SYMBOLS

In The Fault In Our Stars written by John Green, there are many symbolic elements that can symbolize a diversity of things. The examples I have listed below include both physical and mental things that these symbolize. The symbols I chose are Water, symbolic of drowning and the fluid in her lungs, Cigarettes, symbolic of Augustus dealing with fear and learning control and finally, determination and denial, symbolic of Hazels feelings. See below for a more detailed description. For more symbols on The Fault In Our Stars, review this link: http://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-fault-in-our-stars/symbols .

TITLE

Water. Water is a symbol in this well-written novel. Water symbolizes a diversity of traits. One, physical thing, water symbolizes is the fluid that collects in Hazel’s lungs as a result of her cancer. This liquid forces Hazel-Grace to use an oxygen tank, which almost kills her at one point.

Water also symbolizes Hazel and Augustus relationship. Hazel and Augustus feel as if they're drowning. Hazel faces huge obstacles throughout the book, one being the struggle to get to Amsterdam. She feels as if shes drowning because she can not get through the obstacles. She manages to overcome the struggle and get stronger as the novel carries out.

TITLE

Cigarettes. In the novel, Augustus carries cigarettes and refers to this as a ''metaphor''. The metaphor he claims is; 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. The cigarettes symbolize over-coming fear. The thing he fears, although doesn't out-front say it is cancer. This is how he decides to deal with his fears and how he decides to control them.

As the novel continues, Augustus gives the cigarettes more meaning. He reaches for them any time he feels insecure about any of his fears, rather than just cancer. His accident at the gas station happens because he ran out of cigarettes and he wanted to buy more.

TITLE

Determination and Denial. Determination is symbolic of Hazel Grace. In the novel, Hazel-Grace is determined to get to Amsterdam, determined to over-come her cancer/depression and determined too find out the ending of An Imperial Affliction ( her favourite book ). Hazel Grace is also determined to become a regular teenage girl. She wants to attend parties and ''take pot '' ( as she refers to in the novel ).

Denial. Denial is symbolic of Hazel-Grace denying she is depressed, denying she needs the youth group and denying Augustus' test results. Her Mother, Ms. Lancaster, claims she is depressed because she reads '' An Imperial Affliction '' written by Peter Van Houghten, countless times. She does not feel as if she needs the youth group. Afterwards, she certainly does not regret attending because this is where she meets the love of her life, Augustus Waters.