White Flowers Symbol in Looking for Alaska

For Alaska, white flowers symbolize her mother. Before her death, Alaska’s mother used to put white daisies in Alaska’s hair. Daisies are traditional symbols of innocence. Alaska remembers the anniversary of her mother’s death when she realizes that she is doodling white daisies while on the phone, and she takes the white tulips Jake has given her to put on her mother’s grave. Alaska dies with these flowers by her side, and they symbolize knowledge that might have saved Alaska from that death. White tulips traditionally represent worthiness and forgiveness, and had Alaska been able to forgive herself and understand that she had value, perhaps she would not have left Culver Creek that night. At the same time the white flowers also act as memorials for Alaska herself, as she died with them in her car.

White Flowers Symbol Timeline in Looking for Alaska

The timeline below shows where the symbol White Flowers appears in Looking for Alaska. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Alaska and the Colonel get drunk to celebrate the success of their prank. There are white tulips in Alaska’s room, and she tells Miles that Jake got them for her for their... (full context)

...if there was anything in her car, and he says he saw a bouquet of white flower s in the backseat. (full context)

...were at the Smoking Hole and Alaska jumped into the river to pick up a white flower that was floating down it. She told them then that her parents used to put... (full context)

...the question, however, and wishes instead that he could figure out the significance of the white flower s. (full context)

...making a list of the evidence for and against Alaska’s suicide. They decide that the white flower s were not in Alaska’s car as a way for Alaska to memorialize herself. Takumi... (full context)

...talks, he looks at the notes written around the payphone and notices one of the daisies that Alaska always used to draw. He remembers that Jake told the Colonel that Alaska... (full context)

...mother died. They tell this to the Colonel. The three of them decide that doodling daisies must have reminded Alaska that she forgot the anniversary of her mother’s death. She left... (full context)

Looking for Alaska

John Green

White Flowers Symbol Analysis

White Flowers Symbol Timeline in Looking for Alaska