64 pages • 2 hours read
The Fault in Our Stars
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness or death, mental illness, and grief or loss.
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. How does Green’s approach to writing about teenagers with cancer differ from other stories you’ve encountered about illness? Have you read other works that tackle similar themes, such as Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper?
2. What was your initial reaction to the relationship between Hazel and Augustus? Did your feelings about their romance change as the story progressed? Why or why not?
3. How effective was Green’s choice to tell the story from Hazel’s first-person perspective? What does this narrative choice add to your understanding of the story?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. Hazel initially resists forming close relationships because she sees herself as a “grenade.” How do you approach relationships when you know they might involve future pain or loss?
2. Augustus is preoccupied with leaving a mark on the world. How do you measure the impact of your own life? What constitutes a meaningful legacy?
3. The novel explores different ways parents cope with their children’s illnesses. What insights did you gain about family dynamics during crisis?
4. How did Hazel’s father’s view that “the universe wants to be noticed” resonate with you? What role does observation play in your own life?
5. Consider Augustus’s metaphorical unlit cigarette. What objects or rituals do you use to face your own fears?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book's relevance to broader societal issues, cultural trends, and ethical dilemmas.
1. How does the novel challenge society’s conventional narratives about illness, heroism, and suffering?
2. What does the book suggest about the role of social media and virtual connections in processing grief and loss?
3. How does the novel address the economic and social realities of serious illness in America?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book's structure, characters, themes, and use of narrative techniques.
1. How does Green use the book An Imperial Affliction as both a plot device and a mirror for the larger themes of the novel?
2. Analyze the symbolism of the oxygen tank and cannula throughout the story. How do these physical objects reflect Hazel’s emotional journey?
3. How does Green balance humor and tragedy throughout the novel? What purpose does this serve?
4. Compare Peter Van Houten’s character arc with that of Hazel. How do their different approaches to grief illuminate the novel’s themes?
5. How does the Amsterdam trip function as both a physical and symbolic journey for the characters?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book's content and themes.
1. If you could write an additional chapter that takes place five years after the novel ends, what would you want to show about Hazel’s life? How would you maintain Green’s stylistic approach to writing?
2. Imagine you could write a letter to Peter Van Houten about how his book affected someone in your life. What would you say?
3. If you were to create a playlist that captures the emotional journey of this novel, what songs would you choose and why? How might the characters react to some of your choices?
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