PHILOSOPHY

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reflection

OSIANA, JESBERT JOSH

STEM 12 CRIMSON

 The main character of "The Fault in Our Stars,"

AUGUSTUS WATERS
Hazel Grace Lancaster, is a sixteen-year-old
with thyroid cancer. Hazel becomes hooked up to
a machine that allows her to breathe because
the cancer has spread to her lungs. She receives
a leaflet inviting her to attend a support group
after seeing her doctor, Maria.

HAZEL GRACE
The major character and Hazel's male love
interest in The Fault In Our Stars is Augustus
"Gus" Waters. He is Isaac's best friend and later
becomes Hazel's boyfriend and her one and only
love. Tall, extremely attractive, clever, and with
mahogany-colored hair, Augustus is described.
He wants to leave his mark on the world, but he
fears oblivion.
 SUMMARY
THE
For three of Hazel Grace Lancaster's seventeen years,
she has battled cancer. Despite this, she is a girl with a
sharp mind, piercing wit, and a great deal of
compassion for the difficult situation she puts her

FAULT parents in by making them responsible for caring for

her. She had thyroid cancer at first, but it spread to her
lungs and made it necessary for her to breathe oxygen
from a tank continuously throughout the day. She joins

IN OUR a church support group where she meets Isaac, a

friend, and Augustus, a potential love interest. Hazel is
hesitant to date Augustus because he has been in
remission since losing his leg some years earlier and

STARS she doesn't want to hurt him in case her condition

worsens. She introduces Augustus to her favorite book,
and he devises a plan for their trip to Amsterdam using
the "Wish" granted to him by a charity for children
with cancer. There, they will meet the reclusive and
enigmatic author and learn what happens beyond the
book's conclusion. They can make the trip, but when
they meet the author, he is inebriated and unfriendly.
 SUMMARY
THE
FAULT At the conclusion of the journey, Augustus informs
Hazel that his cancer has returned and is now much
worse than before. When they get back home, Hazel

IN OUR remains by his side till he passes away. Attending

Augustus's funeral, the author tries to make amends
with Hazel after she learns that his work, which is
about a young child with cancer, was inspired by his

STARS deceased daughter. In order to get through Augustus's

passing, Hazel relies on the support of her family and a
letter that Augustus wrote to the author before he
passed away.
AUGUSTUS
REFLECTION
If you don't live a life in service of a greater good,
you've gotta at least die a death in service of a
greater good, you know? And I fear that I won't get
either a life or a death that means anything.
LETTING IT OVERWHELM HIM. AT ISAAC'S SUPPORT GROUP,
"It's a metaphor see, you put the killing thing right
between your teeth, but you don't give it the power to
do its killing."
BECOME A HERO. SIMILARLY TO RESOLVE, AUGUSTUS IS
Augustus Waters
WATERS
AUGUSTUS USES THE ALLEGORY OF A CIGARETTE TO TAKE
CHARGE OF HIS OWN LIFE REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT THE
BOOK. HE IS DESPERATE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL IN EVERY
CIRCUMSTANCE SINCE HE EXPERIENCES THE SIDE EFFECT OF
CANCER (DYING) AND FEARS OBLIVION. IT IS UNDENIABLE THAT
SMOKING WILL CAUSE YOUR DEATH. HE CAN SATE HIS
FRANTIC NEED FOR CONTROL BY PUTTING THE CIGARETTE IN
HIS LIPS BUT NOT LIGHTING IT. THIS GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF
VARIOUS TRAITS OF AUGUSTUS, INCLUDING HIS AUDACITY,
TENACITY, DRIVE, AND INVENTIVENESS. HE SHOWS DARING BY
CONTINUING TO DEFY THE ODDS IN HIS OWN SPECIAL WAY.
HE IS INDIRECTLY MANAGING THE CANCER RATHER THAN
AUGUSTUS SHARES ANECDOTES ABOUT HIS FEAR OF
OBLIVION. AUGUSTUS IS ADAMANT ON TAKING THE LESS-
TRAVELED PATH IN AN EFFORT TO ESCAPE THIS FEAT AND
DRIVEN. HE IS NOT JUST RUTHLESSLY PURSUING HIS
OBJECTIVE, BUT HE ALSO TAKES A SENSE OF MEANING WITH
HIM ON HIS TERRIBLE TRIP.
05
AUGUSTUS WATERS

REFLECTION
If you don't live a life in service of a greater good,
you've gotta at least die a death in service of a THIS BRINGS ME TO MY LAST CRITERIA, WHICH IS ORIGINALITY.
greater good, you know? And I fear that I won't get AUGUSTUS HAD SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE HEARING TALES OF
either a life or a death that means anything. HOPES AND GOALS, AS WELL AS BEING SURROUNDED BY

THOSE WHO CONTINUED TO LET CANCER RULE THEIR LIVES.
"It's a metaphor see, you put the killing thing right BUT HE DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE THIS LIFE. AUGUSTUS PURSUES
between your teeth, but you don't give it the power to A LIFE OF REALITY, ADVENTURE, AND SOLITUDE BY FORGING
do its killing." HIS OWN PATH. AT THAT POINT, HE ENCOUNTERS HAZEL

GRACE LANCASTER. HE BEGINS TO LIVE HIS LIFE BESIDE
Augustus Waters HAZEL WITH BOUNDLESS ADVENTURE AS THE BOOK GOES
ON, LETTING RID OF HIS JUVENILE IDEAS OF OBLIVION AND
HEROISM.

06
HAZEL GRACE LANCASTER

HAZEL IS PREOCCUPIED WITH THE EFFECTS HER PASSING

REFLECTION WILL HAVE ON THOSE AROUND HER AT THE START OF THE

BOOK. SHE IS WARY OF BECOMING CLOSE TO ANYONE SINCE
SHE UNDERSTANDS HOW HER IMPENDING DEATH WILL
AFFECT EVERYONE WHO IS CLOSE TO HER. AS SHE PUTS IT, IT
TURNS HER INTO A "GRENADE.." FURTHERMORE DURING HER
ADOLESCENT YEARS, HAZEL GRACE LANCASTER WOULD SIT
IN HER LIVING ROOM WITH HER MOTHER AND WATCH
EPISODES OF AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL. SHE WOULD

PREFER TO LIVE ALONE OVER GOING TO SCHOOL, HANGING

"I'm a grenade." OUT WITH FRIENDS, AND HAVING FUN. HER UNAVOIDABLE

FEAR OF BECOMING A GRENADE IS WHAT DRIVES HER TO
"I wanted to know that he would be okay if I died. I MAKE THESE CHOICES. HAZEL WON'T GET CLOSE TO ANYONE
wanted to not be a grenade, to not be a malevolent BECAUSE OF HER THYLAKOID CANCER SINCE SHE DOESN'T
force in the lives of people I loved." WANT TO BE THE CAUSE OF THEIR EMOTIONAL SUFFERING.

HAZEL IS AWARE THAT SHE WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO SAY
Hazel Grace Lancaster GOODBYE TO THE PEOPLE SHE CARES ABOUT, AND SHE
WANTS AS FEW PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO SUFFER THE SAME
FATE.

07
HAZEL GRACE LANCASTER

REFLECTION

THE ESSENCE OF HAZEL'S CHARACTER MAY BE SUMMED UP

"I'm a grenade." IN THIS SHORT, THREE-WORD QUOTE. SHE IS MATURE,

SELFLESS, AND CONCERNED, YET SHE ALSO HAS A
"I wanted to know that he would be okay if I died. I PESSIMISTIC OUTLOOK. WE CAN SEE HER COMPASSION AND
wanted to not be a grenade, to not be a malevolent SELFLESSNESS IN HER EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE FEELINGS
force in the lives of people I loved." OF THE PEOPLE SHE LOVES. HAZEL SHARES AUGUSTUS'S

DESIRE TO AVOID LIVING THE CONVENTIONAL LIFE OF A
Hazel Grace Lancaster CANCER PATIENT. SHE SHOWS NO INTEREST IN THE CHARITY,
PERSISTENT REMINDERS, NEVER-ENDING INQUIRIES, OR THE
UNREALISTIC HOPE. INSTEAD, SHE SUPPRESSES A WISE
PERSPECTIVE ON HER OWN LIFE.

08
HAZEL GRACE LANCASTER

SHE WILL ACCEPT HER FATE, HOLD ON TO THE TRUTH, AND

REFLECTION LIVE HER LIFE INDEPENDENT OF THE INFLUENCES AND

VIEWPOINTS OF OTHERS. UNFORTUNATELY, WHILE SOME OF
HER CHOICES MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES,
OTHERS REFLECT MORE NEGATIVE VIEWS. HAZEL GENTLY
OPENS HER EYES AS THE SITUATION DEVELOPS AND STARTS
TO LET INDIVIDUALS IN, BEGINNING WITH AUGUSTUS WATERS.
AS THEY JOURNEY TO AMSTERDAM ON AUGUSTUS' AMBITION
TO FOLLOW HAZEL'S DESIRE TO PUT AN END TO AN IMPERIAL

AFFLICTION, AUGUSTUS IS ABLE TO OPEN NEW DOORS IN

"I'm a grenade." HAZEL'S EYES. WHEN HAZEL ULTIMATELY UNDERSTANDS VIA

HER PARENTS' COMMENTS THAT IT IS PREFERABLE TO LIVE A
"I wanted to know that he would be okay if I died. I LIFE OF COMPANIONSHIP THAN SUFFER ALONE, SHE IS
wanted to not be a grenade, to not be a malevolent EVENTUALLY ABLE TO OPEN HER ARMS TO OTHER
force in the lives of people I loved." CHARACTERS AS WELL. MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE DISCOVERS

THAT PEOPLE DO NOT WANT HER TO BE ALONE AND THAT
Hazel Grace Lancaster THEY WILL SUPPORT HER NO MATTER WHAT.

09
 LESSON:

AFTER WATCHING "THE FAULT IN OUR STARS," I LEARNED MANY LESSONS

ABOUT LIFE. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN THIS WORLD, WE DON'T
NEED TO BE AFRAID OR SCARED OF DEATH OR WHAT LIES BEYOND THE GRAVE.
THE MOVIE SHOWS THE LIFE AND DEATH OF TWO PEOPLE WHO LOVED EACH
OTHER AND STILL ENJOYED THEIR LIVES EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN'T HAVE
ENOUGH TIME. THEY STILL WANT TO BE HAPPY AND MAKE GOOD MEMORIES IN A
SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. LOVE IS REALLY POWERFUL WHEN TWO PEOPLE ARE
GENUINE AND HAVE A PURE LOVE FOR EACH OTHER.
End