Miles Halter

The contemplative boy

Miles Halter is the main character in the novel Looking for Alaska by John Green. He is a 16-year-old American boy who describes himself as scrawny. He has bony arms, narrow shoulders, and no muscle or fat on his body (p. 14). However, he is described by Alaska as “cuter” (p. 23). He lives with his parents in Florida and is an only child. His father is a real estate agent and went to Culver Creek boarding school himself. We do not learn what his mother does for a living. Miles is an outsider at his old school in Florida and has no friends.

Miles is very thoughtful and philosophical. He thinks a lot about the meaning of life. He wants to attend Culver Creek boarding school to find the "Great Perhaps." He wants to experience something exciting and adventurous and to fully enjoy what life has to offer him, without being always able to foresee everything.

Miles has a very good relationship with his parents. He gets to decide for himself that he wants to go to boarding school and can even tell them about his desire to find the "Great Perhaps" (p. 10). The relationship with his parents is also described as very loving and harmonious.

The reserved and shy teenager

When Miles arrives at Culver Creek boarding school, he imagines meeting someone for the first time and making a cool joke. It doesn't come to that situation, however. He doesn't like small talk and is shy and reserved. At school, his contact is limited to his four friends, the C...