Con Man Quote by John Green The Fault in Our Stars
““Van Houten was still staring at the ceiling beams. He took a drink. The glass was almost empty again. 'Lidewij, I can't do it. I can't. I can't.' He leveled his gaze to me. 'Nothing happens to the Dutch Tulip Man. He isn't a con man or not a con man; he's God. He's an obvious and unambiguous metaphorical representation of God, and asking what becomes of him if the intellectual equivalent of asking what becomes of the disembodied eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg in Gatsby. Do he and Anna's man get married? We are speaking of a novel, dear child, not some historical enterprise.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, 2012
A character is described as a god-like metaphor, questioning his role and fate like a literary symbol.
In simple terms: A character is likened to a god and compared to a famous literary symbol.
Key Takeaway
Consider how symbols embody ideas beyond their literal roles.
Themes
literary analysis
symbolism
character study
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- interpretation of literary symbols
- discussion of character motivations
- analysis of thematic parallels
Key Concepts
metaphor
divine representation
existential questioning
Questions to Reflect On
- What does equating a character with God reveal about the story?
- How does this compare to other literary symbols?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may obscure the character's human traits.
![“A highly placed con man does more harm to society than a stone cold killer. Perhhaps not to the single victem who's dead after his crime, but to thousands, perhaps tens of thousands. And they might have lunch with the president. [...] Many con men--and women--and women are professional…” quote by Kate Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/023/kate-gordon-91084_community_a-highly-placed-con-man-does-more-harm-t_831172.jpg)
