Introduction
There are many narratives, concepts and themes to acknowledge throughout the film “The Fault in our Stars”. This essay will examine the major themes of life and death, coming of age, and the broader theme of family relationships which are covered in the film through exploring relevant narratives and concepts. The consideration of themes, concepts, and narratives will provide insights into how the film creates a perspective on the concepts of self and self-development. Through this consideration the essay will also raise issues and opportunities for health professionals to deliver and improve patient care.
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The exploration of life and death resonates throughout the film. It is pivotal to understanding the journey of the main protagonist Hazel Lancaster and other characters, particularly Augustus Waters. In pragmatic terms it is worth noting that young Australians suffering from cancer “accounted for 12.8% of deaths in younger Australians in 2016” (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016), a confronting statistic for young adults. The Fault in Our Stars explores personal perceptions of life and death through the lens of Hazel’s narrative. A journey and exploration that most young adults should not have to explore and confront at all. Hazel and Augustus are forced to confront the prospect of their impending death with all its implications for self, love and relationships throughout the film and often have a hard time doing so. This theme forms an important part of the quest narrative in the film. Hazel’s first person reflective language used until the conclusion of the film assist us in understanding her insights into her ultimate death, how she deals with it and how it will come to affect others. This insight into views on life and death particularly from and adolescents’ perspective gives us, both as nurses and individuals, an insight about how to professionally approach and construct a more person centred nursing plan for an adolescent or anyone in similar health circumstances. We need to recognise that they are people first and a medical case second. Every patient is unique and has their own narrative which needs to be appreciated, especially those that are facing the prospect of death.
The theme of coming of age or developing a sense of self is also central to the film The Fault in Our Stars. Hazel is experiencing her life quest accelerated as a result of cancer at just 16. An adolescent individual’s cancer “is unique because it occurs at a significant stage in their development trajectory” (Davies, Kelly, & Hannigan, 2015) an ultimately influences the nature of their progression into adulthood. The main protagonists Hazel and Augustus do not have the opportunity to experience their adolescent years as others normally do. They have to process issues usually explored over a lifetime and generally ignored in adolescence. Their families see fit to insist that they attend a support group in a good meaning attempt to encourage their accelerated progression into adulthood and acceptance of their illness. The support group is initially rebuffed by Hazel as she wants to experience things as a normal teenager “If you want me to be a teenager, don’t send me to a support group” (The Fault in Our Stars, 2014). Cancer becomes a force in Hazel and Augustus’ relationship that pushes them to mature and consider from a personal perspective concepts of love, relationships, life and death. Through the quest narrative we also see Hazel regain her understanding of what it is to be a teenager free from cancer through her relationship with Augustus.
As nurses, we must provide care to patients from a variety of different age groups. It is our responsibility to be able to understand and attempt to empathise with the complex emotions that each patient may be feeling in order to respond appropriately and provide the right care. Through the film we are able to explore how a younger patient may be feeling throughout their health journey. Anger, detachment, depression are all real and understandable emotional responses to circumstances individuals face. This understanding “may assist health and social care professionals to provide helpful approaches to care” (Davies, Kelly, & Hannigan, 2015).
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Also prevalent in the film The Fault in Our Stars is the notion and theme of family. The film explores the effects of the diagnosis, treatment and emotions of both the patient as well as the family as “cancer affects the lives of parents, as well as the child who is in treatment for cancer” (Bally, et al., 2014). Through (Bally, et al., 2014)Hazel’s eyes we see how her diagnosis as a child complicated her upbringing by her parents as they feel they must treat her differently. Through Hazel’s cancer journey you can deduce that she feels a sense of guilt about her diagnosis because of its effect on her family, a common feeling of adolescents with cancer. Throughout the film you are able to note that Hazel’s family is heavily involved in her cancer journey. After Hazel experiences a medical episode Mrs. Lancaster mentions to her that “this is something we can live with” (The Fault in Our Stars, 2014). Each family will have a different approach to how they want to handle the illness and potential impending death of their child. Augustus’ parents simply wish to go through his cancer journey by being hopeful and positive as is evident of the quotations the have hanging in their house. Hazel’s family are also supportive and perhaps to cosseting and she attempts to push them away to spare them pain. As health care professionals we have to provide care for a patient, but an important dimension of this care may also be providing care for or reinforcing a sense of connection with the patient for their family. Illness, especially cancer, is confronting and difficult to cope with for both the patient and the family. Nurses are the most present for the patients care and through the film’s quest narrative and its relation to the theme of family we are able to see things from the family perspective. Armed with this insight there is potential for health care professionals to further their care by addressing their family and making sure that they are well. In some instances this can be asking the family if they need any additional services such as social services and counselling.
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The most commonly noted narratives in the film are chaos and quest. The chaos narrative plays an important role in telling a story of an individual suffering with an illness (Gubrium & Holstein, 2011) in this instance being Hazel. Despite periods of relative wellness and remission Hazel does not feel that her health and wellness will improve and the major impact of this feeling is often explored in the context of her relationship with Augustus. Hazel is not the only protagonist who depicts the chaos narrative in the film. Hazel’s family experiences explore the chaos narrative because as patients their traditional sense of “control and familiarity were replaces with fear and uncertainty of the unknown” (Bally, et al., 2014) as a direct result of Hazel’s illness. The Quest narrative is also explored in the development of Hazel and Augustus’ personas as young adults and how they process their impending death, the death of someone they love and the manner in which they approach relationships. Quest narratives often “meet suffering head on; they accept illness and seek to use it” (Frank, 1995). Ultimately Augustus’ initial bravado evaporates when his cancer relapses but in the end, he realises that the lasting fame he sought can be found in the enduring love of another. Hazel realises that the sense of immortality she craves could also be found in the love of another and that of family. The lesson being how others see us is critical part of our sense of self.
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