Serendipity in Probability

How would you live a life if you suffer from cancer? Would you face it optimistically or live in the shadow pessimistically?

Most people may feel panic if they suffer from cancer. Some people may cry all night and lead a miserable life for good. Others, however, may cherish the remaining time they have. After reading the novel, I found two different mindsets from the two main characters that have separate lives. Besides, there are three significant themes, including fear, love, and attitude.

The first theme that is worth discussing is fear. Sometimes, unpredictable and horrible things could happen in lives while everything is totally unprepared. In the novel, the female character, Hazel, thought that she would be dead soon. Therefore, she was afraid of opening her heart to everyone and unable to realize the meaning of experiencing the abundance of diversity that the disease had brought to her. Likewise, the male character, Augustus, had his own fear, too. He was frightened that his life would be just like stars that would unexpectedly stop shinning and being obliterated. In addition, both characters’ painful physical bodies and ponderous minds would also be laid upon their parents imperceptibly. Lives of their parents would not be the same as attention could be all on their dearest and terribly ill children. Nevertheless, this fear should be transformed into the power of will to turn a new leaf and start up another colorful life.

Another theme that is worthy of canvassing is love. Three distinct forms and aspects of love can be seen form the story. To begin with, doing something silly is the best representation of friendships in adolescence. When there was a boy who also had a cancer went blind, his girlfriend broke up with him. So, Augustus and the boy threw eggs to the girl’s house together. As a result, the boy felt relieved with this joyful and naughty action little by little. Second, the love from family is important. As Hazel wanted to go abroad to visit her favorite books’ author, her parents didn’t allow her to go due to her poor health condition. Once they recognized that the visit was always Hazel’s dream, and they truly loved their daughter deeply, they finally permitted her to fulfill her dream. In fact, whenever the parents come to a decision, they would always consider what the best way is for their children, and that is their top priority. Romance between the two main characters, Hazel and Augustus, is the third critical aspect of love discovered in the novel. The support and tolerance of each other throughout the story has concretized the idea that two incomplete but pulchritudinous stars collide with one another, manufacturing flamboyant sparks, and in the twinkling of an eye, the eternity has been well-preserved.

The attitude is the last but not the least theme that should be ventilated. In the novel, the two characters both have their distinguished personalities. Hazel had light syndrome of autism; while, Augustus was outgoing and optimistic. Hazel was quiet, but Augustus was talkative whenever he was in the cancer support group meeting. Their personalities had caused them to face cancer with different mentalities. This has made me believe the concept of whether the life is full of despair depends on how people react or response to the unforeseeable events they encounter in their lives. Even if there is a little sense of curiosity inside the minds, it can be transformed into the ability to listen and learn from others. More importantly, sugarcoating things that are not good won’t have the better results, so accepting the reality could be the only hope found in any inevitable calamity.

To sum up, countless infinity can be found in the endlessness. It is okay to feel the feelings since life is capricious itself. Instead of being defined by the illness and leaving the life’s canvas blank, optimism is what people need to experience and color their limited lives.