The Fault in Our Stars Summary
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Setting
The novel is set in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Main Characters
Hazel Grace Lancaster- She is the narrator and protagonist in the novel. Hazel is 16 years old and was diagnosed with a terminal form of thyroid cancer that has since spread to her lungs at 13 years.
Augustus "Gus†Waters- he is the sixteen-year-old with osteosarcoma who becomes Hazel's boyfriend.
Isaac- He is a mutual friend to Hazel and Augustus who facilitates their introduction at Support Group.
Mrs. Lancaster- she is Hazel’s mother. Mrs. Lancaster is an emotionally strong and kind woman who has made it her life to care for Hazel.
Mr. Lancaster- he is Hazel’s father who is caring and prone to tears.
Patrick- he is the leader and sole adult at Support Group.
Dr. Maria- she is Hazel’s primary cancer doctor. Dr. Maria is a strong, assertive, yet empathetic physician.
Lidewij Vliegenthart- he is Peter Van Houten’s assistant.
Kaitlyn- she is Hazel’s friend and former schoolmate.
Monica- she is Isaac’s girlfriend and then ex-girlfriend.
Caroline Mathers- she is Augustus’s former girlfriend who died from brain cancer.
Anna- she is a girl about the same age as Hazel who also suffers from a terminal illness.
Plot Summary
Hazel Lancaster, 16, and Augustus Waters, 17, meet at a support group for teens with cancer. Hazel has thyroid cancer that has spread to her lungs and Augustus had bone cancer which cost him a leg. They fall in love immediately due to their mutual intelligence and skepticism of the adult world’s attempt to hide reality from them. However, they both know that hazel is dying so Augustus tries his hardest to win her over despite her hesitation because she does not want anyone else to suffer when she dies as her parents did after losing another child.
Both Hazel and Augustus are in remission, but they have been dealt a bad hand with their conditions. The two of them meet each other at a Cancer Kid Support Group where they share the same interests. Their relationship develops when they take a trip to Amsterdam funded by the Genie Foundation, where Augustus arranges for Hazel to meet her favorite author Peter Van Houten, who has agreed by email to discuss his only book An Imperial Affliction with them in person. An Imperial Affliction is a sacred book to Hazel; she identifies with the heroine Anna who dies from leukemia and wants answers about what happens after it ends.
In Amsterdam, Hazel and Augustus share an intimate evening together before meeting up with their literary idol on this trip who turns out to be drunk and mean towards them. He does not want anyone asking him questions about his book or characters since that could spoil it for readers like him. He also mocks them for even wanting answers about his novel’s plotline, which makes things awkward between all three of them as they leave his house in disgust after such an unpleasant encounter with him. Afterward, though during their climb up the Anne Frank House while talking things over together, Hazel impulsively kisses Augustus on top of one of its buildings. Later on, back at their hotel room, they have sex for the first time.
Augustus tells Hazel that his cancer has returned and spread throughout his body. He is dying, and there is no cure for it. Hazel stays by Augustus’ side as he deteriorates physically, emotionally, mentally, and finally dies in the hospital after a month of suffering from pain medication. Hazel is overcome by grief but also strengthened by it. She realizes that the pain she once tried to save Augustus from; of loving someone only to lose them to cancer, is worth suffering for the experience of true love and that their relationship was limited in time but limitless in the depth of feeling. She gives a sentimental eulogy at his funeral because it comforts his parents, and she faces life after Augustus more openly.
Themes
- Suffering. Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac all endure quite a bit of physical and emotional pain. The buildup of fluid in Hazel’s lungs deprives her of oxygen, leading to intense pain that lands her in the emergency room. Isaac has to contend with losing his remaining eye, which leaves him blind and leads to breaking up with his girlfriend. Augustus physically deteriorates to the point that he has to take pain medication strong enough to leave him nearly incoherent, and he suffers knowing he will never accomplish any of the heroic things he wanted to do in his life.
- Insensitivity. Isaac's girlfriend, Monica, breaks up with him just before he has his remaining eye removed, and despite his waiting and hoping, he never receives any word from her afterward. Augustus comes to realize that he will never perform some extraordinary feats of heroism. Hazel knows her lungs will not heal, and her death is not far off. Peter Van Houten is not so much the open, caring genius Hazel hopes, but a grouchy and malicious drunk.