Paper Towns

Radar, Ben and Lacey take turns calling their parents to explain why they are missing graduation. After that, they all settle into specific roles for the road trip. Lacey is the “provisioner,” responsible for food and supplies. Radar is “Research and Calculations,” he maps their route, schedules their gas station stops and calculates what speed they will need to maintain in order to reach Agloe on time. Quentin’s role is “to drive, and to be nervous” (245). Ben’s function is to let everyone know that he needs to pee, which provides a moment of comic relief because they have just left the school and have about four hours to go before their first stop. Ben and Radar are also still wearing their graduation gowns, and, as agreed, are naked underneath. Radar has calculated that Quentin must drive 72 miles per hour, which means exceeding the speed limit. Nonetheless, the group is in high spirits as they start out together on their road trip.

As they drive, Quentin and the others play a game of “Metaphysical I Spy,” in which they only “spy” abstract things. Radar spies something that he says is “tragically hip.” Quentin guesses that it is their road trip in the minivan.