Margo learns to stop fleeing responsibility, and in turn loses Quentin as the realization comes too late. Quentin's occurs as he comes to terms with the false representation he has created of his childhood crush. The search for one's strings represent the identity crisis both Quentin and Margo undergo. This memory, and the idea of strings follow Quentin years later. 'Maybe all the strings inside him broke,' Margo infers (p. Quentin is disgusted, while Margo's fascination is piqued. In the beginning of the novel, Quentin recalls a memory in which he and Margo discover a deceased man's body in a park. These strings represent emotional stability and inner peace. Margo repeatedly references the idea of metaphorical 'strings' that hold a person together. Very few teenagers have a complete, mature understanding of their identity, and the characters of Paper Towns are no exception. This growth stems from him overcoming his false perceptions and seeing his love in a truer light. Although he will always love her in some way, Quentin realizes that he can no longer put his life on hold for her. After discovering her whereabouts, Margo shows little concern for what Quentin, her friends, and her family has gone through in her absence.

Quentin romanticizes most aspects of Margo's personality, which are later revealed as capricious and selfish. He clings to the memories they shared as children, although in reality, Margo has long since abandoned her innocence and Quentin's friendship. What he idolizes is a mere image that looks like Margo: a flawless, beautiful object to be sought after. Quentin spends much of the book obsessing over Margo, to the point where he loses touch of reality.

Paper towns book 2