Looking for Alaska: 4. One Hundred Twenty-Six Days Before Summary & Analysis

Later that day

Miles

attends World Religion class. The teacher, whom the students call

the Old Man

, announces that the class will be dedicated to the exploration of “the most important pursuit in history: the search for meaning.” This phrase makes Miles think of

Alaska’s

labyrinth

. Miles likes the Old Man and looks forward to being taught and lectured to rather than having to have class discussions. During class,

the Colonel

figures out that the other person who threw

Miles

into the lake was

Longwell Chase

, a Weekday Warrior who is friends with the Colonel’s girlfriend,

Sara

.

Alaska

complains to Miles about

the Old Man

, whose real name is Dr. Hyde, but Miles tells her that the Old Man is a “genius.”