Synthesis Page

Looking For Alaska

                                 Synthesis page by Cassi Land

Pudge

Pudge is the main character.  He came to boarding school looking for the great perhaps. However he falls in love with Alaska.    

Alaska may never be with him and is bad for Pudge because she may never feel the same way about him as he does her.  In the book, he says, “She loved mysteries so much she became one.”  This shows that Pudge is realizing that Alaska was not who he thought she was.  Yet he continually refuses to give up on her.  He is finally seeing that he cannot be with Alaska, but he is unwilling to give up on her no matter what all his friends, including Alaska believe. 

Alaska

Alaska is Pudge’s object of affection.  Alaska is always trying to make others feel welcome and happy even in a time of despair.  Alaska knows in her heart that she belongs with Pudge, but she is too scared to be with anyone who will not hurt her.  Alaska is also scared that she is not good enough for Pudge, and does not want to hurt him.  In the book, Alaska strings Pudge along, “You have to know how hard this is for me.  Being here with you, when my boyfriend is all the way at home.”  This shows that Alaska cannot help herself around Pudge at times, yet she is still on edge about being with him. 

Evidence

“’I’m sorry, I know you loved her.’

‘Love.  I still do.’”

This proves that Alaska’s effect on Pudge was greater than anyone of his friends had imagined.  Alaska and Pudge are “Star-Crossed Lovers” as an archetype.  

 

The Original Star-Crossed Lovers

“You can’t just make yourself important and then die, Alaska, because now I am irretrievably different.”  This explains why Pudge refuses to give up on Alaska, even after her death.  Alaska has changed Pudge as a person, in a good way.  She has opened him to the idea of love.  

“More than anything I felt the unfairness of it, the inarguable injustice of loving someone who might have loved you back but can’t due to deadness, and then I leaned forward…  And I cried, whimpering, and I didn’t feel sadness so much as pain.”  This shows that Pudge never gave up on Alaska while in the span of knowing her while alive.  Yet in the end he was hurt by the idea of never knowing Alaska’s true feelings more than anything else.