Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska  By John Green

Fiction

Miles “Pudge” Halter, the main character in John Green’s Looking for Alaska spends most of his time obsessing about Alaska Young. Alaska is a classmate of his who is the gateway from his boring existence in Alabama to an exciting glamourous life at his new school, Culver Creek Boarding School. Pudge and his new group of friends spend the school year pranking and causing mischief, until something happens that changes everything.

In some schools, Looking for Alaska is banned because of a sexual scene, but if anything I think that the book should have been banned for its lack of strong female figures. John Green romanticizes the self-destructive Alaska whose only function is that of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Alaska is such an important part of the story, but her character is incredibly flat and one-dimensional. She doesn’t do anything except run around talking about how she wants to die. If this book is being taught in schools, most girls would want to be like Alaska, based on how Green idealizes her, which is why I suggest you to put this book back on the shelf with Bella from Twilight and where you keep the rest of your anti-Hermiones. 

Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Fiction

                You couldn’t imagine a more unlikely pair than George and Lennie.  The book describes George as small, wary, and a thinker.  Lennie is the opposite.  Close to a giant in size, but resembling a child in his manner, Lennie relies heavily on George for help.  As laborers in California in the 1900s, this relationship is very unusual.  They stick together through hard times and together they dream of someday buying their own farm and “livin’ of the fatta the land.”

                Most of the workers are surprised by the bond George and Lennie have.  George risks his job many times to help Lennie and everyone knows that George would be better off without him. But if George were to leave Lennie, Lennie would be without a job and would eventually find his way into trouble. Lennie never means to hurt anyone, but because of his immense strength he can’t help it. It is George’s job to keep him safe, which is an example of the sacrifices families make for each other.