What Does Hazel Grace Symbolize In The Fault In Our Stars

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John Green developed his character, Hazel Grace, in The Fault in Our Stars through symbolism. Two of the symbols he used in the novel are water and the book An Imperial Affliction. Water represented the fluid that collects in Hazel’s lungs due to the cancer, and An Imperial Affliction represented the healing process for Hazel. Throughout the book there were multiple references to these symbols, which John Green used to develop his character Hazel Grace. Water represented many sufferings Hazel had to endure due to her thyroid cancer. The fluid that built up in her lungs stopped her from doing certain activities and almost killed her at one point. “I screamed to wake up my parents, and they burst into the room, but there was nothing they could do…” (Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. United States: Penguin Random House, 2012.105.Web), was an example of a time Hazel’s lungs were full of “water”. John Green also used the symbol of water by having Hazel’s love interest’s last name be Waters. He used these…show more content…
This book was Hazel’s all-time favorite book, so much to the point that she referred to it as her “bible.” Green made this book symbolic because it related to her family and her experiences while dealing with cancer. She hoped her parents would live on after she died, like the characters in the book did instead of breaking down. The book was also a major coping skill for her, as the author reiterated many times. “Peter Van Houten was the only person I’d ever come across who seemed to (a) understand what it’s like to be dying…” (Green, John, The Fault in Our Stars. United States: Penguin Random House, 2012. 13. Web). John Green made this book her savior; it helped her deal with people around her and understand her cancer in a different way. Not only did John Green use this book as a major symbol in his book, he also used the symbol of water to develop

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