Preface:
What does John Green talk us into doing in his note?
Chapter 1:
- By reading the first two paragraphs, what impression does the narrator make on you?
- Hazel is somehow forced by her mum to join the support group. Do you justify or sympathize with Hazel’s unwillingness to take part in it? Would you dare to say the support group was worth attending? Justify your view.
- Find evidence that may show Hazel’s interest in Augustus.
- Analyze the role of religion in Hazel’s life.
- Among the subtle issues of metafiction that John Green shares in his work is that of oblivion; how does Hazel respond to Augustus’s fear of it? Does it sound convincing to you?
- Hazel refers to An Imperial Affliction by Peter Van Houten as her Bible; what makes her be so close to it?
- Analyze Hazel’s attitude towards “death”. Cite examples.
- John Green makes great use of figurative language; he plays with symbolism all throughout the novel. Just one example of this is Augustus’s faked smoking habit; what’s the purpose of it?
Chapter 2:
- What might have been the cause for Hazel and Augusuts to have hit it off straightaway?
- In their first encounters, Hazel tells us: “I considered lying. No one likes a corpse...but in the end I told the truth...” Why did she consider lying at first? What does she refer to when she later tells Augustus about her “miracle”?
- When it comes to talking about cancer, Augustus answers to Hazel: “Don’t tell me you’re one of those people who becomes their disease...” (p 13) What’s your opinion on this comment? What attitude does Hazel have towards her medical condition?
- What would you say Hazel’s true story was?
- As soon as Hazel enters Augustus’s house, she comes across many encouragements; choose the one that particularly calls your attention and expand on it.
- Anticipate how Hazel’s days will be from the moment Augustus partly confesses his interest in her. Make your guess.
Chapters 3 and 4:
- Why do you think John Green decided to put Kaitlyn in the book? Why would Hazel be friends with someone like her?
- Have you ever felt a deep passion for a literature work as the one Hazel feels towards An Imperial Affliction? What’s the real reason for her liking it so much?
- While in the basement, Augustus, Isaac and Hazel deal with different issues, from which I want you to reflect on :
b. “Salvation is temporary...”(p.19)
4. What’s TRUE LOVE to Isaac and Hazel? Who do you most agree with?
Chapters 5 and 6:
- So far, as a reader you may have spotted similarities between An Imperial Affliction and The Fault in our Star. Mention them briefly and say whether you also find differences.
- Does something make you think John Green will finish his novel midsentence? Do you agree with Hazel when she says that “finishing your novel midsentence violates the contract between writer and reader”? Justify your opinion.
- “...I almost felt like he was there in my room with me, but in a way it was better, like I was not in my room and he was not in his...” (p.21) Explain in your own words what Hazel meant. Have you ever experienced a feeling like this?
- In this chapter we read about Hazel’s first signs of worry about her cancer. Cite them here.
- As said before, John Green loves playing with symbols, and he’s chosen Augustus to let us know about them. Analyze Augustus’s idea of taking Hazel to the Funky Bones Art Park.
- While in the park, in a moment the following thought crossed Hazel’s mind: “...It all felt so Romantic, but not romantic....” (p.26. Chapter 6) What do you think she meant?
- While revealing her interest in Augustus to Kaitlyn, Hazel thought to herself: “I realized while listening to Kaitlyn that I didn’t have a premonition of hurting him; I had a post monition...” What would she try to avoid?
- Even though in the first chapters Hazel doesn’t open herself that much, the more we read, the more we get to know about her deepest fears... What made her look for Caroline Mathers? What was her reaction?
- From now onwards the story gets really intense. Choose fragments you want to share and comment on them. Example: “I’m like a grenade, at some point I’m going to blow up and I’d like to minimize the casualties, ok?; ....as the only thing I’ve ever done was to have cancer...” Hazel thought.
Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10:
- At the begging o the chapter, Hazel tells us: “I didn’t slip away. I was left on the shore with the waves washing over me, unable to drown...” How did she feel? What was she looking forward to?
- When answering Augustus’s mail, Peter Van Houten himself wrote: “...impressed by the Shakespearean complexity of your tragedy...” What was Peter exactly referring to?
- How did Hazel’s parents face their daughter’s illness?
- There’s a recurrent theme of feeling guilty in Hazel. Find evidence.
- Explain the meaning of the swing and the need to get rid of it.
- As we read the novel, we find out more about Hazel’s fears and rejections. What’s the worst thing about having cancer, according to her?
- Haven’t you been waiting for his love confession to Hazel? Was it appropriate and sincere?
Chapters 11, 12:
- Does the description of Amsterdam remind you of any place you’ve been to? Would you like to be there? Why (not)?
- John Green is so smart in making his readers be transported to that magnificent dinner Augustus and Hazel share. While contemplating all the beauty around, Augustus said: “People always get used to beauty...” Do you agree with him? Justify your answer.
- Since the very first moment, Hazel and Augustus have got involved in serious discussions about subtle themes, such as afterlife. What do they each believe about it?
- Hazel couldn’t stop associating her disease to her surrounding reality. No matter how breath-taking Amsterdam turned out to be, she somehow found the way to compare it to “her medical condition”. Expand on this.
- How do you think Hazel must have felt while/ after meeting Peter Van Houten?
- Would you say their trip to Amsterdam was worth their effort?
Chapters 13, 14:
- Reflect on the following fragments taken from the novel and express your feelings and what the speakers refer to:
b- “What am I at war with? My cancer. My cancer is me.” Augustus. (page 51)
c- “It’s a civil war, with a predetermined winner...” Augustus
d-“There’s no glory in illness...there’s no honor of dying of...” Augustus.
e- “I’m on a rollercoaster that only goes up...” Augustus
f- “Ignorance is a bliss...”Hazel (chapter 14: page 54)
Chapters 15, 16, 17, 18, 19:
- How does Augustus change as his cancer takes him over? You may quote his actual words.(You may want to draw a comparison between Augustus’s first visit to the Funky Bones Art Park and the one after knowing he’s badly taken.)
- Once again, Augustus plays with figurative language; say why he says the following:“I’m sorry. I wish it was like that movie with the Persians and The Spartans. There are no bad guys...Even cancer isn’t a bad guy really...”
Chapters 20, 21
- When Augustus said that he wanted to attend his own funeral, he asked Hazel to write him an eulogy. What’s your opinion of Hazel’s words?
- Why do you think John Green has chosen Augustus to die considering “he was apparently”the healthiest of three friends?
- John Green devotes the rest of his work expressing what’s like when your soul mate, your most beloved person, passes away; how emptiness, anger, and rejection invade us...Find examples of those feelings in Hazel: Example: “..., which was the saddest thing. The only person I really wanted to talk to about Augustus’s death was Augustus Waters.” Hazel (chapter 21: page 63) -“...the kind of love Augustus and I share could never last. So dawn goes down to day, the poet wrote. Nothing gold can stay.”
- Why did John Green decide to make Peter Van Houten reappear at almost the end of the book? Do you see any purpose of it?
- As a reader, you may have felt the story was practically over the moment Gus died. How do you think the novel will end? What do you expect to happen? Are you eager to go on reading?
Chapters 22, 23, 24, 25
- Do you feel satisfied with Hazel and Peter Van Houten’s last encounter?
- Though at first it seems that everything was doomed after Augustus’s death, there are two special moments that cheered Hazel up. Describe them briefly.
- Express your opinion about how the book ends. Do you feel relieved it didn’t finish midsentence?
To reflect a little:
From the moment you know John Green’s main characters have terminal cancer, you may think it’s a defeatist work. Would you recommend reading it? Why (not)?What do you think about John Green’s choice of the title for this work?