Essays on Coming of Age

Introduction Coming-of-age literature addresses the transition phases that a main character undergoes from youth to adulthood. Both Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye novels spell out the basic transitions that the protagonists undergo that build an equitable understanding of the world around…

For teenagers, the aging process, that is the human experience of growing older, is important. The theme in Sandra Cisneros’ novel The House on Mango Street is coming of age/ growing up. And how Chicago represented in the novel’s setting is problematic for the coming…

The Hunger Games is a coming out of age novel about teenagers living in a complex society. The teenagers have to participate in dangerous games to please the public. They have to make life or death decisions and can see someone dying each minute. They…

The films The Fault in Our Stars (TFIOS) by Josh Boone, and Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (MEDG) by Alfonso Gomez-Rejion, both explore the comprehensive idea of coming of age. TFIOS is narrated by 17-year-old Hazel who suffers from lung cancer. One day…

Coming of Age “Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself” (Anonymous). Part of becoming mature is becoming less selfish. In Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon, Cory grows to understand what it means to show concern…

Family Vs. Culture Most often, people wonder where they belong in their culture or society. There are things that help us find our way. In life we come across many rules and expectations, and that is no matter the age or hour. Being a teen…

The Coming of Age EarthSea, a novel by Ursula K. Le Guin contains several themes that frequently appear in other works of fantasy. For example, dark vs. light, good vs. evil, worthiness, knowledge, self-discovery, etc. Although these are important themes in the novel, the theme…