Cultural connections
Culture consists of many different aspects. It does not just consist of “old” music, works or art, etc. It also consists of art, music, etc. being produced today. The playlist on this page is the one that John Green created for this book. It includes music by artists mentioned in the book, for example The Mountain Goats. It also includes the song “Walt Whitman’s Niece” which is one of Margo’s clues. Students should think of what songs they would put on a playlist for Paper Towns and why they would pick those songs. Students also think about a “theme song” for each main character and why that song describes of fits with that character.
Another aspect of culture is the stories that are told to children. Radar’s parents collect black Santas. Students should think about what this says about them. Radar seems to be embarrassed by his parents’ collection. Students should think about what that says about Radar.
Margo and her family are Jewish. There are two points in the book that suggest this. Students should be able to name one of them (Margo uses her bat mitzvah money and Ruthie says that they do not believe in hell) (Green 30, 126). Students should think about why there are only two points in the book that suggest this. Q has lived next to the Spiegelmans for years; is it something he just does not think about anymore? Or was Q so entranced by the idea of Margo that he did not notice this layer to her? Students should also think about how religion and ancestry plays a part in their own lives.
Paper Towns was almost made into a movie. However, because of differences of opinion between the studio that was going to make it and John Green, the movie never happened. Students should think about which parts of Paper Towns they think would make a good movie. They should think about which actors and actresses they think would be cast as the main characters and why.
Works Cited
Green, John. Paper Towns. New York: Speak, 2008. Print.
Another aspect of culture is the stories that are told to children. Radar’s parents collect black Santas. Students should think about what this says about them. Radar seems to be embarrassed by his parents’ collection. Students should think about what that says about Radar.
Margo and her family are Jewish. There are two points in the book that suggest this. Students should be able to name one of them (Margo uses her bat mitzvah money and Ruthie says that they do not believe in hell) (Green 30, 126). Students should think about why there are only two points in the book that suggest this. Q has lived next to the Spiegelmans for years; is it something he just does not think about anymore? Or was Q so entranced by the idea of Margo that he did not notice this layer to her? Students should also think about how religion and ancestry plays a part in their own lives.
Paper Towns was almost made into a movie. However, because of differences of opinion between the studio that was going to make it and John Green, the movie never happened. Students should think about which parts of Paper Towns they think would make a good movie. They should think about which actors and actresses they think would be cast as the main characters and why.
Works Cited
Green, John. Paper Towns. New York: Speak, 2008. Print.