Loyalty and friendship

Loyalty

Loyalty and friendship are major themes in the novel Looking for Alaska by John Green. Loyalty is mainly addressed when it comes to school pranks. At the very beginning of the story, the Colonel explains that the first commandment at boarding school is not to betray anyone.

The Colonel and Alaska demonstrate this loyalty when they cover for Miles and Takumi after they are all caught smoking (p. 56). Alaska proves her loyalty to Miles in another situation. When he is kicked out of religion class, she stands up for him. This results in her being thrown out with him, and she is outraged that the Colonel and Takumi did not do the same (p. 39).

Because of this supreme commandment that no one must betray anyone, it is also a big scandal at the school that Alaska’s roommate Marya and her boyfriend were betrayed the previous year and therefore kicked out of school. The two were caught by the Eagle lying naked in bed together, drinking alcohol and smoking a joint (p. 25). The first conversations Miles overhears in C...