Looking for Alaska

Miles Halter, obsessed with famous last words, leaves Florida for Culver Creek boarding school, driven by Rabelais's 'great perhaps.' He meets his roommate Chip 'the Colonel' Martin.

Miles meets Alaska Young, is immediately overwhelmed by her. She introduces him to her 'life's library,' her philosophy about the labyrinth of suffering, and her boyfriend Jake. Miles begins to fall.

Miles, the Colonel, Alaska, and Takumi build their friendship through pranks on the Weekday Warriors (wealthy day students), cigarettes by the lake, and long nights talking. Miles learns Culver Creek's social geography.

Religion class discussions about death, the afterlife, and the labyrinth of suffering deepen. Alaska and Miles have their closest moments. On the final night, Alaska — drunk and suddenly distraught — drives away from campus. Miles and the Colonel let her go.

Miles and the Colonel learn Alaska is dead. They are told it was a car accident. The school grieves communally, but Miles and the Colonel grieve in isolation, burdened by their guilt at having let her drive. The question of accident vs. suicide begins to form.

Miles and the Colonel investigate Alaska's last night obsessively, interviewing witnesses, reconstructing the timeline, reading her book annotations. Takumi eventually reveals that Alaska was crying about her mother's death anniversary. They learn she had frozen when her mother collapsed — and never forgiven herself.

Miles and the Colonel, with Takumi and Lara, run one final prank in Alaska's memory. Miles writes his World Religions essay on the labyrinth. He forgives Alaska for leaving and forgives himself for letting her. The novel ends with Miles still inside the labyrinth, choosing to be.

The final chapter, mirroring the first 'Before' chapter in day count, closes the novel's symmetry. Miles delivers his final thoughts on Alaska, on the labyrinth, and on what it means to continue living.