Paper Towns

The characters in Paper Towns struggle with the difference between perception and reality throughout the novel. Quentin has been in love with Margo since they were children, so much so that she has obtained an almost iconic status in his mind. Though their friendship has subsided, he is regularly amazed by the rumors of her free-spirited adventures around the country. Initially, he thinks of her as an enigma, a mystery, and is drawn to her for this reason. As his investigation into her disappearance continues, however, Quentin begins to understand that Margo is a deeply sad and lonely person. His search for Margo brings the real Margo into focus, as opposed to the person he imagined she was and he discovers that everyone has a version of Margo they cling to. In this way, Quentin stops thinking of Margo and her disappearance as an exciting mystery and focuses more on her pain and the reasons she would run away from home. By re-evaluating his perception of Margo, Quentin is also able to re-evaluate his perception of others, thereby becoming more compassionate and understanding. He must eventually face the fact that he may never be able to fully understand another person, to “become” them in the way that Whitman’s