Coming of age in literature
Coming-of-age literature explores the transition from childhood to adulthood, often featuring young protagonists who face significant life challenges that prompt personal growth. This type of narrative, sometimes referred to as "Bildungsroman," typically follows adolescents or younger characters as they navigate experiences that force them to confront the complexities of adult life, often through trauma or major life changes. These stories resonate with both young readers seeking relatable experiences and adults reflecting on their own journeys to maturity.
Common themes in coming-of-age literature include the loss of innocence, self-discovery, and the struggle to adapt to societal expectations. Notable examples include J.D. Salinger’s *The Catcher in the Rye*, where protagonist Holden Caulfield grapples with his disdain for the adult world, and Mark Twain’s *The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn*, which challenges societal norms through Huck’s evolving perspective on race and morality. The genre encompasses various media, including novels, films, and plays, and has roots in historical narratives, fairy tales, and folklore. Through these works, readers gain insight into cultural values and the universal challenges faced during the transition to adulthood.
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Coming of age in literature
Coming-of-age literature has existed throughout human history. This type of literature follows a young protagonist, often a teenager, because a young person may still maintain a childlike innocence and naive view of the world. Throughout the course of the narrative, the protagonist is suddenly forced into the adult world, often through traumatic events. This causes the protagonist to grow up and drastically change their worldview. As the novel progresses, the protagonist must either engage in positive change, adopting new personality traits better suited to dealing with life’s difficulties, or continue to struggle into adulthood.
Coming-of-age stories are found in most literary mediums, including novels, short stories, films, plays, and poetry. They are often popular with both young people and adults, providing young people with a relatable experience while providing adults with a sense of nostalgia. Famous coming-of-age novels are The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J. D. Salinger and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain. Movies of the same genre include the iconic Breakfast Club (1985), Eighth Grade (2018), and Booksmart (2019).
Background
The term “literature” refers to any written work that has significant artistic or cultural value. The four primary forms of literature are nonfiction prose, fiction prose, drama, and poetry. Nonfiction prose is based primarily on fact although it may contain exaggerated or fictional elements. Common types of nonfictional prose are biographies, memoirs, essays, feature stories in newspapers, and historical nonfiction.
Fictional prose includes any type of literary work that follows standard grammatical rules and is not based on real events. Because fiction is imaginary, it may incorporate fantastical elements. Common types of fictional prose are short stories, novellas, and novels.
Drama refers to a depiction of fictional or non-fictional events that is intended to be performed. Drama is one of the oldest literary art forms and has been practiced since ancient times. Drama can be performed on stage, in film, or in audio-only formats. Most dramatic literary works are called “plays,” although they may be performed or distributed in various ways.
Poetry is a type of literature that uses non-standard grammatical construction to convey thoughts, describe a scene, or express feelings. Some poetry has a specific structure with words that are carefully arranged to create a rhythm and rhyme scheme. Other poetry is freeform, meaning that words and lines can be arranged in whatever way the poet desires. Poetry has been practiced as part of most human civilizations, which has resulted in the development of many styles in various languages. Some types of poetry, such as epics, are long-form narratives. Beowulf (ca. 700-1000 CE) and the Epic of Gilgamesh (ca. 2000 BCE) are examples of long-form narratives.
Other types of poetry, such as haiku, are comprised of very few lines of text. Haiku has only three lines of text, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second line, and five in the third.
Recorded oral histories and stories may also be considered literature. Many were passed down verbally through generations as a part of cultures in which literacy was uncommon. These works can provide unique insights into people of long ago who might otherwise be overlooked. By recording oral works, experts can track how certain stories change over time.
Belonging to one of these categories does not automatically make a written work literature. Because the definition of literature indicates that a written work must have significant artistic or cultural value, the literary merit of many works is a matter of debate. Many historic works by prominent authors are undoubtedly considered literature. However, some modern works may only be recognized as literature after enough time has passed for their cultural value to have been recognized by the literary community.
Overview
Literature often portrays a human experience or condition. The process of growing up and reaching adulthood is a common theme. Often called “coming-of-age” stories or “Bildungsroman,” these works feature adolescent characters who are forced to undergo a series of dramatic life changes that encourage the character to grow as a person.
Certain ideas, tropes, and structures are commonly used in coming-of-age stories. In many narratives, the protagonist, or main character, is a teenager or young adult. However, in others, the protagonist is a child. Little Women (1868), by Louisa May Alcott, is a coming-of-age novel following four sisters from childhood to adulthood.
At some point in a coming-of-age story, the young adult or child is forced into the adult world. This can be portrayed by the character receiving a higher-level education, moving to a new area, or embarking on an adventure away from home. In other stories, a young person is forced into adulthood because of a traumatic experience, such as the outbreak of a war. Stephen Crane’s famous novel The Red Badge of Courage (1895) is about a young soldier thrust into the American Civil War. Such experiences bring about new challenges for the character, often forcing them to confront their preconceived notions of the world. In these circumstances, a character may shed their childlike innocence by being exposed to a harsh reality. This negative experience may be because of human nature, death, subjugation, or imprisonment.
In response to these challenges, the main character of a coming-of-age story is forced to grow. They abandon their childlike self while choosing the type of adult they will be. Some characters in coming-of-age novels are permanently scarred by their transformative experience, while others rise above it by developing positive personality traits such as courage, confidence, and mercy.
Coming-of-age stories have been popular throughout much of human history. Many historic folktales and fairy tales, such as “Little Red Riding Hood,” that involve children on their own are now considered coming-of-age stories.
Because coming-of-age stories are influenced by the author’s perceptions of childhood and adulthood, studying these works can provide valuable insights into the culture of the author’s time. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) by Harper Lee, the character Scout is forced to come to terms with society’s expectations of women. Females in the South were pressured to conform to Southern ideals of “womanhood.” These included acting delicate and fragile, as well as adhering to a strict standard of dress. Scout struggles to conform to these standards even though failing to do so could result in social ostracization or wider societal consequences.
Coming-of-age stories can be found within most types of media, including films, television shows, poetry, and plays. For example, the movie Lady Bird (2017) is a coming-of-age story about a young woman who has a turbulent relationship with her mother. Shakespeare’s classic play Romeo and Juliet (1597) is also a coming-of-age tale about a romance between two young people who come from feuding families.
One of the most famous novels with a coming-of-age theme is The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J. D. Salinger. In the novel, sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield is expelled from his prep school. Holden perceives the adult world as phony and struggles to accept it. He wanders throughout New York City and meets people who stand for everything he hates about the world. Holden grieves for his younger brother, Allie, and visits his little sister, Phoebe. After he gets into a physical fight with his old roommate, he visits his former English teacher, Mr. Antolini. When the teacher behaves inappropriately, Holden returns home. By this time, he has reached the conclusion that it is time for him to grow up and accept responsibility for his actions.
The main character in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1994) by Mark Twain is Huck, a once poor teenage boy who recently inherited a large sum of money. Huck is kidnapped by his abusive father but escapes by faking his own death. While fleeing, Huck meets Jim, an escaped slave seeking his freedom. The two travel together, forcing Huck to reexamine his views about enslavement, religion, and society. When Jim is captured and forced back into enslavement, Huck and his friend Tom Sawyer work together to free Jim. Tom is shot during the process. Tom lives, but the experience irreparably changes Huck’s view of the adult world.
In Where the Red Fern Grows (1961) by Wilson Rawls, a boy named Billy has dreamed of having his own hunting dog and eventually gets two. Billy and his dogs become the best hunting team in the region. However, tragedy strikes, irreparably changing Billy. One dog dies while saving Billy from a mountain lion and the second dog dies of despair. Billy is devastated but learns that the money he made from his hunting expeditions is enough for his family to move to a town where he and his siblings can receive an education.
Bibliography
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Kramer, Lindsay. “What Is Prose? Definition, Meaning, and Examples.” Grammarly, 30 Nov. 2023, www.grammarly.com/blog/prose/. Accessed 24 May 2024.
Krystal, Arthur. “What Is Literature?” Harper’s Magazine, Mar. 2014, harpers.org/archive/2014/03/what-is-literature/. Accessed 24 May 2024.
Long, Liza. “What Is Literature and Why Do We Study It?” College of Western Idaho, 16 Jan. 2024, cwi.pressbooks.pub/lit-crit/. Accessed 24 May 2024.
Millard, Kenneth. Coming of Age in Contemporary American Fiction. Edinburgh University Press, 2007.
“Why We Love Coming-of-Age Stories.” Medium, 30 Nov. 2022, medium.com/publiclibrarysg/why-we-love-coming-of-age-stories-533b24247b7. Accessed 24 May 2024.