The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

In The Fault In Our Stars, the main character, Hazel, is a complex character.  In the beginning of the book, Hazel is very quiet, and would rather be reading or watching TV than hanging out with friends.  She feels like she doesn't fit in with them, and that she shouldn't waste her time trying to.  In the text it says, "And I liked Kaitlyn, too. I really did.  But three years removed from proper full-time schoolic exposure to my peers, I felt a certain unbridgeable distance between us.  I think my school friends wanted to help me through my cancer, but they eventually found out that they couldn't.  For one thing, there was no through...In truth, it always hurt." (Green, 39). This quote shows that she believes her cancer is getting in the way of her life, and that because she has cancer, life wouldn't give her a chance anyways.

Though I have not finished the book yet, I have definitely noticed changes in Hazel's character. This means that complex characters change throughout the book, not just towards the end of a book.  Hazel is now accepting life, and is realizing that she may not have so much time left, but that shouldn't stop her from living.  She is also learning to make friends, like Augustus and Isaac.  Hazel has even made the decision to go on a trip to Amsterdam when Augustus offered to take her. "The day before we left for Amsterdam, I went back to Support Group for the first time since meeting Augustus." (Green, 91).  This shows that Hazel is feeling like she can be social, and travel without feeling trapped by her illness.  I predict that Hazel will keep feeling this way and learn to live her life to the fullest.

Hazel is battling cancer in her lungs.  She is required to have oxygen given to her from a tube connected to an oxygen tank, and breathe using a machine at night.  Here is an website to give you more information about her illness:



Lung Cancer Website