Search results
Coming-of-age story. In genre studies, a coming-of-age story is a genre of literature, theatre, film, and video game that focuses on the growth of a protagonist from childhood to adulthood, or "coming of age". Coming-of-age stories tend to emphasize dialogue or internal monologue over action and are often set in the past.
- Definition
- Scope
- Themes
- Analysis
Most scholars agree on a standard definition of the coming-of-age narrative: the coming-of-age narrative: Simply put, it follows the development of a child or adolescent into adulthood. The roots of this narrative theme can be traced back to the bildungsroman, or formation novel. Late 18th-century German novels, such as Johann Goethes Wilhelm Meist...
Throughout the 20th century, however, the range in years for a coming-of-age narrative widened from this age group to include protagonists in their early to mid-20s. It is for this reason that the genre studies scholar Barbara White limits the definition of a coming-of-age narrative to focus on protagonists between the ages of 12 and 19. Additional...
As Kenneth Millard argues, a recurring element of the coming-of-age narrative is the way in which a protagonists adult identity is framed by historical events and points of origin and conditioned by social obligations and expectations. Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn serves as an example of this theory. In the novel, a young Huck accompanies ...
This deviation from expected norms highlights another feature of the coming-of-age narrative: the realization of social expectations and norms. To once again use the Huck Finn example, Huck fully realizes the implications of his decision: He considers himself damned and acknowledges that he will be unable to fully participate in the adult world bec...
People also ask
What age is a coming-of-age narrative?
How to write a coming of age story?
What is an example of a coming of age story?
Is the coming of age plot still present throughout the story?
- Justin Torres, We the Animals. Torres’ slim, elegant, intense 2011 bildungsroman carries us deftly from the mania of childhood and brotherhood to the alienation of young adulthood and the self-knowledge that comes with it—or inspires it, as it were.
- André Aciman, Call Me By Your Name. If you read this space, you’ll know that I’m a fan of Call Me By Your Name, a perfect, deeply interior novel, steeped in desire, about a young man who falls in love with an older visitor, and discovers quite a bit about himself—and love, and family—in the process.
- Jeffrey Eugenides, Middlesex. A coming of age story that is also a coming of self story, as Callie becomes Cal, and the world becomes modern. See also: The Virgin Suicides, which rivals this one fiercely in my heart and is also in some ways a purer bildungsroman, though for a faceless chorus of boys instead of a single one.
- Katherine Dunn, Geek Love. So much more than a coming of age novel, of course, and not usually designated as such—and yet still it fits, as Olympia tells the monstrous story of her childhood (while endeavoring to protect her own daughter from the woman who would “normalize” her).
Jan 15, 2024 · The term “coming-of-age” originates from the mid-20th century, combining “coming” to signify the transition and “age” to represent a stage of life. A coming-of-age story typically explores the psychological and moral growth of a protagonist from youth to adulthood. These narratives often depict the challenges, experiences, and self ...
1. Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman. Buy on Amazon. Add to library. Call Me By Your Name chronicles a summer of awakening in the life of seventeen-year-old Elio, who is forced to navigate his sexuality and the stirrings of love when his family welcomes a new lodger — the charismatic doctoral student Oliver.
- Reedsy
Part of your job in a coming of age story is to create a character arc, to show the character's change over the course of the story. And so you need to know where the character begins, so you can show the shape of their journey in the story. 2. The Mentor. All coming of age stories that end happily have a mentor figure who advises the protagonist.
Coming-of-Age Novel. A coming-of-age novel is a book that tells the story of a character growing up and going through a series of important life-defining changes. E.g. In J.D. Salinger 's 'The Catcher in the Rye,' the coming-of-age novel unfolds as the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, navigates the challenges of adolescence and self-discovery ...
