Emotional Intelligence in the Adolescent Characters of John Green’s Looking for Alaska

Abstract

Emotional Intelligence refers to an individual’s capacity to recognize emotions, regulate responses and respond sensitively to the feelings of others. Instead of measuring cognitive ability or technical skill, it is concerned with emotional awareness, empathy and the ability to manage interpersonal relationships. Scholars such as Daniel Goleman have emphasized the importance of emotional intelligence in handling stress, making balanced decisions and sustaining meaningful social connections. In John Green’s Looking for Alaska, emotional intelligence plays a central role shaping the inner lives and relationships of adolescent characters. The novel portrays Miles’s struggle to process grief, affection and loss following a sudden tragedy and revealing his gradual emotional maturation through reflection and interaction. Despite Alaska’s impulsive and unpredictable nature, she exhibits intense emotional sensitivity that deeply influences those around her. Through these characters, the novel presents how emotional understanding enables individuals to cope with loss and navigate personal challenges. The novel presents emotional intelligence not as an abstract psychological idea, but as a lived experience shaped by adolescent behavior and personal growth.