Paper Towns Theme of Exploration

On the road again… Margo Roth Spiegelman just can't wait to get on the road again. Just like in Willie Nelson's hit song, in Paper Towns, Margo loves being on the road. So much so, that she plans a trip to a town that doesn't even exist.

However, for Margo Roth Spiegelman, her road trip's main goal is just to get the heck outta Dodge (Dodge, in this case, being Jefferson Park, Florida). Quentin, on the other hand, is the one who is making music—okay, not really, but he is having fun—with his friends. So he might be the one who truly has Willie Nelson's adventurous spirit. (Now we just need to find out exactly what is in those nutrition bars Quentin loves so much…)

Questions About Exploration

  1. Why does Margo like planning more than doing?
  2. What does Quentin learn by exploring the pseudovisions in Florida?
  3. Do you believe Margo really doesn't want Quentin to find her? Why or why not?
  4. Do you think Margo will stay in New York or continue a life on the road?