Characters and plot
Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life–dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge–he follows.
After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues–and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.
("Paper Towns")
After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues–and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.
("Paper Towns")
Fan-made Book Trailer
Characters
- Quentin Jacobson (Q): Q is the narrator and main character of the novel; he has a crush on Margo; his best friends are Ben and Radar
- Margo Roth Spiegelman: Margo lives next door to Q; she is known throughout school for her crazy adventures
- Marcus Lincoln (Radar): Radar is Q and Ben’s best friend; he has a slight obsession with editing the website Omnictionary; he is dating Angela
- Ben Starling: Ben is Q and Radar’s best friend
- Lacey Pemberton: Lacey is one of Margo’s best friends; she helps Q, Ben, and Radar look for Margo
- Becca Arrington: one of Margo’s best friend
- Jason Worthington (Jase): Margo’s boyfriend at the beginning of the novel
- Angela: Radar’s girlfriend
- Chuck Parson: Chuck is a bully at school; he usually leaves Q and his friends alone because of Margo
- Ruthie: Margo’s younger sister
- Dr. Holden: Q’s English teacher
Students Should Keep in Mind While Reading
Structure
Paper Towns is separated into three parts: The Strings, The Grass, and The Vessel. The first two parts, the Strings and the Grass, are structured by chapters. The Vessel is structured by hours. It is important to think about why these parts are structured differently. The second part takes place over a couple of weeks, making the choice to structure it in chapters obvious. However, the first part takes place over a day. The students should think about why the author chose to structure the first part in chapters as opposed to hours like the last part is and how it adds to the story.
Point of View
There are many characters in the story that have different ideas of Margo. When a story is told from first person point of view it can be limited. Students should think about how Paper Towns is limited because it is told from Q’s point of view. How would the story be different if it was told from Margo’s point of view? Or Ben or Radar’s? How would the story be different if it was told from a third person omniscient point of view?
Importance of Characters
There are several characters that could be considered main characters. Students should keep in mind why these characters are important. How would the story be different without Ben? How would the other characters be different? Students should think about this for all of the characters.
Structure
Paper Towns is separated into three parts: The Strings, The Grass, and The Vessel. The first two parts, the Strings and the Grass, are structured by chapters. The Vessel is structured by hours. It is important to think about why these parts are structured differently. The second part takes place over a couple of weeks, making the choice to structure it in chapters obvious. However, the first part takes place over a day. The students should think about why the author chose to structure the first part in chapters as opposed to hours like the last part is and how it adds to the story.
Point of View
There are many characters in the story that have different ideas of Margo. When a story is told from first person point of view it can be limited. Students should think about how Paper Towns is limited because it is told from Q’s point of view. How would the story be different if it was told from Margo’s point of view? Or Ben or Radar’s? How would the story be different if it was told from a third person omniscient point of view?
Importance of Characters
There are several characters that could be considered main characters. Students should keep in mind why these characters are important. How would the story be different without Ben? How would the other characters be different? Students should think about this for all of the characters.