The Sex Scene in Looking for Alaska
The novelist Varian Johnson has written an essay about the dual sex scenes in my first novel, Looking for Alaska. The essay is much smarter and more interesting than anything I've ever said about the role that oral sex scene plays in the book.
I am profoundly grateful to Johnson, and I hope you'll read the essay.
EDIT!!! The blog post contains SPOILERS. (Sorry I failed to mention that before; I kind of don't believe in spoilers so I am always forgetting that. Sorry!)
posted by John Green @ Thursday, December 03, 2009
23 Comments
23 Comments:
What do you mean, you don't believe in spoilers? Do you mean you don't think they matter - that if I know what's coming it won't make a different to my enjoyment of the story? If so, I'm surprised: I'd have expected that someone who crafts the development of a story would object to it being disrupted.
Well, obviously some stories can be spoiled. My favorite can't be. Holden tries to give away his hat. Nick and Daisy and Gatsby get borne back into the past. Quentin Compson hates the South.
But I get very mad indeed when someone spoils The Hunger Games for me.
I should have been more specific and said that I am not (personally) troubled by "Alaska" being "spoiled," because I never intended what was coming to be THAT secret.
But then I would have to edit it AGAIN, so hopefully people will read the comments. :)
Lovely and true.
I left a comment.
John,
Good point. I'll re-edit to add a note about spoilers.
The Hunger Games 3, 8-24-2010! Sorry, nerd moment.
I did get a lot more out of the blog post, by the way.
I get what Varian Johnson is saying -- I really do. I hate to disagree because LFA IS one of my favorite books. I think it's steller. So what I'm about to say is like nitpicking the Bible or something.
Yet, still, despite (that scene's) humour and impact, as a girl, I did not completely believe it. I felt I was being asked to nullify Lara, as if she were a non-entity. For a "player" she would be just that. But Pudge isn't a player. He is a self-aware character.
Pudge is charming and smart and a thinker and underdog. I love all those things about him. And yet, he never reflects on Lara, or at the time, even considers he should "return the favor." (Trying not to be graphic here, but you know what I mean.) Nor does Lara seem to want anything in return. That felt a little unreal to me, because no girl is going to put herself out there like that without feeling vulnerable, or wanting reassurance or attention.
I realize that Pudge wanted intimacy with Alaska and that that cannot compare to "sexual acts" with someone else. Bravo. But Pudge never seemed to make the connection that perhaps Lara liked HIM as much as he liked Alaska, and he took advantage of that. Again, she didn't even factor in. Odd, for such a self-aware character. Previous comments talked about double standards and that's what this is. A boy is valiant for liking one girl while using another for a sexual outlet. It's accepted. It's common. It's not even questioned, nor is the male character ever chastised for it or can be bothered to realize it's wrong. It's in all kinds of books, not just this one.
Just my opinion -- and maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. The book kicks ass, regardless.
@Anonyomous (DEC 4)
Just because he isn't directly chastised in the book, it doesn't mean that the book stand for such values. Even if it's not explicitly said, I think the directness of the scene is enough for us all to see the lapse between his heart and actions. There is no explanation offered for him and thus most of us can't help but feel a bit repulsed by his action. Just like you, most of us deem him to be in the wrong.
I don't agree about Quentin being self-aware. He is a character who is a tad selfish and fails to see how people around him really feels. The Lara problem points with a whole arm at this very problem, as well as how preoccupied his heart is with Alaska to notice any other person's true worth.
I think Lara's weird behaviour boils down to doing her best to capture Quentin's heart (which I'm sure she knows is not in her possession). She might not do it the best way, but she's trying her hardest.
John, I just now read your book, "Looking For Alaska", and I thought it was the most beautiful thing I've ever read in my entire life. Its probably because I'm just a teenager. But I still loved it. I almost cried when that tragedy happenend. I felt like it was the end of the world. I didn't want it to happen because Pudge's love for Alaska was so strong. But anyway, thank you so much for the amazing literature. It was great.
:)
hi john! just wondering if you've read this: http://www.gq.com/entertainment/books/200911/ayn-rand-dick-books-fountainhead?currentPage=4
It surprises me that there was ever any controversy over the sex scenes in Alaska. They make sense, they never seemed out of place to me. It's just so silly.
I've only read your ABUNDANCE OF Ks, so now I have to get LFA. I'll read the essay after I read the book...looking forward to both.
If there are any Paper Towns fans out there, here's a link to vote for it as a contender for the Michael L. Printz Award:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/519.2009_Printz_Contenders
If you've read Paper Towns and think it deserves a Printz Award (like I do), go to that page and vote! (It does require you to create an account at goodreads.com)
Anon from Dec. 5: I believe you mean Miles/Pudge, not Quentin. :)
FAIL. I meant 'Linnea', not 'Anonymous'.
(note to self: Any post correcting someone else invariably contains embarrassing errors.)
It's a good novel, I think, though haven't got a chance to read the full story. The author wrote it for 3 long years, he must have gotten so many resources just to put everything with substance and Charms. A book for the adult, as it contain foul languages and sex sex sex.
Annaë:
Oh, yes I did! Thank you :-)
I've wondered for a while now, if you were depressed while writing "Looking for Alaska". You know, with the killing off, of the one character you relate to most.
oh and also look at this. I would have thought Maureen Johnson would be closer.
http://www.literature-map.com/john+green.html
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CRAP!!! aww, I should not have read that :( I found out something I did not want to know until I read the book. Maybe I'll forget...(not likely)
it's good to see this information in your post, i was looking the same but there was not any proper resource, thanx now i have the link which i was looking for my research.
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