In the book Looking for Alaska, by John Green, the main character, Pudge, falls in love with Alaska Young in a matter of months. Having recently finished Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and reading about Juliet and Romeo's mutual love that occurs in a matter of days, it makes me wonder about why people fall in love, and why teens fall in love so fast.
The first time Pudge sees Alaska, he says that she's "the hottest girl in all of human history". It's obvious that from day one he's attracted to her, but the first time he says he loves her is a while later. He develops an obsession with her that starts from day one, and grows into love. Why does Pudge fall in love with Alaska? I think it's because he sees qualities in her that he doesn't see in himself, sees her very frequently, and there's also a significant degree of sexual attraction. Pudge is a bit of an awkward boy, who doesn't connect with people very deeply, and doesn't really see anything that special or interesting about himself. Alaska is a girl who is confident, emotional, and highly intriguing. She has stories to tell and a lot of secrets. She's also periodically vulnerable, and that makes him want to take care of her. Pudge also sees Alaska very often. They take classes together, and Pudge's roommate the Colonel is one of Alaska's best friends. Pudge and Alaska spend thanksgiving break almost totally by themselves, and spend large amounts of time together. Pudge's love for Alaska is interesting. If they had met at a later time, would he still love her, or would he see her in a different way depending on his experiences?
Love is a highly circumstantial thing sometimes. In some cases, people might fall in love because someone is what they need at a particular time. In other cases, people might have fallen in love no matter the time or place. I'm 14 and have never fallen in love, or anything remotely close to it, so this is all conjecture and opinion.
The reason I think teens fall in love so fast, is because they're growing and unstable, and usually have low self-esteem, and fall in love with traits they admire in others, and also other people who see good in them and care for them. In a time where everything is variable, they're looking for someone who will love them constantly and unwaveringly.
Reading about young love recently has given me time to reflect on what it is, and why it happens.
I think young love is the basis of "older" love. I really liked what you said about people falling in love with people that have traits that they find admirable, and I think that's definitely true. I think this aspect is much more enhanced for teenagers because, like you said, teenagers often have low self esteem, and are growing and changing quickly, so finding someone with qualities they like and getting along with them seems like such a fantastic thing that they fall in love. As people get older and more experienced, I think that theory is still there, people just become more aware of what they want, and what they need.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! :)
Great post Sophie! Looking for Alaska is one of my favorite books, and I think that in it, Pudge and Alaska have a very complicated relationship, especially because of the way it ends. As venice said, young love is the basis for adult love, and i think that she is correct and all young relationships develop into more mature ones that occur for more complex reaasons. like you named Pudges. I think in younger relationships the line between love and something less is a lot more distinctive, yet I found with Alaska and pudge it was sometimes harder to tell.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both you and Venice. I recently read an article in Girl's Life magazine about girl crushes which I feel relates in a way. It said that although most of the time it is not true love, you think that you love someone because you aspire to be them or be like them. I also like how you compared this to Romeo and Juliet. I think that in some ways, the stories are a bit similar ands sometimes they are different. Both Romeo and Pudge notice their love interest's beauty, without getting to know them. But Romeo declared his love for Juliet hours after he first saw her, while Pudge waited to really get to know Alaska. Amazing post! (Also you made a pun with the YOUNG love, Alaska YOUNG :) )
ReplyDeleteGreat post Sophie! I haven't read Looking for Alaska, but relating it back to Romeo and Juliet made me kinda sorta able to understand it...a little. What you said about teenage love is very true. It reminded me of an article I read in science a year or two ago. The article was about how the teenage years are when neurons move the quickest (or something like that) so that a teenager's brain thinks very quickly. I think this might result in accelerated emotions. And therefore quick love.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I think the reason teens tend to fall in love so fast is that they are unstable. They're hormonal and stressed, and when love comes to them (us....?) they've heard so much about it that they're desperate to know what it's like to be in love. I feel like a lot of the time, young love isn't actually based on general interest in the other person. I think a lot of the time, it's based on the hype that everyone hears about being in love.
ReplyDeleteGreat job Sophie! i Think the reason teenagers fall in love so early is because they are young and the fall head over heels for someone because they want to see what its like to be in love. Teens tend to exaggerate things in life which is why i think theyy "fall in love so fast". I also think its not actuslly falling in love. Because they are young it is the beginning of love. Great post Soph!!
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