Parents

Discuss the April 2015 book of the month, "Paper Towns" by John Green.
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gaporter
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Re: Parents

Post by gaporter »

I think if Margo had Quentin's parents, she could have had a very different kind of story. Quentin's parents could have nurtured her personality so she would still have her natural energy and urge to just do things, but in a much less destructive and thoughtless manner.
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Post by sush_destiny »

She wouldn't be nearly as interesting. She wouldn't have such a good reason to get away from the town.
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Post by dorebri2020 »

I am sure that Q would still be as cautious and careful, but Margo may still have a minute bit of rebelliousness within her. Her inner curiosity would still exist in her character, but there would be no drama and mystery within the story, and it would make it a rather boring read. It would have definitely dulled Margoś character if she had been actually punished for her adventures.
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Post by Atara Miles »

I believe Margo wouldn't have left if she had Quentin's parents. She would have gotten the attention and love from them she didn't receive from her own parents, that prompted her leaving in the first place. The direction of the book would have been switched because of that though.
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Post by Barbara Larkin »

Nature vs. nurture? Possibly, Margo would have been more grounded. She wouldn't have to act out to get love and attention, so running away constantly and finally leaving may not have happened. Margo seems like a bit of a free spirit though, so her leaving might have stemmed from something else, like a desire to explore or something.
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Clare Jose
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Post by Clare Jose »

I think Margo's character would be entirely different. While I don't think it's possible to say how exactly she would have turned out, perhaps Margo would have been (as Q says) more 'adjusted' with everything. If Margo had been at heart, a curious and adventurous child, (which I think she was) with Q's parents, she would have grown into a person like that without all the other issues.
But then and again, there's a lot of ways things could go.
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Post by Krishi Shah »

The book just goes to show how the emotional availability of parents impacts kids so strongly. Other than her preference for disappearing and her commitment issues, I really do hope that Margo has a great time on her adventures and unlearns the trauma from her parents.
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Post by Krishi Shah »

I actually found it unique that the parents were so involved here considering that most YA parents are usually not.
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