Chapter 23: It’s Never Just Heart Disease and Chapter 24: And Rarely Just Illness
In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster says that there are four “principles governing the use of disease in a literary work”: 1. Not all diseases are created equal, 2. It should be picturesque, 3. It should be mysterious in origin, and 4. It should have strong symbolic or metaphorical possibilities. In John Green’s, The Fault in Our Stars, the main characters are seen suffering from chronic diseases. The disease itself has strong metaphorical possibilities because it symbolizes the hardships of life. It teaches one to live to the fullest instead of wasting time sulking on all the negatives when life throws something unexpected at you. In the beginning of the novel, Augustus Water is described as being cancer free with an amputated leg. However, throughout the novel it becomes aware that the cancer does indeed come back. This physical malady reflects the principles because the effects of the cancer were inevitable. The fact that he was once again diagnosed with cancer reiterates the fact that all diseases are not equal. Although the origin of the cancer is known, it is not clear how he had become sick in the first place which brings in the mysterious aspect of the disease. The disease can be seen as picturesque as we see Augustus contemplate his life, which leads to the overall theme of the novel, which is acceptance. Although the characters grow sicker each day, they are eventually able to come to terms with their disease and attempt to live normal lives.