Above is a video of John Green talking about an experience he had back in his hay days at Indian Springs School. He talks about his senior prank that is almost identical to that of the one in Looking for Alaska. So does this and many other facts such as both schools were boarding schools with circles of dorms and ponds indicate that the story is an autobiography? Yes and no. John Greene states multiple times that the stories are similar but different and that had he not have gone to the school he probably would have never written the book. However, he points out multiple times that him and Pudge are completely different people, and to the notions regarding the pranks he says they were a lot different and he was not nearly as involved as Pudge is in the book. So do you think John is exploring the what ifs of his high school career?
He most certainly is just as Pudge in the book is sorting through his beliefs and feelings about death, John is sorting through his what ifs in his life. John sorts through the what ifs and the maybe if I was a little more out going? and the what if I had had a different aspect on life? John in his book by sorting through Pudge, Alaska, and the Colonel's issues sorts through the readers issues and allows the reader to experience the what ifs of life in the comfort and security of their own mind.
He most certainly is just as Pudge in the book is sorting through his beliefs and feelings about death, John is sorting through his what ifs in his life. John sorts through the what ifs and the maybe if I was a little more out going? and the what if I had had a different aspect on life? John in his book by sorting through Pudge, Alaska, and the Colonel's issues sorts through the readers issues and allows the reader to experience the what ifs of life in the comfort and security of their own mind.