Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify one theme from the text and trace the way it is developed through plot events, characters, symbols, or allusions. This can be good preparation for an essay on themes within the novel. The example below shows a sample storyboard for an exploration of the theme of fate.
Other themes to consider for this activity:
| FATE | |
|---|---|
| Cancer | Neither Hazel nor Augustus has control over their cancer. Despite all the research and treatments, there is no guaranteed way to prevent and eradicate cancer. Fate seems to control whether a person is healthy or sick. |
| The Book An Imperial Affliction |
The phrase "an imperial affliction" means "suffering sent by a higher power." The title of Peter Van Houten's book (which plays an important role in Hazel and Gus's lives) emphasizes the inability of humans to escape suffering. |
| The Stars | The characters seem to agree with the Greek idea that one's destiny is shaped by the stars. Hazel says she and Augustus are "star-crossed lovers" and Van Houten writes that the "fault [is] in our stars". | Gus’s cigarettes | Gus's cigarettes are a way for him to metaphorically control his own fate. The unlit cigarettes allow him to play with death without dying as a result. They give him confidence, but don't change the reality that he has no control over his death. |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard depicting important themes from The Fault in Our Stars.
Help students connect their visuals to written analysis by having them write a focused paragraph explaining how their storyboard illustrates a key theme from The Fault in Our Stars. This supports critical thinking and prepares them for deeper literary essays.
Show students how to list specific scenes, quotes, or symbols from their storyboard that connect to the chosen theme. Encourage them to use their own words and refer to their visuals for inspiration.
Instruct students to start with a clear topic sentence that states the theme and its importance in the story. This helps focus their paragraph and clarifies their argument.
Encourage students to describe how each piece of evidence from their storyboard shows the development of the theme. Remind them to explain why these moments matter in the context of the novel.
Read the paragraph aloud (alone or with a partner) and check for clarity, focus, and supporting details. Suggest adding transitions or stronger explanations to make the writing more effective.
The Fault in Our Stars explores major themes including fate, love, death, suffering, the afterlife, man’s search for meaning, and the value of life. These themes are developed through the characters' experiences, symbolism, and key plot events.
Use a storyboard activity where students trace the theme of fate by identifying related plot events, character choices, and symbols like cancer, the stars, and Gus’s cigarettes. Encourage students to discuss how fate shapes the characters’ lives and decisions.
Gus’s unlit cigarettes symbolize his desire to control his fate. By keeping cigarettes unlit, he feels he is "putting the killing thing between his teeth, but not giving it the power to do its killing." It reflects his struggle with control and mortality.
Have students identify a key theme, select plot events and symbols that illustrate it, and visually organize these in a storyboard. This helps deepen understanding by connecting textual evidence to visual representation.
Theme exploration helps students grasp the deeper messages of the novel, supports critical thinking, and prepares them for analytical essays. It encourages connecting personal experiences to the characters’ journeys.