Latin to English Translation: "That which nourishes me destroys me."
By this point, TFIOS has won many honors, prizes and awards, so it's common knowledge that this novel is exceptionally sad. But it is also funny, and happy, and touching, and so many other amazing things! But sure, tears are indeed one of the reactions derived from reading this book; tears, however, is not the only water form involved with this novel, as we will soon see!
First off, let's clear up and explain why there would be references to water throughout the novel. In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, water is described as the source of life and, conversely, the epitome of misery and death. Green applies this logic to his book, especially because our main characters, Hazel and Augustus, are on the brink of life and death. Just as the two young characters hang in the balance of life and death, so does the characterization of water in this novel. Below is a list of a few of the water-related references in the TFIOS novel:
~Our first reference is a very obvious one: Augustus Waters. Green provides a straight-away advertence to water! The significance of Augustus having the name Waters is that he is the one who dies after having lived a good and happy life (this is assuming that the happiness in life is measured by quality rather than longevity).
~Amsterdam is a beautiful city interlaced with canals and is almost like a city drowned in water. The water in this "Venice of the North" could either continue to benefit Amsterdam for aesthetic purposes, or it could backfire and flood the whole place; Amsterdam is a delicate balance between sustenance and disaster. Symbolism is heavily embedded here, as Hazel unconsciously undergoes a figurative baptism. Foster notes, from How to Read Literature Like a Professor, that baptism is a sign of rebirth and renewal. Amsterdam is the place where Hazel truly comes back to life and where she finally distinguishes who she is from what her illness is.
~Hazel's illness has to do with many different factors, one of which being the fluids that reside in her lungs. These fluids inhibit Hazel's ability to do a variety of activities. Water is the enemy in this context, being the enemy that slowly kills Hazel as each moment passes.
First off, let's clear up and explain why there would be references to water throughout the novel. In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, water is described as the source of life and, conversely, the epitome of misery and death. Green applies this logic to his book, especially because our main characters, Hazel and Augustus, are on the brink of life and death. Just as the two young characters hang in the balance of life and death, so does the characterization of water in this novel. Below is a list of a few of the water-related references in the TFIOS novel:
~Our first reference is a very obvious one: Augustus Waters. Green provides a straight-away advertence to water! The significance of Augustus having the name Waters is that he is the one who dies after having lived a good and happy life (this is assuming that the happiness in life is measured by quality rather than longevity).
~Amsterdam is a beautiful city interlaced with canals and is almost like a city drowned in water. The water in this "Venice of the North" could either continue to benefit Amsterdam for aesthetic purposes, or it could backfire and flood the whole place; Amsterdam is a delicate balance between sustenance and disaster. Symbolism is heavily embedded here, as Hazel unconsciously undergoes a figurative baptism. Foster notes, from How to Read Literature Like a Professor, that baptism is a sign of rebirth and renewal. Amsterdam is the place where Hazel truly comes back to life and where she finally distinguishes who she is from what her illness is.
~Hazel's illness has to do with many different factors, one of which being the fluids that reside in her lungs. These fluids inhibit Hazel's ability to do a variety of activities. Water is the enemy in this context, being the enemy that slowly kills Hazel as each moment passes.
Did you know?
John Green speaks of the water references within the TFIOS novel, "I wanted to write a novel about the things that make life possible (and valuable) and how many of those things are also what makes life painful and temporary.