Looking for Alaska

      The book, "Looking for Alaska", written by John Green, is a fun, yet incredibly emotional book that tells the story of Miles Halter, who is (at first) a wimpy, inexperienced teenager who doesn't really fit in at his school. He convinces his parents to let him go to boarding school-- Culver Creek Preparatory  High School in Alabama-- for his junior year. His roommate Chip, "The Colonel", soon becomes his close friend, and introduces him to his own crowd, giving him the nickname "Pudge". Miles soon meets Alaska Young, an extremely attractive but very emotionally unstable girl. Throughout the story, Miles and Alaska's relationship changes and grows in so many ways. John Green does an excellent job of showing the complexities of relationships, and how important they are to help us learn and grow as individuals. 
       I would describe Alaska as a wild, rebellious girl, but at the same time, she is extremely smart and emotional. Sometimes while reading I found myself hating her-- hating her unexplained mood swings and her selfish behavior. But other times, Alaska Young is a character that I love, and want to meet and be friends with. 
      Miles, (aka Pudge), is almost the complete opposite of Alaska. He is tame, and inexperienced. He has a stable life at home, and is a pretty chill kid. One thing Alaska and Miles do have in common is their intelligence. Both are deep thinkers-- Miles who is seeking the "Great Perhaps", and Alaska, who is trying to figure her way out of this labyrinth we call life. 
      Despite their differences, Miles and Alaska have an extremely close, yet complex relationship. Since Miles is so in love with her, Alaska, being intelligent and aware, knows this, and uses it to her advantage-- or so it seems to me. It's like he is her dog on a leash, and she pulls him closer when she wants him, but then just as easily pushes him away when she doesn't. For example, right before Thanksgiving break, Miles had planned to go home to his family, just as the rest of Culver Creek did. Alaska however, did not have plans and was going to stay there. She wants Miles to stay with her, and Miles, being so head over heels for her, calls his parents and cancels his plans. He says to his mom on the phone, " 'I think I might stay here for Thanksgiving. A lot of my friends are staying'--lie--'and I have a lot of work to do'-- double lie". Miles knows the only reason he is staying is so that he can be alone with Alaska, which proves that he is in her spell, and not only can't, but doesn't want to come out of it.
      John Green shows just how powerful a relationship can be. Miles and Alaska are just friends. Always will be. Even though there are moments when their relationship seems like more than just friends, that is all they are. It's so simple, it's just friendship-- and yet, it is so much more.
      I look around at my own life, and my own friendships, and I realize how much more complex they are than just that. We call our friends our friends, when really, there are so many more layers to that word. Alaska and Miles are friends, but they both have different feelings for each other than with their other friends. The two help each other, but also cause each other emotional stress. They are always there for each other, and honestly, they change each others' lives. They teach each other things. This book really illustrates the power of friendship, and how important, yet confusing, relationships are.Without each other, Alaska and Miles would not have grown and changed to become the individuals they become in the story.