Finding Friendship Ralph Waldo Emerson, an influential poet, once said, “The only way to have a friend is to be one” (BrainyQuote). This quote explains how people need to be true friend in order to earn someone else’s friendship. John Green’s novel Looking for Alaska revolves around Miles Halter, the main character, and his social life at his new school. In the beginning of the novel, the theme first appears because the readers can see Miles’ loneliness due to his lack of friends. Next, in the middle of the novel, the readers see the importance of friendship when Miles’ friends stand up against his enemies. Lastly, in the end of the novel, the theme wraps up when Miles’ best friend, Alaska dies. Friendship, the most prominent and recurring
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John Green first exposes the theme when Miles’ parents host a goodbye party for him. No one attends his party, and this shows the readers that Miles lacks true friends. When Miles’ parents ask him why nobody showed up, he tells the reader, “I was more or less forced to invite all of my ‘school friends’… I knew they would not come” (3). Miles explains that he never made real friends, and the readers see his loneliness. This event is the first appearance of the theme: friendship. At his old school, Miles isolated himself because of his lack of friends. His parents thought he had a secret popular life; however, he actually feels lonely all the time (4). After leaving for college, Miles meets unique and kind people, but due to his lack of friendships in the past, he doubts them as real friends. His skepticism about friendship contributes to this theme as the readers eventually can see his development throughout the course of the novel. For example, Miles, at first, doubts whether Alaska, his mesmerizing and outgoing neighbor truly cares for him as a friend. Alaska always hangs out with miles, and eventually they fall in love with each other; however, Miles fails to realize this as true love later in the novel (129). When he starts hanging out with his roommate and his roommate’s friends, Miles doubts whether they truly like him. However, in the beginning of the novel, Miles doubts his newly found friendships; he changes in the middle of the
John Green first exposes the theme when Miles’ parents host a goodbye party for him. No one attends his party, and this shows the readers that Miles lacks true friends. When Miles’ parents ask him why nobody showed up, he tells the reader, “I was more or less forced to invite all of my ‘school friends’… I knew they would not come” (3). Miles explains that he never made real friends, and the readers see his loneliness. This event is the first appearance of the theme: friendship. At his old school, Miles isolated himself because of his lack of friends. His parents thought he had a secret popular life; however, he actually feels lonely all the time (4). After leaving for college, Miles meets unique and kind people, but due to his lack of friendships in the past, he doubts them as real friends. His skepticism about friendship contributes to this theme as the readers eventually can see his development throughout the course of the novel. For example, Miles, at first, doubts whether Alaska, his mesmerizing and outgoing neighbor truly cares for him as a friend. Alaska always hangs out with miles, and eventually they fall in love with each other; however, Miles fails to realize this as true love later in the novel (129). When he starts hanging out with his roommate and his roommate’s friends, Miles doubts whether they truly like him. However, in the beginning of the novel, Miles doubts his newly found friendships; he changes in the middle of the