apart from sharing experiences of being bullied, is their passion for video games. Hence, most of their meetings outside of school include playing such games. In addition to the portrayal of their close friendship, the teenagers are brought together more closely through Margo’s disappearance. Since Quentin insists on finding her, he works with his friends on solving the mysteries she leaves behind. Although Radar and Ben do not actively and enthusiastically participate in this search all the time, they are present at crucial stages in order to support their friend. However, they engage in the search not particularly because of Margo, whom they hardly know, but to accompany Quentin and help him discover whether he is in love with her or not:

I was inside and had the thing in gear and was starting to move when I looked over and saw Ben sitting in the passenger’s seat. “Get the beer and get out of the car!” I shouted. “We’re coming with,” he said. “You’d fall asleep if you tried to drive for that long anyway.” I turned back, and Lacey and Radar were both holding their cell phones to their ears. “Gotta tell my parents,” Lacey explained, tapping the phone. “C’mon, Q. Go go go go go go.” (Green, 2010: 239,240) Therefore, they prioritize their friendship despite their graduation and the fact that they do not share the same interest in the missing person with the protagonist.

Although the group of friends does not have any contact to Lacey at the beginning of the novel, she joins them for the search for Margo and emphasizes the importance of friendship in 47 a different way. While she becomes friends with the rest of the group and engages in a relationship with Ben, she only establishes contact with them to find her best friend in the first place:

Monday morning, an extraordinary event occurred. I was late, which was normal; and then my mom dropped me off at school, which was normal; and then I stood outside talking with everyone for a while, which was normal; and then Ben and I headed inside, which was normal. But as soon as we swung open the steel door, Ben’s face became a mix of excitement and panic, like he’d just been picked out of a crowd by a magician for the get-sawn-in-half trick. I followed his gaze down the hall. […] “Lacey Pemberton,” Ben whispered, even though she was about three steps from us and could clearly hear him, and in fact flashed a faux-bashful smile upon hearing her name. […] “I hear you were with Margo.” I just looked at her. […] “Was she mad at me?” (Green, 2010: 118,119) Lacey therefore serves as example for the essential meaning friendship is accredited with in

Paper Towns as she overcomes social distinctions created at school and joins forces with those she used to despise on random reasons. In addition to her engagement in finding her best friend and illustrating the power of friendship, Margo’s influence on the extended group is highlighted.

Margo is not portrayed as member of Quentin’s usual group of friends but still chooses him to spend her last night in town and taking revenge on her friends which establishes an indirect, later direct connection between the social ladders at school. Although the character is only present again at the end of the story, she can be counted as friend due to the efforts put in the search for her by Quentin and the others. The fact that she chooses the protagonist for her revenges implies that the feeling of friendship roots from both characters. Due to the fact that

Margo’s character dominates the major part of the book, she is the most important factor, although mostly passively included, in terms of friendship in the book.

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5.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison

The aspect of family is mainly present in the first half of the novel but indirectly one of the reasons for the further twist in the story. This influence is primarily visible in Margo’s behavior and the attitude she holds towards her parents.

Based on the conviction that her mother and father cannot understand and accept her personality, Margo leaves her home with the intention to start a new life distanced from her past. Following this, she disconnects from her family and refrains from any contact until the end of the story. Quentin’s upbringing and positive relationship with his parents might be a reason for his persuasiveness in convincing Margo at least to call her family and keep in touch with her sister:

She tries to turn away from me, but I grab her shoulders and hold her in front of me and say, “Did you ever even think about what your leaving meant? About Ruthie? About me or Lacey or any of the other people who cared about you? No. Of course you didn’t. Because if it doesn’t happen to you, it doesn’t happen at all. Isn’t that it, Margo? Isn’t it? […] As we’re walking outside, Margo asks for my phone. She punches in a number, and I start to walk away to let her talk, but she grabs my forearm and keeps me with her. So I walk beside her out into the field as she talks to her parents. “Hey, it’s Margo … I’m in Agloe, New York, with Quentin … Uh … well, no, Mom, I’m just trying to think of a way to answer your question honestly … Mom, come on … I don’t know, Mom … I decided to move to a fictitious place. That’s what happened. Yeah, well, I don’t think I’m headed way, regardless … Can I talk to Ruthie? … Hey, buddy … Yeah, well, I loved you first … Yeah, I’m sorry. It was a mistake. I thought – I don’t know what I thought, Ruthie, but anyway it was a mistake and I’ll call now. I may not call Mom, but I’ll call you … Wednesdays? … You’re busy on Wednesdays. Hmm. Okay. What’s a good day for you? … Tuesday it is … Yeah, every Tuesday … Yeah, including this Tuesday.” (Green, 2010: 285,296) Hence, the theme of family is interconnected with and dependent on the one of friends.

In general, the construction and meaning of friendship predominates the influence of family in the novel. This is not exclusively but most impressively outlined and proven by main part of

Paper Towns which features the road trip organized in order to find Quentin’s missing friend and love interest. The group that participates in this search does not only include friends of

Margo. The prioritizing of the cause over former social relations of the constructed group 49 emphasizes the importance of friendship. While the protagonist’s friends, Radar and Ben, hardly know Margo and do not share the same interest in either her person or the mystery of her disappearance, they support their friend and spontaneously engage in the trip shortly before their graduation ceremony starts. Similarly, Lacey makes her best friend Margo her priority and establishes contact with Quentin and his friends whom she has despised for years.

Despite the fact that she is the key force in several acts of bullying, she engages in a relationship with Ben and breaks the spell of social outcasts she has participated in putting on the group in the past. With this, the group is accepted by their classmates during their last weeks in high school.

These developments, triggered by Margo’s disappearance, prove a higher importance given to friends than family in the novel. The considerable important meaning Margo has to Quentin causes his efforts to find her in the first place. Hence, the teenage girl serves as major aspect in the construction of further friendships in the story. The support offered by Quentin’s friends and their joined forces in the search for Margo despite their detachment from the character herself, symbolizes the second factor of proof. The third, interconnected one, is

Lacey’s dismissing of social rules established by her and her classmates to bring her best friend back to town. On the one hand the developing friendship between all four teenagers implies proof of Margo’s considerable impact on the characters and the storyline. On the other hand it also verifies the strong meaning ascribed to friendship in Paper Towns.

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“The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself.”

Mark Twain

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6. Will Grayson, Will Grayson

The novel features two main characters carrying the same name, Will Grayson, who are alternately portrayed. In the beginning, the characters’ appearance is marked by chapters describing their lives. Both protagonists meet each other at a certain point which initiates the following constant interference of both social environments. The first Will Grayson, referred to as first due to his appearance in the first chapter of the book, is invited to a concert by his best friend Tiny and his classmate Jane but not allowed in due to his age and the poorly done identification card. Parallel to this, the second Will Grayson, is present at the scene to meet

Isaac, another male character, whom he knows through an online social network platform and regards as his best friend. Since his classmate Maura invented the character and created the online profile, the second main character realizes his best friend is not going to meet him in the suggested place. There the two protagonists meet. At this point, the second Will engages in a romantic relationship with Tiny, the first main character’s best friend and interconnects the two described worlds. Although he attempts to reject his boyfriend after a certain period of time, the first Will interferes with his performance at Tiny’s school musical. Prior to the musical’s staging he contacts other persons in the area who are named Will Grayson. With their announcements saying they are Will Grayson, the first protagonist attempts to strengthen the second one’s personality and self-consciousness.

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6.1. Family Structure

Will Grayson, Will Grayson portrays two different family models, which describe the family circumstances of the two fictional characters named Will Grayson. Although they resemble in names, their family structures widely differ.

The first Will Grayson, who is labeled as first due to his appearance in the first chapter of the novel, belongs to a family which represents a classic core family. The protagonist lives with his mother and father as an only child. The teenager’s parents’ presence in each of the scenes suggests an intact family life which corresponds with the portrayal of a typical nuclear family.

The parental power is distributed equally and unbiased by gender. Although his mother frequently talks to the teenager and asks about his intentions when he is leaving, his parents are both included in these situations. Those passages portraying his mother without her husband demonstrate her position as an active and accredited medical expert:

I call my mom from the car. I tell her Neutral Milk Hotel is playing at the Hideout and she says, “Who? What? You’re hiding out?” And then I hum a few bars of one of their songs and Mom says, “Oh, I know that song. It’s on the mix you made me,” and I say, “Right,” and she says, “Well you have to be back by eleven,” and I say, “Mom this is a historical event. History doesn’t have a curfew,” and she says, “Back by eleven,” and I say, “Fine. Jesus,” and then she has to go cut cancer out of someone. (Green, 2013:7) Due to the first Will Grayson’s status of a single child in a harmonious family, he is placed in the center of attention.

Although the second Will Grayson is an only child as well, his family structure distinguishes from the first character’s. He lives with his mother who represents a single-parent. Their family is hardly described but his father’s position is referred to as the cheater who left his wife and son. Despite the lack of direct information provided on the father’s whereabouts, his absence justifies the reference to the role of a cheater. Further, the second Will Grayson faces psychological difficulties among others caused by his parents’ divorce. The fact that the teenager is on medication to fight his depressions and suicidal attitudes, poses an additional 53 trouble to the one-parent household. Hence, the second Will Grayson represents a pendant to the first Will Grayson and his family structures. This is on the one hand based on the mere structure of family members living together, on the other hand the atmosphere among the described relatives widely differs between loving and harmonious to worried and depressed.

These two depictions of families also impact the fictional characters daily lives.

6.2. Family Life

The family life in the novel is strongly influenced by the construction of the two families as well as the two main characters’ personalities. While the first Will Grayson’s everyday life at home is shaped by comfort and understanding from both parents, the second Will Grayson’s daily routine shows marks of his past and his present status of suffering from which he sees himself unable to escape from.

The first protagonist’s family life mainly represents a happy and loving environment which is demonstrated by his parents frequent presence in the scenes set at their house. Although

Will’s mother and father establish rules for their son’s activities such as leaving home at night, their relationship is mainly marked by understanding. However, the protagonist frequently shows signs of not ascribing value to his parents’ behavior and also keeps secrets from them such as his love interests.

The same is true for the second protagonist of the same name. His mother shows interest in what he is doing but the teenager attempts to hide most of the aspects concerning his private life. The relationship between Will and his mother is described as impacted by the main character’s depressions but still caring and inquiring, although slightly more strict in terms of rules than the first protagonist’s family life suggests:

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mom: have some breakfast. i do not eat breakfast. i never eat breakfast. i haven’t eaten breakfast since i was able to walk out the back door without eating breakfast first. mom: where are you going? school, mom. you should try it sometime. mom: don’t let your hair fall in your face like that – i can’t see your eyes. but you see, mom, that’s the whole fucking point. i feel bad for her – i do. a damn shame, really, that i had to have a mother. it can’t be easy having me for a son. nothing can prepare someone for that kind of disappointment. me: bye i do not say ‘good-bye.’ i believe that’s one of the bullshittiest words ever invented. it’s not like you’re given the choice to say ‘bad-bye’ or ‘awful- bye’ or ‘couldn’t-care-less-about-you-bye.’ every time you leave, it’s supposed to be a good one. well, i don’t believe in that. i believe against that. mom: have a good d – the door kinda closes in the middle of her sentence, but it’s not like i can’t guess where it’s going. she used to say ‘see you!’ until one morning i was sick of it i told her, ‘no, you don’t.’ (Green, 2013: 20,21) Due to the second Will’s major procrastination, which is talking to his online friend, he spends most of his time at home in front of the computer. His family life is therefore minimalized in portrayals. Despite this, the character’s tone when talking to his mother is mainly bothered and uncomfortable which is linked to the family history and his mental illness which serves as personal explanation for almost everything in his life.

Both protagonists’ shattered relationships to their parents do influence them in the course of the story. However, the impact resulting from the descriptions of their family lives are not directly but indirectly referred to.

6.3. Influence on the Protagonist

Since the scenes featuring the two main characters’ parents are limited and narrowed down to only a few sentences per paragraph, their influence on the further storyline is considerable low. Nonetheless, a certain amount of indirect impact can be found in the teenagers’ behavior.

The first Will seems less impacted by his parents than the second one but still shows signs of parental influence. Such signs are the meeting of expectations in terms of the amount of time the teenager is allowed to spend out during the night. This is subsequently mentioned in

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Will’s night at the concert. In comparison to the second Will’s parental influence, the first protagonist is described as independent and self-directed.

The second main character acts rejecting in front of his mother which corresponds with his depressions and suffering ascribed to the family history. These factors contribute to the aspect of his family’s impact on him and his position in the novel. Since the second protagonist’s parents are separated, one explanation for his severe depression and the medication prescribed, in addition to his natural characteristics, is this event in the teenager’s family history. The fact that the boy tends to define himself exclusively through his mental instability adds to the difficult relationship he has with his mother. Hence, he takes his condition for granted and uses it as universal apologize and explanation.

The visible effects of the protagonists’ lives with their parents are rather limited in its appearance but more openly to witness in the second Will’s person and story. The major influence on the characters and the remaining storyline therefore roots from the rest of their social environment, particularly their friends and love interests.

6.4. The Protagonist’s Social Environment

Both main characters’ social contacts are separated in two main parts, namely those featuring their parents and those including their friends and romantic relationships. While the first part remains the same from the beginning in both cases, the second varies as the story proceeds.

The first Will Grayson counts several acquaintances and classmates as well as his best friend

Tiny and the developing love interest, Jane, to his second half of social relations. Although he has no continuing and frequent contact with his schoolmates they belong to his daily life.

With Tiny as his best friend, however, Will reduces his social status at school to an outcast and therefore is often target to discrimination and bullying. Tiny’s openness with his sexual 56 orientation and his membership of the so-called “Gay-Straight-Alliance” prevent him and his best friend from high school popularity. Nevertheless, Tiny represents the most important factor in Will’s social environment and outweighs his parents’ influence. In addition to Tiny,

Jane, who also is a member of the alliance, joins Will’s social contacts with the help of his best friend. She shares the status of the protagonist’s most important relations and gathers importance by the romantic interest he develops for her. While the fictional character’s parents belonging to the first part of his social environment, Tiny and Jane serve as most important same-aged friends in the second half.

Contrary to the first Will, the second starts with his mother in the first and an online friend he does not personally know in the second half of his social contacts. Although his social environment includes several classmates and acquaintances, one of the most frequently appearing characters is Maura. Since she is one of Will’s schoolmates, they meet regularly, though the protagonist is mostly not in favor of her presence. In addition to Maura, the teenager is part of a math group which contains students who are considered as social outsiders within high school and establishes contact with Gideon, one of his fellow classmates. Apart from these same-aged characters, Will keeps to himself and avoids social contacts. The most important person in his social environment is one he does not know personally but talks to on a daily basis via social networking platforms:

i haven’t told anyone about isaac because it’s none of their business. i love that he knows who everyone is but nobody knows who he is. if i had actual friends that i felt i could talk to, this might cause some . but since right now there’d only need to be one car to take people to my funeral, i thinks it’s okay. (Green, 2013: 30) When the main character later discovers that Isaac, in whom he thought to have found a romantic partner, does not exist but rather is an invention of Maura, he breaks contact with her. However, through this he encounters the first Will Grayson and his best friend Tiny. At this stage the two social environments cross to a certain extent. The rest of the story is dedicated to Will’s relationship with Tiny and his difficulties with the developing love 57 interest. Therefore, in the end of the novel the second Will includes Tiny and his friends in his social environment, allows Maura to be a minor part of it again and is able to forget about the invented character who becomes his closest friend in the first half of the novel.

6.5. The Importance of Friends

In contrast to both protagonists’ parents, their friends, although they are limited in numbers, are allocated the most important roles in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Although no specific happy end is described in the novel, the newly established friendships pave the way towards it. Both Will Grayson’s are influenced by their friends and the new contacts they make through their already existing social environment.

The first protagonist is mostly influenced by his best friend Tiny. He does not only represent the key issue in the teenager’s social life but is also responsible for his developing interest in

Jane, whom Will meets through his friend. Apart from the awakening emotions, the main character’s altered way of thinking in terms of popularity and the public changes through the influence of Tiny and his intention to publish a school musical based on his life. Further,

Will’s friends are also responsible for their encounter with the second Will and the following interconnectedness as well as the romantic relations between Tiny and the second protagonist.

Although the first main character is impacted by his friends, the second Will is more strongly influenced by the new friendships he makes. These are only possible through Maura and the invented social network profile who are part of the teenager’s social environment in the beginning of the novel. Due to the nonexistence of the online friend, Maura claims the most important position in Will’s life although he continually rejects her. Had his classmate not created the online profile in the first place, the second protagonist would not meet the first protagonist and neither his best friend Tiny who gains considerable importance. Based on this, 58

Maura is a key figure in Will’s life. The second half of the novel highlights the meaning of

Tiny and his friendship and romantic relationship with the second Will. Tiny becomes the center of the protagonist’s life although he also tries to reject and exclude him from his life at a later stage in the novel. The emotional difficulties the second protagonist faces are caused by his boyfriend but contribute to the reconciliation with his mother and the rebuilding of trust:

i’m pressing the number and i’m hearing the ring and as soon as it’s answered, i’m shouting into the phone: me: I LOVE YOU. DO YOU HEAR ME, I LOVE YOU? i’m screaming it, and it sounds so angry and so frightened and so pathetic and desperate. on the other end of the phone, my mother is asking me what’s wrong, where am i, what’s happening, and i’m telling her that i’m at home and that’s everything’s a mess, and she’s saying she’ll be home in ten minutes, will i be okay for ten minutes? […] just hearing her voice makes me feel a little better, and i realize that, yes, i appreciate what she’s saying, and i appreciate what she’s doing, and that i need to let her know that. […] i tell her a little about tiny, and she says it sounds like we were putting too much pressure on ourselves, and that it doesn’t have to be love immediately, or even love eventually. (Green, 2013: 246,247) Despite the first rejection, the performance staged during Tiny’s musical in the end of the novel emphasizes the significance of the established friendships and the connection between the two main characters. This proves the essential meaning of the two protagonists of the same name and their influence on each other, connected through the key figure of Tiny.

6.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison

The theme of family most strongly interferes in the second main character’s life, although it is generally ascribed to a minor role in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. The second Will continually blames his parents and his thereof evolving personal history for his mental state and the need to take the prescribed medication. Hence, his family background plays a continuing role in his life due to the remaining depression. Nevertheless, even the second

59 protagonist is more strongly impacted by the friends he finds after the discovery that his best friend does not exist in reality.

Aside from Tiny who is an important character for both Wills, Maura functions as key figure, mainly for the second Will. Without her invention of Isaac neither the two teenagers carrying the same name, Tiny would meet. Therefore the second Will’s often rejected and despised schoolmate paves the way to his future friendships and love interest. With this Maura claims a central position in the novel which also affects the first protagonist and his social environment. Each of the following events in the second Will’s life is therefore enabled by her interactions and interventions.

Apart from Maura, Tiny plays a direct superordinated role causing changes in both protagonists’ stories. While Maura makes the interconnectedness between the characters possible, the first Will’s best friend tightens their relationship although unwelcomed at first.

Since the extroverted fictional figure claims the most degree of attention from both characters, he outweighs the importance of the two described families. The first protagonist is directly affected by Tiny through his regular presence at school and their frequent conversations. Due to the geographical distance, the second protagonist is mainly involved with Tiny in their romantic relationship via written correspondence. However, this changes as Tiny decides to increase his presence in his boyfriend’s life and claims an even more important role by visiting him at his school, although Will tries to reduce it at first:

i find him easily enough in front of the school, shifting from foot to foot. i am not about to start making out with him on school grounds, so i give him a guy-hug (two points of contact! only two!) and tell him that if anyone asks, he should say he’s moving to town in the fall and is checking out the school ahead of time. (Green, 2013: 227)

Apart from his own relationship, Tiny also affects the first Will’s love life. Since he persuades his best friend to join his alliance in order to assure its right to exist as an official club, Will

60 meets Jane whom he eventually falls in love with. Along with Tiny, Jane plays an increasingly important role in the novel and therefore supports the claim that friends value higher in Will Grayson, Will Grayson than family relations. This is proven not only by their omnipresent influence throughout the novel but also in the end of the story. Tiny’s school musical stages not only his life as he sees it but features a surprise performance involving both main characters:

tiny makes a gesture, and suddenly everyone onstage is singing. […] and i’m still standing. i’m making eye contact with the other will grayson, who looks nervous but smiles anyway. and i’m seeing a few people nod in my direction. god, I hope they’re who Ii want them to be. […] i raise my hand. tiny sees me. other people in the audience see me. i yell. me: TINY COOPER! and that’s it. i really hope this is going to work. me: my name is will grayson. and i appreciate you, tiny cooper! now everyone’s looking at me, and many of them are confused. they have no idea whether this is still part of the show. what can i say? i’m giving it a new ending. now this twentysomething-year-old man in a hipster vest stands up. he looks to me for a second, smiles, then turns to tiny and says […] my name is also will grayson. i live in wilmette. and i also appreciate you, tiny cooper. cue the seventy-nine-year-old in the back row […] my name is william t. grayson, but you can call me will. and i sure as heck appreciate you, tiny cooper. […] fortysomething woman: hi! i’m Wilma grayson, from hyde park. and i appreciate you, tiny cooper. ten-year-old boy: hey. i’m will grayson. the fourth. my dad couldn’t be here, but we both appreciate you, tiny cooper. […] my name is will grayson. and i love you, tiny cooper. […] the other will grayson walks out of the chorus. he walks right up to tiny and looks him in the eye. o.w.g.: you know my name. and i love you, tiny cooper. although not in the same way that the guy in the pink pants might love you. (Green, 2013: 304-307) The established connection between the two Will Grayson’s is strengthened by their shared friendship with Tiny which foregrounds the character’s essential role that represents the high importance of friendship in the book.

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“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.”

George Bernard Shaw

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7. The Fault in Our Stars

Hazel Grace, the protagonist of the novel suffers from cancer which serves as one of the main themes. In order to manage the struggles with her instable health condition, Hazel joins a local support group where she meets other teenagers facing similarly difficult life situations. One of the people the main character meets in the support group is Augustus Walters, an already cured cancer patient, who becomes not only one of Hazel’s best friends but also her boyfriend. The novel describes the teenagers’ relationship despite their severe illnesses. Based on the same book both characters enjoy, Augustus uses his wish granted by a foundation for incurably ill children and teenagers to travel to Amsterdam, which is the city the book’s author lives in. During the trip Hazel does not know that her boyfriend’s illness affects him again. At the end of the story, Augustus dies due to the reappearance of his cancer.

7.1. Family Structure

The family structure in The Fault in Our Stars is the same for both protagonists. Hazel Grace as well as her boyfriend Augustus Waters are part of a nuclear family consisting of a mother and a father. Both parents are portrayed as married and continuously present at their homes.

While the teenagers’ families resemble each other in their nuclear construction, they differ in terms of family extensions. In contrast to Hazel who is an only child, Augustus has two adult siblings. These siblings are married with children, living separately from their brother and parents and therefore represent the extended family:

“Do you have siblings?” I asked. “Huh?” he answered, seeming a little distracted. “You said that thing about watching kids play.” “Oh, yeah, no. I have nephews, from my half sisters. But they’re older. They’re like – DAD, HOW OLD ARE JULIE AND MARTHA?” “Twenty-eight!” “They’re like twenty-eight. They live in Chicago. They

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are both married to very fancy lawyer dudes. Or banker dudes. I can’t remember. You have siblings? I shook my head no. (Green, 2013: 32) Based on this, two different structures are included without changing the model of an intact nuclear family.

As for hierarchal patterns within the two nuclear families, the author does not majorly distinguish between the parental roles of the teenagers’ mothers and fathers. Although the power relations between men and women are widely balanced, the mothers are portrayed as worried and controlling more often than their husbands. Nevertheless, Hazel’s father also represents the emotional bond between the family members through his reactions:

After they finished eating, Dad did the dishes and walked us to the car. Of course, he started crying, and he kissed my cheek with his wet stubbly face. He pressed his nose against my cheekbone and whispered, “I love you. I’m so proud of you.” (For what, I wondered.) “Thanks, Dad.” “I’ll see you in a few days, okay, sweetie? I love you so much.” “I love you, too, Dad.” I smiled. “And it’s only three days.” As we backed out the driveway, I kept waving at him. He was waving back, and crying. (Green, 2013: 138) With this the focus is shifted from the conventional stereotype of the emotional mothers directed by their feelings to an image of equally emotional parents. A new image of parental equality also including the avoidance of stereotypical gender-based depictions is created.

However, Hazel’s mother is omnipresent at home and therefore claims the position of a mother and housewife. This decision does not reflect an unequal status based on her gender but her wish to care for her sick daughter on a full time scale. Based on the woman’s drive to education and autonomy in work, revealed at the end of the novel, the prevailing domestic role is self-chosen and does not contradict with gender equality:

After a minute, Mom said, “I’m taking some classes. Online, through IU. To get my master’s in social work. In fact, I wasn’t looking for antioxidant recipes; I was writing a paper.” “Seriously?” “I don’t want you to think I’m imagining a world without you. But if I get my MSW, I can counsel families in crisis or lead groups dealing with illness in their families […].” (Green, 2013: 297)

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Despite the fact that Augustus’ parents are rarely mentioned in the story, the parental structures are similarly balanced as in Hazel’s family. While both of his parents are displayed as concerned about his health condition, his mother is described as slightly more direct in her doubts, although subsequently woven into the text:

As we approached the house, I could hear someone crying inside. I didn’t think it was Gus at first, because it didn’t sound anything like the low rumble of his speaking, but then I heard a voice that was definitely a twisted version of his say, “BECAUSE IT IS MY LIFE, MOM. IT BELONGS TO ME.” (Green, 2013: 139) Regardless of his half sisters, the structure of Augustus’ family is fairly similar to Hazel’s due to the rare presence of the extended family. Therefore, a connection is drawn between the teenagers apart from their serious health conditions. Furthermore, both family structures correspond with the conventional image of an intact nuclear family.

7.2. Family Life

Due to the illnesses being the main theme in the novel, these are also put in the center of attention of family life. This becomes clear in Hazel’s case. Her mother chooses to stay at home with her daughter in order to properly care for her and monitor her health condition.

This decision also influences the teenage protagonist in her daily life. Due to the constant presence of Hazel’s mother several dialogs portraying conversations between mother and daughter are included in the story. Since the teenager’s father works fulltime, this fictional character plays a rather minor role in the everyday routine. However, both parents are present in dramatic situations as well as to discuss major decisions. The interactions between the members of Hazel’s family are continuously friendly and harmonious. Moreover, the marriage of the girl’s parents is portrayed as intact and happy based on the way they treat each other. The lack of fights and arguments between the spouses refers to the common image of a

65 loving nuclear family. With this the idea of domestic harmony is supported and distributed in the story.

Similarly to Hazel’s family, her boyfriend’s parents also represent domestic happiness. “[…] a piece of stained glass by the sink read in bubbly letters Family Is Forever […]” (Green,

2013: 27). However, the daily family life is also strongly influenced by the teenager’s former illness and the fear of its return. The idyllic portrayal of the daily routine is slightly disturbed by the introduction of Augustus’ siblings and their families. Although it has no effect on the family or their relations to each other, the image raised by the portrayal of the small family is extended and shifts from a quiet, harmonious life to a lively and vivacious togetherness:

His sisters were there with their banker husbands and three kids, all boys, who ran up to me and chanted who are you who are you who are you, running circles around the entryway like lung capacity was a renewable resource. […,] “He’s dying,” the third one confirmed, suddenly serious. It was quiet for a moment, and I wondered what I was supposed to say, but then one of them kicked another and they were off to the races again, falling all over each other in a scrum that migrated towards the kitchen. (Green, 2013: 249) Based on this considerable strong sense of community and family relation, Augustus’ relapse results in a state of closeness, also including Hazel most of the time:

I made my way to Gus’s parents in the living room and met his brothers-in-law, Chris and Dave. I hadn’t gotten to know his half sisters, really, but they both hugged me anyway. Julie was sitting on the edge of the bed, talking to a sleeping Gus in precisely the same voice that one would use to tell an infant he was adorable, saying, “Oh, Gussy Gussy, our little Gussy Gussy.” […] “Our beautiful Gussy,” Martha said, leaning in toward him. (Green, 2013: 249, 250)

In both families the importance of closeness and keeping together is present and emphasized through the caring attitudes displayed in the teenagers’ parents’ behavior. Along with this, the image of intact and harmonious families is distributed. This creates an atmosphere of security within and around the fictional characters. In addition to the general portrayal of the two families, their daily conversations and conversational patterns, frequently including 66 declarations of love and strong emotions for each other, serve as proof for this assumption.

Further, this is not only valid for the parents’ performances in direct speech but also for Hazel and Augustus. Although the treatment of their parents is not as expressive, it is mainly respectful and caring as well. Hence, no scenes featuring fights and hateful approaches or inappropriate speech are depicted in the novel.

7.3. Influence on the Protagonist

Although Hazel is the protagonist of The Fault in Our Stars, due to his strong presence and the introduction of his family, this chapter is also dedicated to the description of his parents’ impact on Augustus to a certain extent. Nonetheless, the major part concerns Hazel and the effects her parents and their behavior have on her, which also contributes to the character development triggered in the fictional figure.

Given that Hazel’s illness and the special care she receives present a considerable high impact on the family’s daily routine, the teenager’s own life is also affected by her parent’s behavior.

Although her mother is more frequently and actively present in the story, her father represents an equally significant influence on her. While Hazel is concerned about her mother’s future due to her fulltime occupation of watching over her sick daughter, her father’s emotional outbursts make the character think about the role she takes within her family. “It occurred to me that he was probably thinking he might never see me again, which he probably thought every single morning of his entire weekday life as he left for work, which probably sucked”

(Green, 2013: 138,139). Therefore, the main aspect of the parental influence on Hazel is shaped by thoughts concerning her own death which she refers to as inevitable. She mainly worries about her parent’s future life without their only child:

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I tried to push past her but she grabbed both my shoulders and said, “Hazel, you’re eating dinner. You need to stay healthy.” “NO!” I shouted. “I’m not eating dinner, and I can’t stay healthy, because I’m not healthy. I am dying, Mom. I am going to die and leave you here alone and you won’t be a mother anymore, and I’m sorry, but I can’t do anything about it, okay?!” I regretted it as soon as I said it. “You heard me.” “What?” “Did you hear me say that to your father?” Her eyes welled up. “Did you?” I nodded. (Green, 2013: 296) This is why the teenager wishes her mother to concentrate on her own education. Apart from the future prospects concerning her parents’ individual life, the main character is concerned about their marriage which displays her strong wish for harmony despite her absence:

“Do you think you guys will stay together if I die?” I asked. “Hazel, what? Sweetie.” She fumbled for the remote control and paused the TV again. “What’s wrong?” “Just, do you think you would?” “Yes, of course. Of course,” Dad said. “Your mom and I love each other, and if we lose you, we’ll get through it together. “Swear to God,” I said. “I swear to God,” he said. I looked back at Mom. “Swear to God,” she agreed. “Why are you even worrying about this?” “I just don’t want to ruin your life or anything.” Mom leaned forward and pressed her face into my messy puff of hair and kissed me at the very top of my head. I said to Dad, “I don’t want you to become like a miserable unemployed alcoholic or whatever.” (Green, 2013: 299) The high importance ascribed to family and its ongoing emotional bond is illustrated through this passage. Furthermore, the emotional reactions of her father contribute to a differentiated take on the life of her relatives. While she argues that she will not be affected by her illness any longer after her passing away, she is convinced the ones she leaves behind would suffer even more, if they were close to her for a long period of time:

“I’m a grenade,” I said again. “I just want to stay away from people and read books and think and be with you guys because there’s nothing I can do about hurting you; you’re too invested, so just please let me do that, okay? I’m not depressed. I don’t need to get out more. And I can’t be a regular teenager […].” (Green, 2013: 99) Hence, Hazel also strongly refuses to engage in close relationships, which mostly includes

Augustus for the first half of the novel:

[…] So of course I tensed up when he touched me. To be with him was to hurt him – inevitably. And that’s what I’d felt as he reached for me: I’d felt as though I were committing an of violence against him, because I was. I decided to text him. I wanted to avoid a whole conversation about it. Hi, so okay, I don’t know if you’ll understand this but I can’t kiss you or anything. Not that you’d necessarily want to, but I can’t. When I try to look at you like that, all I see is what I’m going to put you through. Maybe that doesn’t make sense to you. Anyway, sorry. (Green, 2013: 101) 68

Therefore, one of the main aspects concerning her parents’ influence on her is the fear of leaving sorrow and emptiness behind after her death. This concern evolves from the emotional behavior and the considerable emphasis put on Hazel’s well-being each day.

Due to Hazel’s incurable illness, her health condition majorly influences the family and the teenager’s parents’ approach towards her. Aside from the three family members’ daily life, the way they treat each other as well as their cherishment of life is portrayed under the aspect of an expected early death of their only child. Hence, Hazel is conscious of the pain her parents will be suffering caused by her person. This influences her perception of relationships and raises a feeling of guilt and the self-concluded need to restrain from further emotional binding with other human beings.

Considering the limited amount of information given on the influence of Augustus’ family on his daily behavior and personality, the major source for it is the teenager’s interaction with and opinion on his parents. Despite his dependency on both his mother and father, Augustus often refers to them as bothering. However, the main character slightly reduces the value of her parents after Augustus’ first meeting with them. “Yeah, and your dad is a Smits fan, which helps. You think they liked me?” “Sure they did. Who cares, though? They’re just parents.” “They’re your parents,” he said, glancing over at me” (Green, 2013: 84). In contrast to Hazel, he does not visibly show any signs of a differentiated consciousness regarding the domestic life with his parents under the aspect of his illness. Although the first half of the story describes Augustus as cured from cancer, the reader is informed at a later stage in the novel that he and his family have known about the return and the incurability of it for a considerable period of time. Despite Augustus’ parents’ insisting on him staying at home due to his illness, he prefers to live the last few weeks of his life the way he feels right about.

Hence, he chooses to travel to Amsterdam with Hazel in order to fulfill her lifelong wish of

69 meeting her favorite author. The influence of his parents is therefore widely ignored and replaced by the love for Hazel and the desire to live before he dies.

Apart from Augustus’ decision to prioritize the girl he loves, the presence of Hazel’s mother also indicates a stronger impact caused by her parents than his. The absence of Augustus’ parents during the trip to Amsterdam suggests a stronger relationship between Hazel and her parents due to the company of her mother. This is also connected with the issue of parental influence on the teenage protagonists. While Hazel discusses her wishes with her parents and feels guilty for depriving them of precious time with her, Augustus consciously chooses his relationship over his family. Nevertheless, Augustus’ parents accept his girlfriend in the family after the trip and include her during his last weeks. Hence, Augustus’ decision against his family is only a temporary one without traceable lasting negative consequences.

Moreover, his actions highlight his feelings for Hazel and therefore play a significant role in the boys’ family’s approach towards Hazel. While Hazel faces a reciprocal influencing between her and her parents, Augustus’ action mainly has an impact on his mother and father, hence is partially effective.

7.4. The Structure of the Protagonist’s Social Environment

Hazel’s social environment mainly consists of her parents in the beginning of the novel but is extended in the course of the story. The inclusion of same-aged friends and acquaintances is triggered by her mother’s efforts to join a local support group centered on the issue of incurable illnesses:

[M]y Mom believed I required treatment, so she took me to see my Regular Doctor Jim, who agreed that I was veritably swimming in a paralyzing and totally clinical depression, and that therefore my meds should be adjusted and also I should attend a weekly Support Group. […] The Support Group, of course, was depressing as hell. It met every Wednesday in the basement of a stone-walled Episcopal church shaped like a 70

cross. We all sat in a circle right in the middle of the cross, where the two boards would have met, where the heart of Jesus would have been. (Green, 2013: 3,4) Through this the teenager meets Augustus and gets involved in social activities other than watching television with her mother and father.

While Hazel views social relationships as obligatory due to her mother’s insisting on finding friends to spend time with, the main part of her social environment is claimed by her family.

Due to her frequent presence at home in the beginning of the story, her parents function as core in her social life. Through the encounter with Augustus and his friends the aspect of same-aged peers is widened. Although Hazel is friends with Kaitlyn, a teenage girl from her former school, the gap created by her attendance of college classes and spending most of her time at home prevents further contact than random trips to the local shopping mall. “We went to this shoe store. As we were shopping, Kaitlyn kept picking out all these open-toed flats for me and saying, “These would look cute on you […]” (Green, 2013: 43). Based on similar preconditions, namely the experience with incurable illnesses, Hazel finds new friends in the support group her mother suggests to join.

Through the contacts established within the support group, the continuing meetings become a second factor in Hazel’s social life in addition to her parents. Apart from Augustus, some acquaintances and friends evolve from the meetings which are not portrayed through excessive friendships but the plain fact of knowing and talking to each other, which is at times emphasized by the task to cope with difficult life and health situations of others. Although

Hazel engages in these kinds of friendships with some of the support group members they do not represent as an important pillar of her social life as Augustus does. Hence, the protagonist’s love life depicts a considerable important part of her social environment, continually developing in the course of the story. Aside from Hazel’s family, Augustus

Waters symbolizes one of the strongest and most present factors not only in the teenager’s social environment but also in her life. 71

7.5. Importance of Friends

Despite the seemingly lack of friends in the beginning of the story, Hazel’s friendships start flourishing through the meetings of her local support group. With progressing time, they increase in value and the teenage protagonist learns to cherish her same-aged peers. The most important factors in this aspect of Hazel’s social life are Augustus and Isaac.

Although the contact with Isaac is not excessively pursued by the protagonist, it is omnipresent throughout the story due to his close friendship with Augustus. Apart from this, a connection between the three teenagers is established through their shared suffering in terms of incurable illnesses. Hence, the support group functions as intersectional key point in the main character’s friendships. In terms of the friendships’ worth, the main theme of incurable illnesses and different approaches to living with them plays an important role. Due to shared experiences and similar emotions Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac can relate to each other.

Incidents such as Isaac’s surgery and Augustus’ worsening health condition contribute to a closer relationship between the three teenagers based on a given understanding of the seriousness of critical health conditions and their consequences:

He took my arm, and I walked with him to the elevator, grateful to have an excuse to avoid the stairs. I’d almost made it all the way to the elevator when I saw his mom standing in a corner of the Literal Heart. “I’m here,” she said to Isaac, and he switched from my arm over to hers before asking, “You want to come over?” “Sure,” I said. I felt bad for him. Even though I hated the sympathy people felt toward me, I couldn’t help but feel it toward him. (Green, 2013: 132) Therefore, the subject of illnesses creates a bond between the three fictional characters incomparable to other friendships. Hazel’s friendship with Kaitlyn and the occasional meetings with her serve as both an example and verification for this assumption. On the one hand this relation symbolizes Hazel’s contact to people outside of support groups and hospitals without the need of sharing experiences regarding similar fates in order to acquire the status of friendship. On the other hand, however, Kaitlyn is rarely mentioned in the story

72 and increasingly put in the background as soon as the characters of Augustus and Isaac enter the protagonist’s life. Hence, Hazel’s friends from her support group claim the most important position in terms of friendships.

In addition to Hazel’s family, her friends function as essential factor in her life and therefore are also present in critical and difficult situations:

Dad came back with August a few minutes later. His hair was messy, sweeping down over his forehead. He lit up with a real Augustus Waters Goofy smile when he saw me, and I couldn’t help but smile back. He sat down in the blue faux-leather recliner next to my chair. He leaned in toward me, seemingly incapable of stifling the smile. Mom and Dad left us alone, which felt awkward. […] My voice was smaller than I wanted it to be. “Thanks for not trying to see me when I looked like hell.” “To be fair, you still look pretty bad.” I laughed. (Green, 2013: 109,110) While Isaac is the least present after Kaitlyn, he though represents motivation and stability in times of health problems. Augustus’ role is constructed similarly to this but foregrounded.

Due to being Hazel’s boyfriend for a considerable period of time in the story, he holds the closest contact and shares most experiences and emotions with the protagonist. Based on the suffering from similar illnesses the understanding established between Hazel, Augustus, and

Isaac serves as ground for their close connection and friendship that cannot be compared to other social relations in the story, also including the protagonist’s parents.

7.6. The Roles of Family and Friends in Comparison

Although both aspects of relationships in The Fault in Our Stars serve the same purpose of socialization and emotional halt, they are ascribed to different areas of life and use different tools to accomplish their goals.

While family is used to represent the important factor of the protagonist’s as well as

Augustus’ background and also function as support in their lives, the friendships made in the course of the novel emphasize the necessity and importance of similar life stories. Although 73 the teenage protagonist is emotionally truly attached to her parents and grateful for their support and guidance, the impact her friends have on her personality and life cannot be made by any family member portrayed in the story. Despite the resembling intention, namely the establishing of relationships and the promotion of well-being and social security, there are two major aspects in Hazel’s friendships that distinguish themselves from her family’s function.

The first essential difference between Hazel’s relationship to her parents and her friends is age. Each of the protagonist’s mentioned friends is described to have the same age which establishes a natural relation between the characters based on their amount of life experience.

Similar to this the connection with experiences describes the second differentiation, namely the one of suffering from similar, incurable illnesses. Although these shared experiences exclude Kaitlyn, who is also the least present in the story, this factor serves as essential basis for the friendship between Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac. The exchange of stories, feelings, thoughts, and opinions on being sick as well as the linked stays at hospitals and consultations of various doctors and experts in the field of medicine connect the three characters with each other. Furthermore, the teenagers’ friendship is portrayed to stabilize each other in painful situations, most obviously described in scenes at hospitals or after surgeries. The portrayal of this support might, however, be covered with and overplaying tones:

“Support Group Hazel not Monica,” I said when he got close enough, and he smiled and said, “Hey, Hazel. How’s it going?” “Good. I’ve gotten really hot since you went blind.” “I bet,” he said. […] “So how’s it going?” “Okay. Glad to be home, I guess. Gus told me you were in the ICU?” “Yeah,” I said. “Sucks,” he said. (Green, 2013: 130) Hence, friendship takes up an important space in The Fault in Our Stars.

Due to the different functions of family and friendship in the novel, there is no exclusive and outweighing importance ascribed to either of the two. Both are undisputable important to the protagonist and her development in the course of the story. Moreover, a balance between

74 family and friends and their influences on and meaning to Hazel is established through the continuing presence of both that makes coexistence possible as well as necessary.

8. Differences in the Novels

8.1. Family

While each of the five analyzed novels portrays the teenage protagonists’ family relations and describes their regular life with parents and siblings to a certain extent, they differ in method and structure. Hence, every story features different constructions of family as well as altered approaches to the relationship between teenagers and their parents.

In terms of family structures, only two novels include direct descriptions of other relatives than the main characters and their parents. Although the core family is only extended by

Margo’s younger sister who is randomly mentioned in Paper Towns, it distinguishes itself from the other . Despite the child’s minor role in the main part of the book, her character becomes important in the end. The existence of a sibling and the considerable good relationship Margo has with her, persuade the teenager to reestablish contact over distance.

Considering the shattered relationship with her parents, the emotional bond with Margo’s sister outweighs her initial intention to distance herself from everything and everyone related to her past. The inclusion of a younger sibling therefore contributes to the character’s indirect decision to partly reconcile with her family.

Although the extended family in The Fault in our Stars does not effectuate an altered outcome, it presents a differentiated family model and therefore, similarly to Paper Towns, contrasts with the remaining three novels. Augustus’ two half-sisters imply on the one hand his siblings, on the other hand his parents’ previous relationships based on the fact that both 75 women are considerably older than the teenager. Their harmonious attitudes when being together suggests strong family ties. This claim is reinforced by the inclusion of the sisters’ own families consisting of their husbands and children. Their presence during the last days of

Augustus’ life emphasizes the relationship among the family members and the support they offer each other in their despair. Notwithstanding that Paper Towns also mentions a sibling, the depiction of half-siblings and their families constitutes a more open family construction.

With this, The Fault in our Stars clearly protrudes from the other young adult novels written by John Green.

Apart from the inclusion of siblings and extended family structures, the novels also distinguish in terms of their core constructions. While Paper Towns and The Fault in our

Stars describe intact families with both parents present in each of the depicted households, the author inserts the aspects of divorce, betrayal, and death into the remaining three books.

Looking for Alaska, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, as well as An Abundance of Katherines display varying family backgrounds, frequently featuring a single parent. However, none of the three books solely relies on the demonstration of single-parent households and broken families. Simultaneously, intact core families including the respective teenager, their mother and father, are contrasted with those living with one parent and shaped by incidents in their past.

Despite the inclusion of such structures in three of the five texts, Will Grayson, Will Grayson portrays the comparison of two essentially different family modes most transparently. The parallel descriptions of each of the two Will Grayson’s homes and family lives cause a direct comparison of family constructions as well as their impact on the protagonists. Apart from the mere portrayal of one shattered and one intact family, the effects on the respective teenagers are also unique among the five novels. The second Will Grayson’s mental instability caused by his depressions functions as most significant example. Based on the family history and his

76 father’s absence, the character holds his resulting mental condition responsible for every action and failed relationship. The degree of parental effect on the children and its procedure is therefore conveyed in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Additionally, the text is the only of the author’s stories featuring mental instabilities which symbolizes a further distinction among the five books.

The themes of death and guilt represent a further distinction since they are intensively included in only one of the five books, namely in Looking for Alaska. Although the protagonist belongs to an intact core family, the structure of a shattered family background is included in the novel in from of his friend, classmate, and love interest Alaska. Even though her mother’s death caused by an amorism was not her fault, the teenager is incapable and unwilling to forgive herself the passiveness due to which she did not call for help. In addition to the loss of one parent and the resulting lack of harmonious contact with the other, the text conveys a unique image concerning the distribution of gender-based roles in John Greens fiction. Though other novels feature single-parent households, as in An Abundance of

Katherines or Will Grayson, Will Grayson, these include the mother as head of the family.

Based on Alaska’s mother’s death, her father is responsible for her upbringing due to the young age she had at the time. The roles are therefore reversed to the father as single-parent.

In comparison with each of the described family models in the five fictional works by John

Green, Looking for Alaska is the only one containing a father as self-responsible parent contrary to the depiction of female single-parent households which appear three times in different stories.

The most striking discovery, however, in terms of the construction of family is the focus on the core family. Although other models are inserted into the storylines, the prevailing model remains the one featuring an only child, their mother and father. This is proved by eight core families (consisting of both parents without siblings), two core families with more than one

77 child, and three single-parent households (of which one is led by the father) of thirteen directly mentioned families in total. The unanimous omission of direct appearances of other relatives such as grandparents, cousins, aunts or uncles contributes to a widely homogenous picture of family being a part of the main characters’ social environments.

Nonetheless, certain factors related to the portrayal of families remain the same in all the author’s books. Such is the fact that each of the described mothers is working which excludes the reduction of their status to the one of a housewife in most cases. Although Hazel’s mother in The Fault in our Stars stays at home to care for her daughter, she also searches for job prospects and engages in further education. The model of both parents having a job or the respective parent in a single-parent household holding an occupation is particularly present in

Paper Towns and An Abundance of Katherines. While Quentin’s mother works in the same field as her husband, namely psychology, Lindsey’s mother in An Abundance of Katherines embodies hard efforts and strict working hours due to the considerably high responsibility she carries. An exception to this is Chip’s mother in Looking for Alaska. Impacted by her former husband’s betrayal and the forced moving to a trailer park, her work is not directly described but suggested that she is either looking for a new profession or working for minimum wage.

Contrary to the majority of parents referred to in the texts, Hassan’s family background in An

Abundance of Katherines is not clearly described. Due to particularly his father’s pressure to find a job, the claim that he himself holds one is strengthened. However, his mother’s occupation is not directly stated. Neither the assumption of her being a housewife, nor being employed can be correctly proven. With this, she marks a minor distinction to the rest of the family structures constructed in the books. Nevertheless, the images of working parents regardless of their gender predominate their opposites in total.

As the portrayal of friendships in John Green’s Young Adult Fiction is, the families are constructed according to a picture of diversity. Despite the omission of same-sex couples, the

78 family members are of different class, social status, race, and religion. As examples thereof serve Chip and his mother in Looking for Alaska as well as Lindsey and her mother as pendent in An Abundance of Katherines (social status and class), Ray’s family in Paper

Towns (race), and Hassan and his parents in An Abundance of Katherines (religion).

8.2. Friends

The theme of friendship is portrayed rather diverse in John Green’s Young Adult Fiction.

Although the protagonists are introduced with descriptions of their social environment, mainly populated by their friends, the structure differs in detail. While all main characters, except Miles in Looking for Alaska and the second Will Grayson in Will Grayson, Will

Grayson have a few friends with similar interests at the beginning of the novels, they are extended in the course of the stories. In Miles’ case, his friendships are established with the proceeding story. Will, however, has contact to his classmates as it is proven by the inclusion of Maura and his math club, but does not regard them as friends. Although he defines his relationship with an unknown person on a social networking platform as friendship, this cannot be treated equally to the existing friendships of the main characters due to Maura’s invention of the profile. Since the character believes the human being to be real, his situation in terms of friendships in the beginning of the novels is located between Looking for Alaska and the other novels. In contrast to this, the protagonists of the remaining three texts start with small peer groups or at least one best friend. The structure of one best friend leads to the introduction to another group of friends. Such is the case with Colin in An Abundance of

Katherines and the first protagonist in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. The exception to this model is Quentin in Paper Towns. Although he does not belong to the designated popular students at school, he has two best friends, a fact that differs from the start without or with one best friend. Therefore, Quentin is already member of a small group of friends prior to the 79 main story. This distinguishes Paper Towns from the other novels in terms of the description of peer groups.

Concerning the aspect of gender, a distinction between the five books touches the issue of the main characters. Hazel Grace, protagonist in The Fault in our Stars, depicts the only female leading character in all the examples. Despite the remaining ones being male teenagers, there is no gender inequality either in their appearance in the novels or their roles and behavior.

Female as well as male characters are ascribed significant roles within the stories, although only one book features a female voice of as for her status of the protagonist.

However, each protagonist develops friendships with female and male characters which excludes a strictly gender based construction of peer groups.

Similarly to this, the aspect of diversity is not restricted to gender but extended to race, religion, and sexual orientation. Although class and social status are factors included in the depiction of the teenagers’ families, it does not heavily affect their description. Chip’s poor living circumstances at home do influence his person but are not set in relation with the main part of the story due to the setting at boarding school. Since neither of the characters is defined by their class or social status, it is not mentioned as striking indication for diversity among the peer groups. On the contrary, race, religion, and sexual orientation are frequently mentioned in connection with the respective fictional characters. However, apart from Will

Grayson, Will Grayson, which extensively describes two characters embodying the same issue, each of the three aspects is only included once in the novels. Additionally, they are used in different texts which means the teenagers representing these factors are not included in the same book. The different themes therefore do not interconnect but are rather discussed separately. Based on this, five characters convey the three themes of diversity. In Paper

Towns, Ray represents race due to his African-American heritage, which is extended through the occasional insertion of conversations with his girlfriend, Angela. Hassan displays the issue

80 of other religions than Christianity in An Abundance of Katherines, and Tiny mainly conveys the topic of homosexuality in Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Along with Tiny, who mostly embodies the aspect of sexual orientation on his own due to his extrovert behavior, the second

Will Grayson contributes to the issue. In contrast to the other characters representing diversity, Will serves as an example for a problematic and refusing approach to his identity.

With the difficulties he faces in accepting his sexual orientation he indicates a direct pendent to Tiny who continually defines himself through his homosexuality. Tiny presents an exception to the pattern used for the portrayal of minority and diversity aspects in the five novels due to his open pride regarding his person and the features linked to it.

Although each of the five books includes certain passages referring to traveling with friends, they essentially differ in distance and cause. While the aspect of leaving town with a group of friends is mentioned in Will Grayson, Will Grayson, the two main characters travel with different expectations and company. The fact that the second protagonist goes to Chicago alone and believes to meet his best friend there depicts an exception to the portrayal of the remaining novels. Nevertheless, the other main character in the story takes the trip together with his friends and therefore fits in the model. However, the trip is rather short due to the closeness to his home and the intention to spend the night there to attend a secret concert.

Despite the protagonists’ meeting in the same night, the aspect of traveling with friends is considerably insignificant, though included. Similarly to this, short trips are featured within the story of Looking for Alaska. The fact that Miles travels to another state in order to attend boarding school enables the development of his friendships but does not contribute to the aspect of traveling. The trip to Chip’s home at Thanksgiving, however, meets the requirements for the category as the protagonist spends time with his friends away from the usual setting. Although both of the novels describe certain scenes of traveling with friends, these are set in the same state and therefore surrounding the main setting. Contrary to this, An

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Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in our Stars include longer trips in terms of distance and time. The first two stories focus on road trips and award them major attention. Despite the fact that Colin does not spend more than a few days traveling through several states, the distance to his home is considerably great. Opposing to Paper Towns, however, the protagonist in An Abundance of Katherines takes the trip with his best friend.

Quentin on the other hand drives through the country accompanied by his two best friends and the newest member of their group, Lacey. Additionally, this road trip also takes longer in description time and distance. The act of driving through various states fills several chapters of the book although it only describes a few days’ drive. With this the factor of traveling within a group of friends is included in both novels. However, The Fault in our Stars outweighs the other texts in that matter. The long-distance travel from the United States to

Europe represents one of the key issues and settings in the story. Although Hazel does not merely travel with her best friend but her boyfriend, the same pattern applies. The presence of her mother displays a difference compared to the other texts but does not minder the fact that the novel includes the longest trip in terms of time, distance, and effort.

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9. Identity and Character Development

9.1. Looking for Alaska

In John Green’s first published Young Adult novel the protagonist Miles experiences incidents that contribute to his character development. The teenager initiates this process with his own decision to transfer to boarding school in Alabama.

With his moving to another state and the attendance of a different school, Miles takes a self- directed decision with the intention to search for his ‘Great Perhaps’ as he phrases it. Hence, the developmental process is started by the protagonist without direct impact rooting from his social environment. However, this changes with his entering of boarding school. The first source of influence he encounters at his new school is his roommate Chip. With his help and the introduction to his social contacts, Miles’ character development is triggered. Due to the fact that he has not experienced close friendships in his past, a new factor is added to his identity. In contrast to his life in Florida, where he defines himself as loner, the main character’s self-perception changes with the flourishing of his social life. Based on this, his way of thinking alters in terms of ability to hold a position within a group of same-aged friends.

The friends he makes during his stay at boarding school, however, represent a more substantial influence to Miles’ developing identity and character. Not only does he experience social relations among same-aged characters, but he is also exposed to different personal histories and their effects. Alaska symbolizes this exposure with her considerable difficult past and family background. Although the results of Miles’ friendship with Alaska and his thereof changing personality are not visible from the beginning, the last chapters describe his desperate attempt to organize his life. The necessity to do so erupts out of Alaska’s sudden death and his increasing suspicion of it being a suicide rather than an accident. Despite the omission of direct references to the protagonist’s altered character, the scenes following his 83 friend’s death contain descriptions of his emotional state afterwards. The inability to focus on the importance of his education is put in the background along with his remaining social contacts. The relationship with Lucy, which the main character begins in the middle of the story, is loosened without a clear statement and explanation. This proves the considerable damage the experience of loss causes in Miles. With this the teenager develops new perspectives and approaches towards his own person and his current life. The obsession with the answering of open questions regarding Alaska’s accident serves as tool to rearrange and redefine his place within the given social environment. Towards the end of the story, Miles claims his regained position among the group of friends. This is suggested by the meeting the protagonist, Chip, Takumi, and Lucy hold at their usual meeting point. Although Alaska leaves an unfilled spot behind her, Miles realizes the necessity to continue his life.

The change of Miles’ behavior highlights the influence his attendance of boarding school has on him. While he is described as lone wolf and mostly outsider at his old school in Florida at the beginning of the text, he self-consciously claims his position as member of a peer group at the end. The development that lies between these two scenes is mainly dependent of the friends the protagonist meets at boarding school in Alabama and the eventual progress he makes regarding his participation in friendships. Hence, the teenager passes several developmental stages that include his advancement from a mere member of a group of friends and his position of a freshman to a fully acknowledged, respected, and equal part of the portrayed social environment. The main triggers for his development are therefore, apart from his own efforts, his friendships, particularly Alaska. Through the stroke of fate Miles is forced to think about his own place within the portrayed society. With the digesting of these experiences and his self-chosen role as equal member of a group of friends, which symbolizes a new phase in his life compared to the starting point of the novel, he completes a developmental stage concerning socialization. Although Miles’ family is mentioned in the

84 text and also referred to as important supportive factor, the most essential processes are initiated by the teenager’s endeavor and his friends increasing meaning and impact.

9.2. An Abundance of Katherines

The main character, Colin, is introduced as shattered by the end of his latest relationship and widely dependent on public praise due to his past as child prodigy. The efforts of his parents are mainly unnoticed due to the uninterrupted procrastination with his former girlfriend. The road trip, suggested by his best friend, symbolizes a cut in the pattern of self-pity and pain.

Colin’s approval concerning the road trip without a fixed destination marks the first step in his identity and character development. Since the journey initiates the developmental processes, the protagonist’s friend is responsible for a considerable part in his altering personality and attitude towards his life. Hence, the following events are made possible through Hassan’s intervention and urging to forget the past. The contact with Lindsey, which is established in a small town in Tennessee, further contributes to his changing perception of both his own person and other people. Although the effects are not visible from the beginning, the stay at

Lindsey’s house and the job given to the two teenage boys by the girl’s mother highly impact them. Based on the fact that both, the main character and his best friend, adapt to the group of friends around Lindsey, they change their usual habits in order to assimilate with the new social environment. Despite the mostly pretended assimilation, the protagonist changes his attitude towards same-aged peers and tries to engage in their favorite activities. With this he proves the next stage of character development. The fight caused by Colin and Hassan in order to protect Lindsey demonstrates their altered approach to friends and their own position in the respective friendships. The most significant trigger in the completion of the described character development of both Colin and Hassan, however, is embodied by Lindsey’s mother

85 and her intensive efforts to save her factory. The aspiration to prevent her employees and friends by keeping the most important source of income stable, encourages the teenagers to think differently about their own lives and the roles they could take on in them. The immediate reactions of both characters, on the one hand the realization that one does not have to be famous to matter, on the other hand the newly found conviction that a human being should find something worth doing instead of being good at doing nothing at all, highlights the essential influence of a parent, although not theirs, at the last stage of the developmental processes.

Due to the drastic change in the protagonist’s character which also affects his self- identification, the developmental processes described in the novel are considerably important for the story. The protagonist illustrates the altering from a strong dependency on the ex- girlfriend who rejects attempts of further contact to a self-conscious young character who breaks with old habits and patterns. Since this is not only valid for the discovery of the non- existing necessity to become a genius to matter to certain people and be remembered but also for his love interest in Lindsey, the developments are foregrounded in the text. These are not only shown through the engaging in a new relationship with Lindsey but also by the breaking of patterns the main character has grown accustomed to. Hence, the romantic relationship with Lindsey marks an essential difference to Colin’s past due to his first girlfriend of twenty relationships not named Katherine. This implies that he succeeds in overcoming his problems and is enabled to take a different perspective on his own life. Although Hassan initiates these processes, he is not solely responsible for the outcome. Lindsey’s mother, representing the aspects of parents in An Abundance of Katherines as accredited with the power to assist the teenagers in changing their way of thinking regarding themselves and their future prospects.

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9.3. Paper Towns

Although Margo embodies one of the frequently mentioned characters in the novel, Quentin, who serves as protagonist, displays the most visible effects of his character and identity development. While his attitude is not drastically changed in the course of the novel, small incidents imply the shift from the character introduced at the beginning of the story and the one portrayed at the end of it.

One of the major aspects in Quentin’s developmental processes is the altered approach towards his social environment. Despite the functioning relationship with his parents, he chooses to lie to them and spend his time around town to find Margo. This contradicts the first encounter with Margo’s provoking behavior. The request to drive across town without parental permission is met hesitantly and with discomfort at first. However, this changes halfway through the trip and marks the first change in Quentin’s character. Based on this his interest in finding the missing Margo increases and rearranges the self-defined priorities in the teenager’s life. This is proven by the spontaneous decision to skip his graduation ceremony and drive through several states to find his neighbor instead. Margo’s absence and the impact her behavior has on Quentin shortly before disappearance motivate the protagonist to set new goals and causes a shift in his former character description. Hence, Margo’s ascendancy represents the main source of the initiated character and identity development in Quentin.

Despite the fact that the protagonist does not show signs of a radical change of mind at the end of the text, the minor alterations woven into the story are ascribed to Margo’s influence.

Although Quentin’s friends approve of the search, they do not depict the most important trigger in his social environment. Margo’s rejection at the end of the novel, however, causes him to focus on his own person and the friends that accompanied him during the search.

Therefore, the teenage girl is allocated the driving force in the protagonist’s character development. 87

9.4. Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Since Will Grayson, Will Grayson features two main characters, both teenagers’ developmental processes play a significant role in the story. Due to the intertwining between the adolescents with the same name, the progress in their development is mainly interconnected.

Prior to the intersection of the two protagonists, the fictional characters are described in their status as without any change of character or self-identification. Apart from the character development as such, the aspect of identity is given a superordinated position in the novel.

The first Will Grayson’s change of attitude is initiated by the introduction to Jane, for whom he develops a romantic interest. Simultaneously, the second Will Grayson differs from his habits due to the contact with his online friend and the prospect of meeting him in person. The determination to meet Isaac, the second main character makes a, for him, unusual move and drives to Chicago. At this stage the two teenagers and their lives interconnect. With this, their character development is further promoted. Apart from their own forced change of perspectives, Tiny, the first protagonist’s best friend and the second protagonist’s love interest, functions as key figure for both teenagers’ character and identity development.

Although both Will Graysons reject Tiny’s friendship at certain stages in the novel, he succeeds in providing them with new perspectives. On the one hand the first Will Grayson recognizes the importance of friendship and organizes the performance of several people named Will Grayson at Tiny’s school musical. With this he proves what Tiny’s friendship and loyalty is worth to him and helps him to fix his relationship with the second protagonist. On the other hand, the second Will Grayson overcomes his fears concerning his sexual orientation and personality, and joins the crowd watching Tiny’s musical. Based on this, both main characters succeed in gaining new viewpoints related to themselves as well as others.

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Hence, Tiny indirectly causes both protagonists to complete the last described stage of their character developments that are interconnected with their self-identifications.

9.5. The Fault in our Stars

The main character, Hazel, is exposed to a considerable developmental process provoked by her illness and the social contacts she establishes over the course of the novel. While her health condition strongly influences her self-perception and attitude towards others, her own difficult situation is pushed to the background with the discovery of her boyfriend’s relapse.

Since Hazel refuses to make friends and establish further emotional bonds with other people in order to spare them pain after her eventual death, her mother’s insistence on joining a local support group paves the way to any further identity and character developments.

Although the contacts the protagonist makes in the support group contribute to her understanding of living with an incurable illness and enrich her with the experience of shared sorrow and achievement, the relationship with Augustus becomes most significant for her life and personality. With him, Hazel lives through the odds of love despite dim future prospects and partly overcomes her intense fear of unnecessarily hurting someone with her passing away. Losing this discomfort illustrates the initiated developing process concerning both the teenager’s character and her identity. Although major progress is already made with acceptance and approval of love and emotional binding, the realization of Augustus’ worsening medical condition represents a further contribution. The awareness of the possibility that a beloved one might pass away before her induces the main character to change her usual perspective which widely excludes such an occurrence. This acceptance leads to an altered lifestyle which features daily visits at Augustus’ house and the allocation of

89 the caring girlfriend’s role. Since these changes contain issues unknown to Hazel, a further step in her character and identity development is required.

The intensity of the triggered developments in the protagonist’s attitude towards herself and her social environment are most visible portrayed in the end of the novel. Despite her painful loss, the teenager does not retrieve to old habits concerning the rejection of emotional bonds.

She rather advocates her parents’ future planning and refrains from openly stating her dislike of social contacts. Instead of closing up again, she continues to attend support group which demonstrates the character development achieved in the course of the story.

10. John Green and Family

Although some of them might not be allocated with superordinated roles and positions in each of the five novels, families, particularly parents are an essential factor in the stories. Aside from the different structures of family life they portray, their existence and reference in the texts mostly implies security and encouragement.

Since the factor of family security and support is one of the major issues in John Green’s depiction of the fictional teenage characters, the inclusion of only two different approaches in five books highlights this importance. The family relations of Alaska in Looking for Alaska and Margo in Paper Towns correspond with the girls’ desired distance from their parents but differ in their roots. Based on Alaska’s omnipresent feelings of guilt she avoids her father in order to forget. Margo on the other hand, feels misunderstood and therefore breaks off all contact with her family at first. Further, Alaska’s father is described devastated at his daughter’s funeral. Contrary to this, Margo’s parents lose themselves in mere desperation over their inability to comprehend their daughter’s actions and motives. As a result, the 90 significance of the teenagers’ friends increases and predominates their parents’ function in the two novels. Hence, despite the presence of family members and parents, friends are prioritized concerning the fictional characters’ developments within the stories.

Apart from this, parents are awarded a considerable importance in terms of the teenagers’ developmental processes. This is demonstrated particularly in The Fault in our Stars and An

Abundance of Katherines. Although the protagonist’s parents do not have a direct influence on his altering attitudes, Colin is impacted by Lindsey’s mother and her efforts concerning the factory workers. Apart from this, Hazel and Augustus are strongly supported by their families who are described worried about their medical conditions but mostly encouraging their children’s whishes. However, The Fault in our Stars clearly draws a line between friends and family. Since the theme of illness ties the respective families’ bonds, relapses and serious health conditions are separated from regular interaction between friends and family. Hence, the importance of family and the seclusion from non-relatives are emphasized.

In contrast to the remaining novels of John Green, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, which is the only text co-written by David Levithian, displays parental influence on the characters’ description but solely relies on the positive effects of friendship. Due to the involvement of two authors, which is an exception concerning the remaining four novels being written by

John Green alone, the assumption can be made that the different portrayal and function of parents in the respective text result of the collaboration. However, Will Grayson, Will

Grayson presents a different approach to the protagonists and their life stories. Although both have at least one parent who is present at home, the teenagers’ attitudes towards them are mainly bored and rejecting. As a result they keep secrets from their parents, which contradicts with the depiction of family life in other novels such as The Fault in our Stars, or Looking for

Alaska (concerning Miles’ and Chip’s family bonds). Apart from Will Grayson, Will Grayson, each of John Green’s Young Adult novels focuses on a mainly positive involvement of

91 parents, also affecting the interaction with their children. Despite the strong and frequently foregrounded position of the fictional characters’ friends, the families’ impacts are operated from the background. Phone calls in difficult life situations in order to hear one’s parents’ voices, the remembrance of happy days spent with family members, the acknowledgement and appreciation of parents’ feelings or the acceptance of support offered to the teenagers are often no direct but essential indirect implications in the protagonists’ developments and progresses. The author, therefore, awards the families, especially the parents, in the diverse relationship structures of his stories with a significant, although often invisible and distanced position. Concerning the direct involvement of other characters in the protagonists’ life, their same-aged friends represent a crucial factor. While the parents are mostly used as tool of support and emotional strength, the characters’ close friends initiate and induce changes in the respective teenagers’ personalities and lives.

On these grounds, friends are mainly visibly connected to the teenage protagonists’ character developments and altering attitudes towards life. However, their families are mostly indispensably positioned in the storylines by providing parental support that capacitates their children’s further progress and individuality.

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11. Conclusion

As a result of the detailed analysis of five novels written by John Green and categorized as young adult fiction, several distinctions concerning relevance and placement of family and the competing component of friendships can be made. While the approaches and methods used to portray either group vary depending on the respective text, both pillars of the teenagers’ social environment are included in each of them. Although death and betrayal cause the disappearance of certain characters, both friends and family members, none of the groups dissolves completely and irrevocably.

However, specific differences are noticeable regarding the construction of the main characters’ social environments and the effects they have upon them. Despite the fact that most families are depicted as core families, consisting of one child, a mother and a father, variations are included. These describe single-parent households (as in Looking for Alaska, An

Abundance of Katherines, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson), extended families (mentioned in

The Fault in our Stars), and core families with more than one child (Paper Towns). They further differ in race, class, and religion, which indicates an attempt to express diversity. In contrast to the thematization of aspects of diversity in the portrayal of friendships, the parental structures lack the factor of sexual orientation. Other than this, the social issues affecting the fictional characters’ identities widely resemble those of the same-aged peer groups.

In terms of the role distribution of family and friends, both are allocated to certain fields of action, though the power structure is not visibly equal. Despite the considerable importance the teenagers’ parents and siblings represent, they operate mostly from the background without direct interference. Apart from the families depicted in The Fault in our Stars, the adolescent protagonists frequently liberate themselves from parental supervision in form of road trips (An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and, to a certain extent, Will Grayson,

Will Grayson) or school transfers (Looking for Alaska). Therefore, the major source of

93 influence roots from the closes social environment, describing classmates and selected friends. Through the shift caused by the geographical distance between parents and their children, their scope of action is reduced. Nevertheless, the teenagers’ families’ presence and support is requested in difficult life situations which emphasizes the dependence on parental encouraging and, to some extent, supervision and approval.

Based on this, the parental support and family bonds are still necessary for the development and emotional stability of the teenagers. Nonetheless, the position of their relatives is put in the background and interferes indirectly, often subtly while the main characters’ friends are prioritized in terms of direct influence and presence. Despite the imbalance between friends and family and the peer groups’ stronger presence and persistence, the inclusion of family members, particularly parents, is crucial to the adolescent protagonists’ development in terms of identity and storyline.

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