People have a tendency to put celebrities up on a pedestal, and when they do, two things usually happen: The newly anointed god or goddess is treated as though they aren't human, and some people can't wait to knock their butts down.
In Paper Towns, Margo Roth Spiegelman isn't quite a celebrity, but everyone in school treats her as though she's a goddess among us. Margo is of two minds about this: She clearly likes the attention, because she keeps doing things (like running away with the circus) to keep the attention coming, but she also isn't able to make normal connections with the masses. This makes her not just out of touch with other people, but out of touch with herself.
Questions About Admiration
- Why is Margo Roth Spiegelman considered a queen of the high school? How do students act when she's gone? Do they care?
- Does Margo deserve all the admiration that is heaped upon her? Why or why not?
- Is she just seeking attention, or is she just naturally as awesome as everyone thinks she is? How do you know?
- When does Quentin realize that Margo is just a teenager like the rest of them, not someone on another plane of existence? What prompts his understanding?