Paper Towns Book Analysis

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Paper Towns by John Green, on Paper and in Film Paper towns was a beautifully adapted movie, keeping the same lessons and themes of the book by young adult novelist, John Green, while omitting and altering some aspects of the story in order to create a more upbeat, romantic coming-of-age story for the audience. The theme of complexity of identity and reality versus perception still runs true throughout the movie as it does in the book. The movie unlike the book however, excludes the worry that Margo has run away and hurt herself. Ultimately, while the major principles that are found in the book present themselves in the movie, there are still aspects of the movie that changed the over tone and feel of the story. Throughout the movie and…show more content…
In the novel however, there are many subtle hints at how Quentin thinks Margo might have killed herself. While in both the movie and the novel Margo is portrayed as a type of free spirited girl, in the novel her wildness comes along with more of a dark sadness that perhaps only Quentin notices. This combined with her cutting ties with her friends and making up with Quentin, who she hasn't spoken to in years, Quentin and other characters have reason to believe that Margo might not be ok. When Quintin first discovers the clues he begins to wonder what the clues will lead to. “I can hear her saying to me, 'I don't want some kids to find me swarmed with flies on a Saturday morning in Jefferson Park. Not wanting to be found by some kids in Jefferson Park isn't the same thing as not wanting to die,” (Green 140). He is left wondering if the clues were just a way to insure she was only found by him and not some random strangers. Later when the clues eventually lead to the abandoned mini mall, Quentin is especially worried what he will find, "As soon as the car stopped, my nose and mouth were flooded with the rancid smell of death. ... I know all at once that this isn't funny, that this hasn't been prove-to-me-you're-good-enough-to-hang-out-with-me,” (Green 140). He investigated the smell and found it only to be a dead raccoon but for the moment before the chance of finding Margo dead is highly elevated in Quentin’s mind. Finally, when the Omnictionary page about famous paper town Agloe, NY is updated to say, “fyi whoever Edits this- the Population of agloe Will actually be One until may 29th at Noon,” (Green 236). The story becomes a race to get to Agloe before it might be too late. These subtle hints in the novel that are absent in the film leave the reader unsure on Margos

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