“That’s the thing about pain,” Augustus said, and then glanced back at [Hazel]. “It demands to be felt” (63). Pain is inevitable in this novel; yet the characters find ways to cope with it. They confront pain instead of shying away from it. They don’t fear pain; they challenge it. To Hazel and Augustus, I feel as if pain is almost a natural feeling to them, almost like exhaustion is to others. It is addressed repeatedly in the novel, but I think it’s the one thing the audience can’t relate too. Everyone feels pain differently thus, its hard to understand the pain both Hazel, Augustus, and other characters experience.
Whether the reader has either had cancer or has cancer, I think its still difficult to relate to their pain; however, I think John Green makes an effort to communicate this pain as accurately as possible with the reader. He uses sarcasm and very casual references such as the one above to hint towards this pain. The quote above makes it seem as if pain is just another side effect, which to the characters that seems to be the case. I think Green wants us to feel like it’s just a side effect to understand where the characters are coming from.
One of the many quotes that Augustus’ mom scatters around the house says “Without Pain, How Could We Know Joy?” I think this statement is very true, although Hazel replies with a very sarcastic thought: “This is an old argument in the field of Thinking About Suffering, and its stupidity and lack of sophistication could be plumbed for centuries, but suffice it to say that the existence of broccoli does not in any way affect the taste of chocolate” (35). I really like the metaphor she used. She addresses the topic so nonchalantly and showing no sign of fear at the thought of pain.
Does pain affect our taste of life? Hazel suggests that it does not. It is simply a side effect of life not something that brings us humans down completely. We can overcome pain, in fact, as the quote implies, we must overcome pain to experience joy at its highest potential. As many people say, “No pain, no gain,” and I think both Hazel and Augustus carry this attitude throughout the novel, illustrating their fearlessness and sense of hope for the short future ahead.
Whether the reader has either had cancer or has cancer, I think its still difficult to relate to their pain; however, I think John Green makes an effort to communicate this pain as accurately as possible with the reader. He uses sarcasm and very casual references such as the one above to hint towards this pain. The quote above makes it seem as if pain is just another side effect, which to the characters that seems to be the case. I think Green wants us to feel like it’s just a side effect to understand where the characters are coming from.
One of the many quotes that Augustus’ mom scatters around the house says “Without Pain, How Could We Know Joy?” I think this statement is very true, although Hazel replies with a very sarcastic thought: “This is an old argument in the field of Thinking About Suffering, and its stupidity and lack of sophistication could be plumbed for centuries, but suffice it to say that the existence of broccoli does not in any way affect the taste of chocolate” (35). I really like the metaphor she used. She addresses the topic so nonchalantly and showing no sign of fear at the thought of pain.
Does pain affect our taste of life? Hazel suggests that it does not. It is simply a side effect of life not something that brings us humans down completely. We can overcome pain, in fact, as the quote implies, we must overcome pain to experience joy at its highest potential. As many people say, “No pain, no gain,” and I think both Hazel and Augustus carry this attitude throughout the novel, illustrating their fearlessness and sense of hope for the short future ahead.