Looking for Alaska: Chapter 7 (pp. 48-54)
1) Summary
The extract (pp. 48-54) from the novel “Looking for Alaska”, by John Green, published in 2014, is
about the dependencies of people.
The Colonel talks to Miles about the school basketball team. Culver Creek has only a very bad
team. They watch the first game of the year in the air-conditioned airplane hangar.
Kevin offers them a truce. He thinks that Chip told on Paul and Marya, that is why he took revenge
by mummifying Miles and pissing in the Colonel's shoes. They do not accept the offer.
During the game, the colonel bothers the adversary team and is finally thrown out. Miles
accompanies him and realizes that the Colonel needs him just like he needs the Colonel.
2) Characterize Miles.
Miles is the protagonist of the novel. In this chapter, he is short of money because he is constantly
paying for the Colonel's cigarettes (see p. 49, ll. 1-3). For him, it is important to be accepted by the
Colonel, that is why he does it.
He hates sports (see p. 49 l. 14) and everything connected to it (i.e. people who like sports etc.).
When he was young, his mom forced him to play T-ball because she wanted him to make friends
(see ll. 17-18). So you can conclude that he is not a very sociable character and always had
problems in getting along with his peers. However, according to his own words his social standing
was not improved, because he only befriended a bunch of kindergartners (see l. 20).
Nevertheless, he was quite successful at T-ball, but only because he was taller than the rest, and
was finally beaten by a kid who had only one arm.
Miles is an attentive observer. He realizes that the crowds attending the game are quite inclusive,
i.e. everybody goes to see the game and is accepted there (see p. 51 l. 1).
In addition, he is a sensitive person. He feels embarrassed when Kevin talks to the Colonel and him.
To mask this, he tries to stare intimidatingly at him but cannot forget that Kevin has seen him in
his underwear (see p. 51 ll. 14-16).
Finally he shows off his knowledge when he quotes President Fillmore's last words. He feels good
because he could make fun of Kevin/ it was at Kevin’s expense. Miles is able to see through Kevin.
He realizes that he could have made up any words if he had used that same tone of voice and feels
very proud because of the Colonel's confidence in him (see p. 52 ll. 16-19).
Miles is a follower, "trailing in [the Colonel's] wake." (p. 54 l. 7). He cares for his opinion and seeks
his attention. Furthermore, he wants to be important himself and even wants to have an impact
on others. "I wanted to be one of those people who have streaks to maintain, who scorch the
ground with their intensity" (p. 52 ll. 7-9). However, for the time being he is quite satisfied with his
current position, because "at least I knew such people, and they needed me, just like comets need
tails" (p. 54 ll. 9-10). He perceives himself as a useful asset.
3) In the evening, Miles writes in his diary, reporting on the events of the day and reflecting on
his position at Culver Creek in contrast to his social standing at home.