Blog #5- Character changing

“Explain how a character changed or is starting to change. Why is the change important?”

Quentin Jacobsen is a very regular guy. There doesn't seem to be anything special about him, he is in his senior year and has 2 best friends. He attends all his classes, gets good grades, and in his spare time he likes to play video games with those friends of his. He isn't very confident in his self, and he is hopelessly in love with his neighbor, who he idolizes but never talks to. One day, he hangs out with his neighbor Margo and everything seems to change from there. When Margo goes missing, Quentin all of a sudden finds this burst of determination and drops everything to find the girl he loves. He forgets about all his insecurities and fears and concentrates on something that is so important to him, finding Margo. He blossoms as a person, and becomes more independent and a more complex individual. Before, Q was not very brave and there didn't seem to be anything special about him. Now, however, he is more passionate, confident, and happy with himself. I believe that Margo influenced him changing. Otherwise, he didn't have anything to be so passionate about. Yes, he liked her, but once he talked to her again, he realized how real of a person she was and it also changed the way he was as well. This change is significant because Quentin is the protagonist so it is important that he changed, but it is also important because even Margo notices it in the end. She never knew he was capable of finding her, and never knew he had the strength to be so determined about something. Quentin definitely surprised all his readers by the end of novel, coming through as a bold, courageous, and confident individual. 

Blog #4- Theme

There are many themes and life messages throughout the book Paper Towns. Paper Towns is such a well-written book, and there are so many details that symbolize messages about life. One of the underlying messages in this book is chasing after what you want in life is the only way to accomplish your goals, no matter what is left behind. That is definitely a theme displayed throughout the book, between numerous characters. Ben Starling used this as his motto when trying to pursue the girl of his dreams, Lacey Pemberton. He knew was going to be made fun of, and he knew there was a chance he would crash and burn, but he still did it anyway because he knew he wouldn't get anywhere if he didn't try. Margo displayed this when she left Orlando, she knew it would be hard and risky leaving all her friends, family, and that sense of security, but she knew she didn't want to stay in Orlando. Although it was a dramatic move, she accomplished her goal by leaving the town she hated, not caring about the sacrifices she had to make. Quentin also shows this, by leaving behind the end of his senior year, not caring about graduation or his prom, and seeking his goal which was to find Margo. All of the characters are determined and they all followed that underlying theme of chasing your wants in life.

Another theme that I believe is strong is seeing the truth in people. I know that John Green was definitely trying to explain to people that love is blinding. Quentin Jacobsen is in love with Margo Roth Spiegelman, and he sees her as a “miracle.” He describes her as this magical creature who is absolutely perfect and somewhat unreal. Many people tend to dehumanize the people they admire and love. They think of them as so wonderful and so amazing that they forget that those people are normal human beings. Everyone does that, whether it’s with celebrities or someone you strongly admire, we forget to realize that they are real. That message was a very strong one in this novel, Margo says “it’s kind of great, being an idea that everyone likes” but in the end she was just a normal girl, and she wanted to feel real somewhere. She never felt real in Orlando, so she ran away to a “paper town” that became real. She had the idea that if a paper town could become real, so could she if she went there. The idea of people overestimating their loved ones and not fully understanding them is a constant theme within this novel.

Blog #3 - My opinion on a character's action

“Write your opinion to a character’s action or reaction. What would you have done instead?

One of the most significant events in the book is when Quentin is looking for Margo who runs away. Towards the end, after looking for about a month, he finally discovers her location. After driving for about 22 hours to find Margo, Q discovers her in an abandoned barn. He finds her writing in her book, and as he walks up to her, (readers are exploding with excitement because this moment has been building up since the beginning) she says “Give me like five minutes” and continues writing. You can imagine that this is not how some readers anticipated the climax, and I was very disappointed with Margo’s reaction. How could she treat Quentin like that? He sacrificed so many things to find her, and when he finally did, she couldn't even pause her writing. I’m sure you understand that I was not happy with her action and upset with how inconsiderate she acted. Although I wasn't satisfied at that moment, I can’t say it doesn't make sense. John Green is not predictable and he obviously planned for his readers to think the climax would be a big, happy, emotional moment. He was emphasizing Margo’s quirky character in that moment, and how she is so different from other people. I understand what he was trying to do, and it is smart at how his words can play with your emotions. Nonetheless, I was still disappointed with Margo. If I were in her shoes, I would be ecstatic to see Quentin. Before she left, it was clear she had fun with Q and she enjoyed being with him. She put him in so much misery by leaving, and not telling him the reason why. He missed prom and graduation to find her, and did some crazy things that I had to ponder about if I would do the same in his situation. If I were Margo in that moment, I would take a second to realize how many sacrifices he made for her, and how much effort he put into finding her, and I would jump up and hug him. 

Blog #2- One of the characters to be my friend

"If you had to choose one of the characters to be your friend, who would it be and why?"

If I could pick any one of the characters to be my friend, I would choose one of the main characters, Margo Roth Spiegelman. Margo has such an eccentric personality. She seems so interesting and unique, and I would love to get to know her. Of course, in the eyes of Quentin Jacobsen, she is a marvelous individual that is better than the rest. Love seems to blind people and people fantasize about their loved one as more than human. I hope that is not the case with Margo, because from what I've read she appears as a very fascinating human being, even by the way she thinks. She seems to be outgoing, confident, brave, and fun to the world, but inside she is lost. I would love to be her friend and get to know the REAL Margo Roth Spiegelman, the one that Quentin discovers by the end of the book. I have never really read about such a quirky character, someone who is able to be such a mystery to the people around them and have this whole different side to them. She definitely is a determined young girl who is inspiring, but she also is vulnerable which is what makes me want to get to know her. I also think I would get along with her quite well because I see similarities between us, such as being social but still love reading and being intellectual. This girl is a very unique character, and I think anyone would want a Margo Roth Spiegelman as their friend.

Chapter Summaries

Prologue: We are introduced to Quentin Jacobson as a nine-year-old boy who lives in Florida next to a beautiful girl named Margo Roth Spiegelman. The two children are biking around their subdivision as usual one day, when they find a dead man in the park.This experience seems to have affected Margo, who since then has always liked mysteries.

Part One: The Strings

Chapter 1 Summary:
In this chapter we read about a day in the life of "Q". He is a senior, Radar and Ben are his two best friends, and he no longer talks to his lovely neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman, until the end of the chapter when she knocks on his window again after nine years.

Chapter 2 Summary:
Margo convinces Quentin to join her on her night of revenge. He agrees to drive her around to deal with her 11 problems, and their first stop is Publix.

Chapter 3 summary:
Margo gives Q a questionable grocery list for Publix. They then both go to Walmart, and buy odd and random objects, Quentin is still unsure of what all these items are for and what their tasks are tonight.

Chapter 4 summary:
In chapter 4, Margo and Q conquer 5/11 of the problems. They catch Margo's boyfriend having an affair with her best friend and get revenge on them by pulling a couple of pranks.

Chapter 5 Summary:
By the end of the chapter, 9/11 problems have been dealt with. Margo leaves an apology for a friend, gets even more revenge of her cheating ex-boyfriend, and also punishes another one of her "best-friends" for not telling her about the affair.

Chapter 6 summary:
Margo and Quentin drive to downtown Orlando and sneak into the SunTrust building. They go to the top floor and look over Orlando, and Margo says it is just a "paper town".

Chapter 7:
For part 10, Margo lets Quentin choose a person to serve revenge on. They accomplish the act and decide to "visit Sea World for free" at 4am.

Chapters 8-9:
Margo and Quentin cross a moat and enter Sea World. They hangout and slow dance and conclude their night happily; Quentin drops off Margo and can't wait to see her at school the next morning.

Part 2: The Grass

Chapter 1-2
The next day Margo is not at school. Quentin uses some of the revenge he and Margo did to threaten the bullies who were not treating kids right.

Chapter 3-4
Quentin wakes up to find a detective talking to his parents, looking for Margo. Quentin tells the detective everything he knows. Shortly after, Quentin discovers the first to many clues Margo left for him, and with the help of his two friends (Ben and Radar), together they search Margo's room.

chapters 5-9
Margo's friend Lacey wonders where Margo went as well. Quentin continues to decipher the clues, and ends up solving one of them. He finds an address and he and his friends rush to the location. The place is nothing the teenagers would've imagined, and they come across some mysterious writing about paper towns. After no sign of Margo, the three friends leave the building.

Chapters 10-12
Quentin starts to become very obsessed with finding Margo. He spends every spare moment analyzing clues and trying to think of different possibilities, He also gets upset and longs for her. He finds proof that Margo actually was living at that dingy location for a while.

chapters 13-15
Quentin's priority is to find Margo, he even misses prom and a party for it. He ends up picking his drunk friend Ben up and the next day he tries to spend time with his friends, but also tells them about what he has discovered.

Chapters 16-18
Quentin takes Margo's best friend Lacey to the location where Margo had been living, and they encounter some people there who give them some information they didn't know about Margo. Quentin discovers a map that seems to have once had pins on locations; he infers that it is the map Margo used to decide where she wants to go.

Chapters 19-20
It is the last day of high school and Margo has still not returned. Quentin gets a minivan as his graduation present from his parents. Quentin is searching the internet, and he finds a post which he knows is written by Margo. She reveals her location subtly in the post and Quentin knows where she is! He has to make it there in 24 hours; He, Ben, Radar and Lacey don't think twice about missing graduation and they leave on a road trip to this "paper town" called Algoe.

Part 3: The Vessel
Hour 1- Hour 5
The 4 friends organize a game plan to ensure they will reach their destination on time. On a strict schedule, they stop to stock up on supplies and then begin their 23 hour non-stop road trip.

Hour 6- Hour 11
Quentin and his friends try to keep themselves entertained while dealing with traffic. Quentin and Ben begin to fight at one point when a cow jumps in front of the car and the van spins out of control. The 4 teenagers almost died, but they're lucky to be alive.

Hour 12- Algoe
After the incident, it is Quentins turn to sleep. The friends finally reach Algoe after a 22 hour drive and they see Margo's car... which leads them to Margo in a deserted barn! Margo and Quentin talk and Quentin tries to convince her to come back to Orlando, but Margo explains how she's a paper girl and Orlando is not the right town for her. Quentin sadly leaves Margo, but they promise to see each other soon.

Vocabulary Post for Paper Towns

1. Dissuade- "Radar never told us anything about his love life, but this did not dissuade us from frequent speculation." (page 13)
To persuade someone not to take a particular course of action.
My sister dissuaded me not to attend the party hosted by the seniors.

2. Implausibility- "Despite its medical implausibility, this story had haunted Ben ever since." (page 13)
Not having the appearance of truth or credibility.
Her facts presented on the project were lacking implausibility which is why she got a low mark.

3. Morosely- " 'Radar is going to prom,' he said morosely."
gloomily or sullenly ill-humored, as a person or mood.
The stressed boy sighed morosely as he listed off the numerous tasks he had to complete.

4. Combust - "I will probably never.. contract terminal ear cancer, or spontaneously combust." (page 3)
burn; to catch fire
The wood had finally combusted and flame and heat began to appear.

5. Muster- " 'Chuck,' I answered, as friendly as I could muster." (page 17)
To assemble; gather or bring something together.
My book got so boring that halfway through I could barely muster the interest to turn the page.

6. Soliloquy- "Margo managed to speak in her usual manic soliloquy without answering my question."(Page 33)
an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers
I got a better understand of the play after hearing the soliloquy performed by the protagonist.

7. Discernible- "She always talked like that, with this discernible rhythm, like she was reciting poetry." (page 37)
distinguishable, able to recognize.
Her features were so discernible, he could pick her out of a crowd of people.

8. Usurped- " 'I'M THE NEW QUEEN OF VOCABULARY! I'VE USURPED YOU!' " (page 62)
to seize and hold by force or without legal right
The bully used to usurp the children for their lunch money.

9. Depilated- "He'll never know what depilated him." (page 62)
remove the hair from.
She went to the spa and got her body scrubbed and depilated.

10. Fascists- "The guitar is painted with the words THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS."(page 108)
an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.
The philosophy of Fascism is used in many places around the world.

11. Perpetual- "I tramp a perpetual journey." (page 116)
never ending or changing
Her personality radiated an aura of perpetual warmth and positivity.

12. Ubiquity- "Like a metaphor rendered incomprehensible by its ubiquity." (page 173)
the state or fact of seeming to be everywhere at the same time.
With the ubiquity of technology, videos can go viral within seconds.

13. Asbestos- "What are you doing here? With no mask? This place has a ton of asbestos." (page 203)
a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, and is used in fire-resistant and insulating materials such as brake linings.
The old house had many asbestos and the renovators told us to wear masks and be careful.

14. Outlandishly- "What an outlandishly lame thing to say." (page 203)
very strange or unusual
The new girl's wardrobe was very outlandish, containing items that definitely made a statement,

15. Obfuscation- " It was dishonest to act like Margo hadn't participated in her own obfuscation." (page 207)
To be unclear, evasive, or confusing
Many people try to sound professional in their writing by using complex vocabulary, but they end up obfuscating the readers.

Blog #1- Quotation

Paper Towns is filled with many amazing quotations and is written so beautifully that there are a countless amount of phrases which appeal to me. There is one particular quote, however, that astounds me with it's accuracy:


“Did you know that for pretty much the entire history of the human species, the average life span was less than thirty years? You could count on ten years or so of real adulthood, right? There was no planning for retirement, There was no planning for a career. There was no planning. No time for planning. No time for a future. But then the life spans started getting longer, and people started having more and more future. And now life has become the future. Every moment of your life is lived for the future--you go to high school so you can go to college so you can get a good job so you can get a nice house so you can afford to send your kids to college so they can get a good job so they can get a nice house so they can afford to send their kids to college.” 

― John Green, Paper Towns (page 33)

 If you think about it, that is really all us humans do. We plan for the future. When I look at myself right now, I am in high school sitting here writing a detailed reflection on my book so that I can achieve good grades and get into a good university. I want to get a good education so I can have a good job and a good life and be happy when i'm older. Even as I sit here I am thinking about the future. So many of us live our lives planning for the future and thinking about what is to come, that we forget to live life in the moment. All we worry about is the future; we consider the future consequences before doing an action. Since we were little children, people around you make predictions about your future and ask what you want to be when you grow up. I agree with John Green when his character Margo says "every moment of your life is lived for the future." I think we all need a reminder to slow down, and enjoy life as it comes. All of society needs to stop living life preparing for the future, we should savor our present moments and not stress about destiny.

Paper Towns Novel Study- Introductory Post

My book is called "Paper Towns" and it is by John Green.
It was published by Penguin Group in 2008.
Number of pages: 305
Synopsis: This book is from the point of view of Quentin Jacobson, a boy in his senior year in high school.Quentin has spent his whole life admiring his neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman, and when she asks him to join him on night of adventures- he can't deny the request. After their all nighter, however, Margo disappears. She has left a trail of clues for him, and Quentin tries to find her, while discovering many secrets about the girl he believed he knew.