Pudge:
Pudge can be described as an awkward person who lacks social skills, burying himself in his reading of biographies and memorizing last words in order to escape the fact that he really doesn't have any true friends. He feels that he does not belong, and after reading the last words of Francois Rabelais about seeking a "Great Perhaps", he sets off to seek it for himself. Pudge is optimistic and motivated to find a place of belonging and an improved life at his new school.
Pudge's character develops a great deal throughout the story. When he first arrives at Culver Creek, he is a passive character, simply following what others tell him and having low expectations for his life. As an awkward person who lacks social skills, he is keen to find a place where he feels he belongs. His passivity allows him to be influenced by his peers and he has a sense of innocence that the other characters do not. This is exemplified in the way he is introduced to smoking, drinking and pranks by his new friends, which are all activities he had never participated in before. Smoking in particular becomes a symbol of friendship as the group always go to the forest or smoking hole to smoke together and Pudge starts in the first place because he wants to fit in. Pudge acknowledges that he is cautious but wants this to change when he says "I hated being careful too- or wanted to, at least (11)."
Pudge also has a sense of innocence that his group of friends do not. Pudge cautiously states that his parents will kill him if he gets in trouble (11), that he had never gotten in trouble with a teacher before (40) and after Alaska mentions "booze and mischief (20)" he worries that he may have fallen in with what his mother considered the "wrong crowd" (20). The author also portrays Pudge's sense of innocence in his awkwardness around Lara, especially when kissing her for the first time. His lack of experience in romantic relationships or sexual encounters contrasts greatly from Alaska, Chip and Takumi's experiences. It can even be argued that at the beginning of the novel, Alaska is a foil for Pudge with her reckless and outgoing nature which emphasizes his innocence and caution. As someone who followed all the rules, never smoke, drank, watched explicit videos, played pranks etc. Pudge certainly loses his innocence by the end of the novel by participating in all of these activities.
As time goes on, Pudge overcomes his shy, passive personality and creates a stronger identity for himself. He no longer buries himself in his biographies, takes more risks, becomes more assertive and tries new things. His friends help him to live a more exciting life and he learns what true friendship is. This proves to be fulfilling for him as he states that the day of the Barn Night prank was the best day of his life (115). Pudge's transition does not happen overnight, and while still awkward and innocent in some respects, he slowly becomes more confident. His new found assertiveness shows through when he stands up for himself and talks back to Chip after getting into an argument with him (171), something he wouldn't have done when he was shy and passive.
Pudge also becomes more independent at Culver Creek. He no longer relies on his parents as he once did and is distanced from them both physically and mentally. He takes his first step in this direction when he decides to stay on campus with Alaska for Thanksgiving instead of coming home. He does, however, feel a bit guilty and homesick. At the end of the novel, Pudge's transition toward his friends and away from his parents is shown when he calls his parents to tell them about Alaska's death. They can't comfort him as much as his friends can and he wants to remain at school. Pudge has found a new home for himself at Culver Creek with his true friends.
Overall, Pudge can be seen as the most calm, quiet and cautious person in his group of friends, however, he developed significantly throughout the novel and breaks out of his shy and passive shell. He become less awkward, more confident, develops his social skills and takes risks in order to escape his personal labyrinth and find happiness.
Alaska:
Alaska can be described as impulsive, self-destructive, mysterious, bubbly, moody, rebellious, reckless and deeply conflicted. Her guilt for not taking action and calling 911 as a child when her mother was dying affect her greatly and significantly contribute to her personality traits. Alaska's fear of delaying action again cause her to be impulsive. Pudge reflects on this after he learns about Alaska's mother; "So she became impulsive, scared by her inaction into perpetual action (120)." She often does not think about the consequences of her actions to the point where she is reckless. An example of this is when she does not follow the Colonel's plan for the Barn Night prank (109). She makes a decision in the moment and sends out more progress reports than she is supposed to, without foreseeing the increased risk of getting caught. In addition, Alaska rebels against rules and pushes the envelope by smoking where she isn't supposed to and playing elaborate pranks, both of which risk getting into trouble.
Also due to the overwhelming guilt that consumes her, she participates in self-destructive activities such as excessive smoking and drinking. These activities serve as a temporary coping mechanism and distraction from her internal struggles, although I also believe that Alaska didn't care for her life and she hoped these substances would lead to an earlier death. I believe that her self-destructive behaviour is directly correlated to her unhappiness based on these statements: "'Y'all smoke to enjoy it, I smoke to die (44).'" and "'Maybe you shouldn't drink so much,' I suggested...She shook her head and sipped the cold coffee and wine.
'Pudge, what you must understand about me is that I am a deeply unhappy person. (125)'" These substances provide her with an escape from her sadness and as result she doesn't truly face her metaphorical labyrinth to overcome her struggles for good.
Throughout the novel, Alaska is fairly moody. She often transitions from being humorous and bubbly to cold and condescending. There are also times when she frantically breaks down and cries (95). This moodiness again stems from her internal conflict. The reader and the characters do not know what Alaska is referring to in her bouts of helplessness and self-hatred until after finding out about her mother's death. In hindsight, when Alaska says things such as "'I try not to be scared, you know. But I still ruin everything (96).'" it is obvious that she has not come to terms with her guilt. Alaska becomes good at hiding her conflict, not even telling her friends about her mother until much later. After spending the day with Pudge, she tells him "'You love the girl who makes you laugh...You don't love the crazy, sullen b**** (96).'" I believe that her happy, bubbly personality is sometimes a superficial facade and she is not truly as happy as she appears. She tries instead to be likable and suppresses her sadness around her friends and Jake, knowing that nobody wants to be around someone who is constantly overcome with misery. Alaska creates a second persona/ alter ego for herself in order to help her mask her pain. Alaska hints at this when spending the Thanksgiving holiday with Pudge: "'Sometimes I don't get you,' I said... she just smiled and said, 'You never get me. That's the whole point. (54).'" Alaska leaves many mysteries to be solved after her death and the reason why Pudge feels as though he didn't truly know her is because she never truly reveals the inner workings of her mind to anyone.
Some of these personality traits prove to be tragic flaws as Alaska's impulsive and reckless actions cause her to drive drunk and in a frantic state of mind, resulting in the car crash. I personally believe that her death was not an accident and that she impulsively decided to commit suicide when she saw the police car in front of her. That being said, even if one believes that it was an accident, her reckless decision to drive in her drunken state is still the cause of the tragic consequences. Overall, Alaska is a character who on the surface appears to be a happy, crazy, bubbly girl but in actuality hides her true inner conflict. She hints at death several times throughout the novel but her true intentions are left a mystery to everyone, just as she was mysterious while alive.
You did a great analysis on the main characters of the novel, especially with Alaska Young. She is a very complex character that readers are aware of instantly when they are introduced to her. She has incredible mood swings where one minute she is completely comfortable with you, and in the next she couldn't care less about your feelings. She was moody and snappy, yet intellectually smart with grace. All of these adjectives, and many more, are viable to describe Alaska Young. However, suicidal would not be a word I would use to describe her character.
ReplyDeleteThe debate regarding Alaska’s death was a recurring motif in the second section of the novel, whether it was a suicide or an accident. In my opinion, her death was an accident. She had consumed tons of alcohol that night, and additionally was focused on a mission to deliver flowers to her mother’s grave. Her judgment was clouded, to an unbelievable degree. So of course that would affect her ability to safely drive. All that mattered to her was driving to the grave, like she had done so every year on the anniversary of her mother’s death. Knowing she was so keen on achieving this mission, it leads me to believe she did not intentionally want to get into the accident. Why would she want to kill herself before achieving her mission?
Additionally, I also believe if she had wanted to kill herself she would have done so much sooner. She has mentioned it, when smoking with her friends, that she does so to end her life. However I think she smoked with her friends to have that social tie with them, as they would spent time together when they wanted to wind down for while. She is a very smart girl, and I can almost guarantee she would have found another quicker way to end her life if that was what she really wanted. But she never did. She always tried to fight against her fatal and scary labyrinth. She tried to make her resentment go away by visiting her mother’s grave annually, thinking that will help ease the pain. I strongly believed she tried to get better, but simply didn’t know where to get the help. There the car accident was, in my opinion, simply an accident.
but what a about the part where her response to how to escape the labyrinth is “straight and fast” before getting drunk and crashing? because that is exactly what happened and i feel like the main dead giveaway she planned on ending her life, and how that was her way to escape the labyrinth of suffering.
Deletebut what a about the part where her response to how to escape the labyrinth is “straight and fast” before getting drunk and crashing? because that is exactly what happened and i feel like the main dead giveaway she planned on ending her life, and how that was her way to escape the labyrinth of suffering.
Deletebut what a about the part where her response to how to escape the labyrinth is “straight and fast” before getting drunk and crashing? because that is exactly what happened and i feel like the main dead giveaway she planned on ending her life, and how that was her way to escape the labyrinth of suffering.
Deletebut what a about the part where her response to how to escape the labyrinth is “straight and fast” before getting drunk and crashing? because that is exactly what happened and i feel like the main dead giveaway she planned on ending her life, and how that was her way to escape the labyrinth of suffering.
DeleteObviously both Alaska and Pudge are two very major characters but I think that the Colonel as well as Alaska play a rather important role in the development of Pudge's character. As you explained Pudge was a very introverted, awkward and lonely before he came to Culver Creek but when introduced to a new group of friends is when his life completely shifted from sitting home alone using biographies and last words to distract himself from his metaphorical labyrinth to being adventurous, social and mischievous. The Colonel and Alaska arguably his best friends were the ones that opened his eyes to a new world, a world of new exciting things that made Pudge feel alive and happy. Pudge finally accepted himself and his life after gaining a good group of friends who loved and appreciated him, these friendships opened him up to being a more joyful and bold than ever before. He started to partake in rebellious activities, he began to drink, smoke and prank. The Colonel, being Pudge's roommate, was responsible for introducing him to a new group of friends. On one of Pudge's very first nights at the school he was basically attacked by the weekday warriors and this is where the friendship between Colonel and Pudge really blossomed. The Colonel promised that they would regret messing with him and that is when the two planned their revenge against them. Pudge became a thrill seeker partaking in risky activities to give him a rush, smoking on the other side of the lake, running away from the dean while in the midst of a prank, drinking in the barn. Without the help of Alaska and The Colonel, Pudge would still be stuck in his old ways of inaction and avoidance. Alaska's crazy adventurous and rebellious ways and The Colonel being a man of action are what really helped Pudge become the person he was by the end of the novel. He did a complete 360 and it's thanks to these two people that changed his life for the better.
ReplyDeleteThis Analysis is spot on! You are such a fantastic writer and you characterized them both perfectly!
ReplyDeleteOn point.
ReplyDelete