Yes, I've prepared yet another bout of Shakespeare! One of the major underlying messages in TFIOS is based on John Green's Shakespeare reference. Green's reference makes its first appearance in the title of the book, "The Fault in Our Stars." The title is derived from the Shakespearean play Julius Caesar and the quote from the play is below:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
In Shakespearean times, people used to look to the stars to read and predict their fate and future. In this quote, Cassius points out that there is no mistake in the stars and the stars are not to blame for their fate. The fault is actually found in their own selves. The title of the novel, on the other hand, suggests that there are indeed faults outlined in the fates of Hazel and Augustus, and these flaws are outside the control of these characters. And here lies an interesting exception to Shakespeare's rule of fate and the responsibility thereof! The title of the book insists that, in Hazel and Augustus's case, fate was against them and that they had no ability to change the misfortunes thrown at them. This argument suggests responsibility lies on a divine plane. This argument makes a lot of sense, considering that Hazel and Augustus cannot possibly take responsibility for their sickness, as they never had the opportunity to control their illness. This exception to the Shakespeare quote is valid and worth pointing out: fault does not belong to the ill if they do become ill. At the same time, illness is not the only exception to this quote. Think about it, there's so many flaws in our lives, flaws that are outside our control. Of course there are faults in our stars! But it doesn't mean that the faults are only in our stars, and not in ourselves...
Did You Know?
Stars are mentioned in other portions of the book as well, such as when the two teens are in Amsterdam and enjoying their night out, the waiter introduces a champagne of "stars" (Green 163). Later, at the end of the book, Augustus mentions the stars as something he can't "fathom into constellations" (Green 311). Why would there be so many mentions of stars? Well, stars have many different connotations, and in TFIOS, stars come across as reminders of fate, beacons of hope, and a divine connection between the heavens and the earth.