Even though we never know what Alaska chose in the moments before her death, we get to see how a lot of characters make choices or choose inaction… and how inaction is a choice in itself. Miles ends up choosing to follow a Great Perhaps, and where does that lead him? We can try to find characters's motivations and rationalize their behavior, but one thing Looking for Alaska tries to impart on us is that choice is always complicated. Often we never really know why people—or even we—choose action or inaction. Thanks, John Green, for complicating our lives even more.
Questions About Choices
- How does Miles's inaction and passivity influence his relationship with his friends—Alaska, the Colonel, Takumi, and Lara?
- Does Miles become better at making choices throughout the novel? What makes you say this?
- Why does Alaska choose the path she's on? Could she have made other choices, or was it inevitable that she would die young?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Alaska consistently makes impulsive, poor choices because she's deeply unhappy.
Miles, the Colonel, and Takumi consciously or unconsciously choose to help Alaska destroy herself.