Unveiled Absurdist Factors: An Existentialist Reading of Green’s The Fault in Our Stars

Abstract

This study intends to analyze the prevailing absurdity and investigate the underlying factors contributing to absurdity in the lives of the principal characters, Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters, in The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. This research is based on a philosophical conceptualization of Absurdism, specifically the ideas put forth by Albert Camus. By investigating textual analysis through Catharine Belsey's view of deconstructing the text and analyzing key events, the study unveils different contributing factors to the character’s experience of absurdity, such as the clash between expectation and reality, the inevitability of death, and an indifferent universe to human suffering. The study contributes to literary and philosophical discourse by extending the application of absurdity to young adult fiction and demonstrating how these existential themes are engaged in this genre. These insights may encourage researchers to explore existential themes in modern literature and their relevance in the identity formation of young adults.