book 1

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

This book is about a cancer patient named Hazel Grace Lancaster on how she will find the meaning of life and how she fights the cancer that crashes her. She will fall in love to a boy, Augustus Waters, also a cancer patient. The story shows how love can be the strength and hope of a person who is dying.

Discussion Director: Merwilyn P. Bagatua

The Discussion Director led the open forum and asked 5 questions regarding the novel. We all participated and everyone shared their own thoughts about the novel. We agreed to the most of the questions and agreed to each other’s answers as well but we just explained it different manner.

1. How did the book "An Imperial Affliction" affected Augustus and Hazel? 

=> We agreed that the book plays an important part in the novel. I personally think that the book started it all. Their friendship, they became close because of the book. There trip to Amsterdam. They went because of the book. There love. They fall in love with each other because they became close and went to the Amsterdam. Because of this book, Hazel and Augustus became close with each other and learned that they have the same way of thinking. I also think that without this book, everything will not be in its right place.

2.After reading the novel, how did it affects you? Or any learning.

=> This is the very reason why we all agreed that this novel will be our first book in this subject. We all like its lessons and it affects us in terms of thinking about dying. Some things are not the effect of cancer but the effect of dying. I learned that some cancer patients want to live a normal life and some wants to die. Every cancer patient has different thoughts about living and dying. There will always be positive people and negative ones. Also, I realize that the cancer patients are truly the strongest people in the world because even if they know when they will die, they still fights and think the brighter side of life. I learned that we should never take life for granted and we should always live like there is no more tomorrow.

3. Why did the author chose Amsterdam? Why not other places? 

=> Two of my group mates, Chinny and Johanna, said that maybe John Green chose Amsterdam instead of other places because it is the happiest place in the world where the people live a simple life. Amsterdam is also the opposite of Indianapolis. I personally believed that the author wants to emphasize that cancer patients, like Augustus and Hazel, can live in an environment or a life which is simple and full of happiness. Those cancer patients also deserve to have a life like a normal person has. Then one of my group mates asked that why the author did not chose Paris knowing that it's the city of love? I answered that the author did not chose Paris because he is not really after love but the happiness of life.

4. What do you think had happened to Hazel after Augustus left her? Have she moved on easily? Or became miserable?

=> In my group, we suggested many theories or possible things that may or may not happen after Augustus died. Some of them was:

Hazel will continue to live her life, she will be healed from her cancer, and she will finish her studies and becomes a nurse. Another is, Hazel will move on and eventually she will meet someone who is healthy and they will live together. One more thought, Hazel will be pregnant with Augustus's child and when she delivered their son, they both died. And the most tragic of all is, After Hazel read the letters, she will find no more reason to continue to live so she will suicide.

.

But seriously, in my own view, after Augustus died, Hazel will continue to live because she will realize that she has to live not only for her parents but also for herself. Even though Augustus died, she will still love him and think that someday they will be together again. I guess she will fight her cancer and becomes a cancer survivor. She will become a speaker about a life of a cancer patient and she will inspire many people to always have hope.

5. Why do you think, the author has to use cancer patients as his characters? what could be his 

purpose in writing the novel?

=> One of my group mates said that John Green had a friend who died because of cancer. He made this book for him. I guess, the author also wants to teach the readers the importance of life and the cancer patient’s view of life.

*General View:

This is one of my favorite parts because we all shared our thoughts and ideas about each question. I find it so humorous that all of us agreed in most of the questions but we just have different explanations. I guess this is mainly because in our group we all think the same way. I think that it is good that to have an open discussion part because you will get the opinions of your group mates and you can ask whatever question you have in mind.

Passage Picker: Johanna Ariexia S. Quilinderino

The Passage Picker picked 5 meaningful passages in the novel. She explained why she picked each line and on how it can be used in our lives. She also wrote the chapter or the page of the passage in the book. She also tells on how we can apply the passage so it will not just remain a line.

"I fear that your faith has been misplaced but then, faith usually is." – Augustus Waters (Chapter 5)

      To be honest this is my favorite quote throughout the story so far. A lot of individuals let their hardships and life issues tell them that faith can't help them overcome something. In my opinion faith is, knowing that no matter how hard it may be you can always overcome a challenge. An individual should never lose sight of faith because it may be the only the motivator they have in their lives. I've been told that everything in live happens for a reason, because God works in mysterious ways. I believe this is true because your Lord and savior would necessarily hurt you on purpose. I know that everyone is afraid of death even Hazel. I am afraid of dying myself, but I know that I got to live for today and hope for tomorrow. Life isn't promised to anyone, so why spend it thinking about ending it. I know Hazel is afraid of dying, but she has to stay strong and continue the fight for survival. She has been working so hard she shouldn't let that hard work go to waste. I can really relate to this quote, because when my mom got sick I thought she was going to give up, but she didn't she made sure she lived for mean. I hoped and wished every day that she would get better and come home. Throughout the hard and difficult transitions in life I keep faith, because I now know that God isn't punishing me, but rather giving me a test. If I were in Hazel's position I would also be panicking and concerned. I would also try my best to continue the fight because I have supporters. When it's my time to go I know that I have passed all my challenges and test and it's time for God to grade me on life.

*Reaction:

Faith is something that you cannot see but you believe that it is there. I agree on how the passage picker explained this line. I guess she was pointing out that we sometimes forget about our faith when problems come on our way. We sometimes ask God and complain to Him. We feel that He is not there to help us. In the novel, Hazel almost lost her hope but Augustus told her this line. We should not let our faith be misplaced when difficulties come to our way but we should use our faith to fight the challenges in our life.

"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities" – Hazel Grace Lancaster (Chapter 12- Page 223)

      This quote stood out to me because it made me think. A lot of things that the characters say throughout this book make me think because they really say things to confuse you and you have to wrap your mind around it to understand it. What this quote is saying to me is that some things last longer than others, some things are more important to one person than it might be to another. This stood out because its amazing to me the way Augustus and Hazel think. They think more long term, outside of the box, all the time. Its always smart or makes sense in the end. Hazel uses this quote as a reference to explain how long ago the picture of Isaac was taken outside of Monica's house. This quote is to explain the time that passes in one's mental perception. Sometimes, someone says, "That trip seemed like forever ago!" and another person would say, "That trip seemed like it just happened yesterday!" It's all in one's judging of an event that determines the length of time in which something happened. 

*Reaction:

I will also agree on what the passage picker said about this line. There will always be things that will last longer than ours. In this novel, it is like that the infinite is not life but love. Even though Augustus died, their love will always continue. Their love for each other is infinite than the life of Augustus. There will always be a greater opportunity than us.

"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities" – Hazel Grace Lancaster (Chapter 12- Page 223)

      This quote stood out to me because it made me think. A lot of things that the characters say throughout this book make me think because they really say things to confuse you and you have to wrap your mind around it to understand it. What this quote is saying to me is that some things last longer than others, some things are more important to one person than it might be to another. This stood out because its amazing to me the way Augustus and Hazel think. They think more long term, outside of the box, all the time. Its always smart or makes sense in the end. Hazel uses this quote as a reference to explain how long ago the picture of Isaac was taken outside of Monica's house. This quote is to explain the time that passes in one's mental perception. Sometimes, someone says, "That trip seemed like forever ago!" and another person would say, "That trip seemed like it just happened yesterday!" It's all in one's judging of an event that determines the length of time in which something happened.

*Reaction:

We should feel pain because it is a part of being alive. Pain bears experience and experience born lessons. A man cannot be completed without pain. Pain should be felt so we can know how to overcome it. Being hurt is part of being a human. Pain serves as a medicine in our heart. As we know, medicines are bitter but it cure us. Pain cures our hearts.  I do not know how will other explain this line but for me, I always welcome pain. I’m embracing pain as a part of me. I always thank God for giving pains in my life because I know that's the way of Him saying that I am a human so I should feel pain.

“That’s the thing about pain, it demands to be felt.” -

      One of the greatest compliments to a writer is when a reader puts a book down to digest something in her book. Mulling it over. Rolling it over your tongue. Understanding that it is profound before understanding why it's profound.

     Pain demands to be felt. We try to ignore it. Some put ear buds in and run as fast as we can. Some immerse themselves in family and activities. Some soothe it with food. Some with drink. Some in the arms of others. Trying to forget the pain gnawing at them. Trying to push it into a deep place where it won't be felt. Trying to numb it. But like inflatables you can't sink in a pool, no matter how long you try to hold it down, pain will pop right back up. With a splash. "Pain demands to be felt." So we must feel it. We must confront it, embrace it, and deal with it. Because ignoring it only puts off the inevitable, and destroys us in the process.

*Reaction:

We should feel pain because it is a part of being alive. Pain bears experience and experience born lessons. A man cannot be completed without pain. Pain should be felt so we can know how to overcome it. Being hurt is part of being a human. Pain serves as a medicine in our heart. As we know, medicines are bitter but it cures us. Pain cures our hearts.  I do not know how will other explain this line but for me, I always welcome pain. I’m embracing pain as a part of me. I always thank God for giving pains in my life because I know that's the way of Him saying that I am a human so I should feel pain.

“Without Pain, How Could We Know Joy”? — Hazel Grace Lancaster – (Chapter 2- Page 35)

      This quote means you won’t know how the other side of the rode feels unless you feel, pain, and hurt. For example, my favorite aunt is sick. I really don’t know how to deal with it but I do. I may get emotional but I know she is going to get better, if I am positive around her and bring a positive attitude in her house then she’ll be better. In the story Augustus has been through a lot getting his leg amputated but he still has joy in his heart. I know it was a time when he had pain, but he overcame that, just like I did.

*Reaction:

This phrase is connected to the “That’s the thing about pain, it demands to be felt.” I guess the idea is the same but in different way. Without pain, we cannot feel joy. We cannot feel that we succeed if we did not went to being hurt. We can really feel the joy if we cried because we know that we overcome it.
 

“The world is not a wish-granting factory.” – Augustus Waters (Chapter – Page )

*Reaction:

I agree with this phrase. The world will never grant all our wishes, we have to work hard for it. Like our dreams, we should strive hard to get it. We can never be a millionaire or a doctor without efforts. We cannot get the things that we want by not working. We have to do things so that we can have it. The world will not grant it, we have to achieve it.

*General View:

 This is my most favorite part among the other entire task that was given to each of us. I really like picking meaningful lines from a book and apply it. But I think that the assigned person to be the passage picker of this book deserves her position. I guess that she can explain the lines from this novel deeper that I can because it's like she and the book really connected. Maybe it is her fate to explain the most significant lines in the novel. I like the way she explains the lines and gave meaning to it. I also like lines that she picked because I think they are really meaningful.

Connector: Cahra Kincel E. Lipay 

The Connector chose to connect the book to her life and how she relates to the events in the novel. She also relates it to the pain of losing someone that you love. The connector can also include a book or a movie that is parallel to this novel and she will explain why she felt that they are similar.

     The connections I have in the novel The Fault in our Stars are as follows. In the case of hazel’s parents having her as their only child who might die sooner or later because of cancer. I know how hard it is for them to accept that they will lose her. Just like them, I been through that situation. It’s when I lost my grandfather who means a lot to me. He was not just a grandfather to me. He was my father and my best friend. Since my parents are separated. I was not really able to bond with my father because he left when I was seven years old. But I have my grandfather who at least stands as my father. That’s why it was so hard for me when i knew that sooner he will depart from this world. He was also a cancer patient. But unlike hazel he was already old. Seeing him suffering breaks me. It was when I wanted to ease the pain he suffered but I can’t do something about it. When I need to smile in front of him though I felt like crying. When I’m hoping that tomorrow he’s going to be fine though I know he wouldn't be. When I’m questioning God why him. He’s so kind. He did not deserve to suffer as much as he did.

      Another connection I have in this novel is that when Augustus Waters died.I knew how painful it is for his family and loved ones whom he had left specially Hazel.I been trough that situation.

     In addition, my connection in this novel is when Augustus finally admitted that the cancer has returned and spread everywhere because just like him my family also tried to do the same but on the last weeks of my grandfather they reveal the truth to me.

*General View:

 

Honestly when I first saw this, I was shocked because the text is short. This is my favorite part after the passage picker so I was really expecting that the context will be longer because she will connect it to a lot of things. But as I read the whole content, I felt that she really answered from the heart. She really connected it with her life, not on movies or on books but in her own experience. The assigned person in this part is a close friend of mine that I know what she has been through. She was really close with her grandfather and she is always proud of him. After reading it all, I realized that I can also connect the novel in many aspects but the person in charge can connect it deeper that I can do. I think she was really destined to pick this topic and I think she did a great job.

Characterization: Chinny Grace G. Oraiz

The Character Captain explained each of the character by using 3 adjectives. She included the main and the minor characters but she can also chose to describe only the main characters. She explained why she that 3 adjectives best describes the character and why she chose those words.

 

Main Characters:

Hazel Grace Lancaster- Narrator of the story. A protagonist, diagnosed with cancer. Girlfriend of Augustus.

Passive. She exists in her own little world. She doesn’t care about what’s happening in the world, what’s in or cool. She just knows what she likes or not. Before she met Gus, she’s just sitting and watching TV with her parents every day, not even interacting with the other teenagers.

Fighter. It may seem at first that she doesn’t care about her situation but she is handling her impending death well. Hazel is fighting hard for her life. She puts a lot of effort trying not to hurt other people. She is trying to make things easier for her parents because she’s afraid of hurting them when she dies.

Astute. She has a good intellectual capacity. She’s amusingly clever in conception, and quick to express amusing insights. Since she’s a college girl, it can be seen that she’s sophisticated. And her insight and unvarnished way of looking at the world is very noble.

"A college girl," Augustus said to Hazel, nodding. "That explains the aura of sophistication."

*Reaction:

I agree on how the character captain described Hazel in the novel. The adjectives that she used really reflect Hazel. At first, she doesn't really want to have a normal teenager life and she just wants to stay home. She is a fighter. She fights her cancer and also encouraged Augustus to fight. She is also afraid to die but still continues to live. She is smart because she says things in different with ways. She and Augustus have the same way of thinking. I guess Hazel is also funny, determined, joyful, adventurous, sophisticated, and fragile. She was always afraid that her parents might not accept if she dies.

Augustus Waters “Gus”- 17 years old. In remission with osteosarcoma, and lost his right leg.

Good looking.  Augustus Waters is a good looking guy. He is tall, muscular with mahogany hair and blue eyes which makes him very attractive. With just one look, he has got Hazel’s attention and surely got the reader’s attention as well.

Fears oblivion.  He wants to make a mark on the world and hates the idea of not being able to leave a mark at all as he is diagnosed with cancer. He’s determined to leave a mark on everything and everyone that he touches. He’s the kind of person who lives life to the fullest and the kind who makes things happen.

Believer in metaphor. He is constantly symbolizing the situations at hand. He’s using a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of idea used in place for what he says. One example is his love of not smoking: "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".

*Reaction:

I also agree with the description of Augustus. He is a good looking guy that attracted many girls. She fears that everyone will soon die. On the novel, he described many things in metaphor. For me, Augustus is also clever, positive, hopeful, kind, selfless, brave and weak. He always loved Hazel and he never regretted that he chose to be with her instead of having a therapy.  He fought his cancer and never lost hope. Even though he died, meeting Hazel was still the happiest day his life.

Minor Characters:

Isaac- Best friend of Augustus.

True friend. He is always there for Augustus—up to the very end—just like Augustus was there for him when he had the surgery that removes his eyes.

Skeptical. He has an attitude of doubt. That time when he’s about to undergo his surgery, he distrusts. He has the view that nothing can be known with certainty.

Devastative. Isaac is awesome, but when he loses his eyesight from cancer he is devastated. He wishes that he didn't care so much, but he does. His breakup with his girlfriend Monica leads to anger and he’s in rage.

Mr. and Mrs. Lancaster- Hazel’s parents.

Affectionate. Since Hazel is their only child, they took good care of her. They always think what is best for her and at times they over react on things but as the story goes on, it can be seen that they really love Hazel.

Supportive. When they found out that Hazel is going out with Augustus, they support her especially that it is also a way that Hazel can socialize with other people. They talk about their problems and talks to Hazel like an adult.

Protective. Since Hazel has a cancer, they treat her like a baby which Hazel doesn’t like. They are sensitive when it comes to her health. At first they don’t agree on Hazel’s trip to Amsterdam, but when Hazel’s physician told them that it is okay for her to travel, they allow her then.

Augustus’ family

Religious. Gus’ parents are all about finding comfort in religion and God. They have encouragements all over their house and talk a lot about heaven and God's plan.

Faithful. When Augustus died, they believe that he is now united with God. In the face of tragedy, faith is their lifeboat.

Protective. When Gus’ condition gets worse, they told him to stop seeing Hazel. They thought that it will only worsen his situation if Gus will continue his relationship with Hazel.

Kaitlyn- Best friend of Hazel.

True friend. Though it is hard for her to tap into Hazel's darker side and think about mortality and what it means to be dying, she is still willing to be there for Hazel.

Compassionate. She wants to comfort Hazel as much as possible. When Gus died, she is there for Hazel.

“So what was it like?" she asked.

"Having your boyfriend die? Um, it sucks." - Hazel

"No," she said. "Being in love."

Sisterly. She is like a sister to Hazel who gives advices to her. Hangouts with her, go on shopping, and talks about boys and school gossips.

Peter Van Houten-  author of An Imperial Affliction. Favorite author of Hazel.

Alcoholic. Hazel and Gus find out that he is a brash drunkard when they went to Amsterdam to meet him. He always drinks and just let her assistant do his works.

Verbose. He talks a lot though it is not necessary to. He keeps talking nonsense which pissed Hazel and Gus.

Pretentious. He pretentiously deflects emotion with walls of intellectualism and cruelty.

Lidewij Vliegenthart- Peter Van Houten’s assistant.

Compassionate. She is filled with compassion. She knows that her boss's work matters, but she totally doesn't agree with the way he behaves.

Wish-granter. She is the one who arranges for Augustus and Hazel to come visit Van Houten, and when the visit quickly goes south, she is horrified and outraged.

Responsible. She makes sure that she relays Hazel and Augustus’s communications to Peter and comes to act as a voice of reason for him. She sticks to her guns and even makes sure the kids have the best visit they can.

Patrick- runs the Support Group, had testicular cancer.

Good leader. He leads the support group well and makes sure all of them will participate and comfortable with each other.

Faithful. He believes that miracles can happen, that Jesus will bring peace to everyone, and that all the kids will be okay.

Optimistic. He believes that this world is the best possible world. He keeps on telling the kids in the Support Group that they will be okay and that there’s a big chance that they will live and get well from their diseases.

 

*General View:

Honestly, the Artistic Adventurer and Character Captain are the two tasks that I do not want to pick and do simply because I am not artistic and characterization is very hard to do. Just looking on the length of the characterization, I can immediately say that it was really hard and my group mate really put effort to describe each character with three adjectives. In all of us, I think the character captain had done the most exhausting part and she knows the characters very well. She has to know the characters deeper and even the least characters must have to be described. I really admire Chinny as the character captain because she has done a great job.

Artistic Adventurer: Maricris G. Santos

The Artistic Adventurer made a poem for this novel. The poem is about the love of Hazel for Augustus. She may also write a song for the novel, have an interpretative dance, make a music video, draw paintings or drawings, create a teaser for the novel and many things that will use her artistic side.

Bigger Infinities

We met through Isaac at the support group

Where our lives crossed paths into knots and loops

I visited your place, with a basement tour

I’m glad that, later, I’d been there more

I introduced you my favorite book

Ever since then, like me, you were hooked.

We made "okay" our very own forever.

We even made it to Amsterdam together

I thought you were cancer free

But in tests, you "lit up like a Christmas tree"

We were taught that some infinity were bigger than the others

Great to know we went through our infinity with one another

* General View:

I really like the poem. It is a simple but a meaningful poem to interpret the novel. It was like Hazel was the one who wrote the poem for Augustus about their love and how it grew. I was amazed on how the artistic adventurer made the poem because it really shows the events in the novel. It showed the love of Hazel for Augustus and their undying love.

I would also add a song that I think would reflect the story.

The song was entitled "I Will be Here"

Tomorrow mornin'
If you wake up
And the sun
Does not appear
I, I will be here

If in the dark
We lose sight of love
Hold my hand
And have no fear
'Cause I, I will be here

I will be here
When you feel like bein' quiet
When you need
To speak your mind
I will listen

And I will be here
When the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winnin', losin' and tryin'
We'll be together, 'cause I will be here

Tomorrow mornin'
If you wake up
And the future
Is unclear
I, I will be here

As sure as seasons
Are made for change
Our lifetimes
Are made for years
So I, I will be here

I will be here
So you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror
Tells us we're older
I will hold you

And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things
You are to me, I will be here

I will be true

To the promise I have made
To you and to the one
Who gave you to me
I, I will be here

And just as sure as seasons
Are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
So I, I will be here
We'll be together, I will be here

The song is about a couple who loves each other very much. Even though one of them suffers from a disease, the other one did not left her/him. Whatever happens, the other one will always be there to support the ill one. I think this song reflects the love of Augustus and Hazel that even if Augustus died, Hazel will always love him. In the most painful and in the weakest part of the life of Augustus, Hazel never left his side. This song is for persons who loved a person who died but never unloved him/her.

 Vocabulary Enricher: Sheila Almarie G. Daguman

The Vocabulary Enricher chose to use the 5 words that are not commonly used in daily conversation. She put what the word means, how it was used in the book and how she understands it. She can also put the line or the page where she got the word and a little bit explain why she chose that word.

1. apparition (pp. 51)

Apparition is an unusual or unexpected sight .

Peter Van Houten used this word when he described Augustus and Hazel to Lidewij without knowing that it was Lidewij herself  who invited Augustus and Hazel in the hotel.

Apparition depicts a ghostly figure.

2. ontologically (pp.52)

Ontologically means a kind of things that have existence.

However, in the novel I think it carries a negative  connotation.  For me,  it has now a negative meaning after Peter mentioned that Augustus and Hazel were ontologically improbable creatures.

Ontologically now means dubious creatures referring  to both of them but most especially to Augustus.

Ontolocally depicts an image of a thing which is steady at a point of time.

3. putrid (pp. 53)

For me, putrid means trifle or a thing with less importance.

I aforesaid this based on the novel, when Hazel querry Peter regarding the ending of the AIA. Then suddenly Peter interrupted her and said that he disavow everything about the putrid novel but Hazel strongly disagreed on his statement.

Putrid depicts an image of a scrap.

4. oncogene (pp. 62)

" Augustus is laying on his back with a PICC line already in. They were attacking the cancer with a new cocktail: two chemo drugs and a protein receptor that they hoped would turn off the oncogene in Gus's cancer. "

- This paragraph and my schema about this word gives me the idea that oncogene is a gene having the potential to cause  a normal cell to become cancerous.

Oncogene depicts an image of a cancer cell.

5. missive (pp. 52)

When  Peter said that it was only Augustus missive is the first one whom he had replied; an idea came up onto my mind that missive means letter.

 *General View:

John Green sometimes uses different words to replace another words. He sometimes invents words because he wants that word to exist. I think the vocabulary enricher made a good job on listing some of the uncommon words used in the novel. She has to read again the novel just to list those words and I salute her for that. She gave the meaning of the words based on her own understanding as it was used in the novel. She also gave the meaning of the words based on the dictionary.

Summarizer: Angel May S. Bagaforo

I was assigned to be the Summarizer of this novel. I summarized the major events of the book. I did not included about the "okay" as their always and some of the minor events. I wrote the summary in a generalized form and I only included the important events.

 

      Seventeen year old Hazel Grace Lancaster unwillingly attends a cancer patients' support group because of her mother's order. She has thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs. She uses a portable oxygen tank to breath properly. In one meeting she catches the eye of a teenage boy, Augustus Waters, who went to support his friend Isaac. Isaac had a tumor in one eye that he had removed and he has to remove his other eye. After the meeting, Augustus approaches Hazel and invites her to watch a movie. She founds out that Augustus had osteosarcoma, but he is now cancer free after his leg had been removed. Before Augustus takes Hazel home, they agree to read each other's favorite book. Augustus gives Hazel The Prince of the Dawn and Hazel recommends An Imperial Affliction.

       Hazel explains the magnificence of An Imperial Affliction:

It is a novel about a girl named Anna who has cancer. She likes the book because she can relate to the main character and they have the same experience. She describes how the novel ends, not telling the closure about the fate of the novel's characters. She wonders about the mysterious author, Peter Van Houten, who went to Amsterdam after the book was published and has not been heard from since. She wrote him e-mails about how she likes the book and if he will make a sequel to it, but Peter never response.

      A week after Hazel and Augustus discuss the meaning of An Imperial Affliction, Augustus reveals that he tracked down Van Houten's assistant, Lidewij, and through her he managed to start an email conversation between him and the solitary author. He shares Van Houten's letter with Hazel, and she imagines a list of questions send to Van Houten,  hoping to clear the questions in her mind. She is most concerned with the fate of Anna's mother. She thinks that if Anna's mother can survive after her death, then her own parents will be alright after she dies. Van Houten replies that he could only answer Hazel's questions in person. He said that they could see him if they go to Amsterdam.

      Then, Augustus prepares a picnic for Hazel and surprised her that a charitable foundation that grants the wishes of kids with cancer agreed to grant his wish. He wished that the two of them will go to Amsterdam to meet Van Houten. Hazel was thrilled but she feels that there is something wrong. She realizes that she likes him a lot and she knows she would hurt him if she dies. She always thinks that she ia a grenade, she can explode anytime.

    In the middle of her struggle about her feelings for Augustus, Hazel suffers a serious condition which her lungs fill with fluid and she goes to the ICU. When she was okay, she finds out that Augustus never left the hospital's waiting room. He delivers Hazel another letter from Van Houten that made her more determined to go to Amsterdam than ever. But there is one problem, her parents and her doctors don't think that she is strong enough to travel. She almost lost hope until one of her doctor, Dr. Maria, convinces her parents that Hazel must travel because she needs to live a life.

      Augustus, Hazel, and Hazel's mother went to Amsterdam.  When Augustus and Hazel met Van Houten they find that  instead of a fruitful genius, he is a mean-spirited drunk who claims he cannot answer any of Hazel's questions  The two leave Van Houten in great disappointment, accompanied by Lidewij, they tour Anne Frank's house. At the end of the tour, Augustus and Hazel shared a romantic kiss. They cannot longer hide their feeling for each other. They went back to the hotel where they made love. The next day, Augustus confesses that while was in the ICU, he had a body scan which revealed his cancer has returned and spread everywhere. They returned to Indianapolis, and Hazel realizes that Augustus is the grenade. As his condition worsens, he becomes scared and vulnerable. His charm and confidence was lost. As he changes, Hazel also change the name he calls to Augustus. He starts to call him Gus, as his parents call him. Hazel realizes that she loves him now as much as ever. Augustus's condition deteriorates quickly. In his final days, Augustus arranges a prefuneral for himself where Isaac and Hazel give eulogies. Hazel said a line from Van Houten about larger and smaller infinities. She says how much she loves Augustus, and that she would not trade their short time together for anything in the world.

       Augustus died eight days later after the prefuneral. Hazel was shocked to see Van Houten at the funeral. He explains that he and Augustus maintained their communication and Augustus demanded him to come to his funeral and see Hazel. Van Houten abstractly reveals the fate of Anna's mother but Hazel has no interest. A few days later, Isaac informs Hazel that Augustus was writing something for her. He has guessed the sequel to An Imperial Affliction for her and as she searched the places where the papers could be, she sees Van Houten again. He drunkenly reveals that Anna was her daughter. She died of cancer when she was eight and the An Imperial Affliction was his literary work to reconcile himself with her death. Hazel tells Van Houten to write another book.

      Later, Hazel learns that Augustus sent the pages to Van Houten because he wanted to use the pages to compose a well-written eulogy about Hazel. In the end, Hazel was reading Augustus's words. He says getting hurt is inevitable, but we do get to choose who we allow to hurt us, and that he is happy with his choice. He hopes she likes her choice too and Hazel says she does.

*Over all View:

I guess everyone made a good job in doing the assigned part. I highly recognize Johanna, Cahra and Chinny's effort in being the Passage Picker, Character Captain and Connector, respectively. They really made a good job in doing the assigned task for them. I really enjoyed the discussion part because I learned a lot from my group mates and my mind was enlightened. Having a group in doing a blog for me is joyful but stressful. We all read the same book so we can relate to each other but when you pass your work, you will feel a pressure that your group mates will not like your answer so you really have to do your best. I guess I was satisfied to the works of my group mates and I think after all, we still did a great job.