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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.
Common Themes in Coming-of-Age Stories
A marked loss of childhood innocence, to some degree, in favor of maturity. Inner conflict and turmoil, resulting in personal growth and development. Developing from a self-centered thinking to a more worldly, other-focused thought. Learning where one fits in the larger world.
A Bildungsroman is a literary term describing a formative novel about a protagonist's psychological and moral growth from their youth into adulthood.
The themes are Organization, Information, Energy Matter, Interaction, and Evolution. These themes play a part in biology as they can be used to study certain parts of how organisms interact with other organisms and the environment.
The term coming-of-age novel is sometimes used interchangeably with bildungsroman, but its use is usually wider and less technical.
Why are coming-of-age novels important? Coming-of-age novels are important because they explore experiences that many readers can relate to. All people “come of age” at one point or another, allowing a wide variety of experiences to mimic on the page what happens in real life.
What makes these books so special is the fact that no one character's journey to adulthood is the same, which is also reflective of the experience of real teenagers. That is why diversity within the genre is so important.
Acquiring a legally significant age (in the United States, either 18 or 21) Confirming an individual as a responsible adult within a religious community. Experiencing a moment of epiphany in which childhood is set aside. Puberty (or, in some cases, loss of virginity)
THEMATIC STATEMENTS THAT MAY APPLY TO YOUR STORY:
To fully grow up, children need to make their own mistakes. Children today are growing up faster than they used to (or should have to). The transformation from teenager to adult always comes with some loss. In hindsight, high school wasn't all that important after all.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The classic American coming-of-age novel, in which, teenage misfit, Huckleberry Finn and Jim, an escaped slave, set off to find freedom on the Mississippi. They encounter trouble at every turn, from floods and gunfights to armed bandits and the long arm of the law.
Growing Up is a very broad and general theme so it can also be related to a number of connected themes, which may or may not be in focus in the work you are doing in class. In this section you can find mini-guides to some of the most popular themes that are often used in combination with Growing Up.
Coming of Age is a genre which explores the transition from adolescence to adulthood. In fandom, this is a very common trope, at times partially defined by young romance, throughout high school and into college.
A coming-of-age story focuses on detailing the growth of the protagonist from a child to an adult. The majority of these works typically follow pre-teens and teenagers who are traversing into the world of adulthood.
Coming-of-age stories, also known as Bildungsroman, allow readers to explore universal themes such as self-discovery, identity, and personal growth. Through this exploration, readers might find some resonance with their own life experiences and gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of growing up.
Great coming-of-age stories usually feature the main characters navigating a myriad of issues while growing up. Themes like betrayal, self-identity, sexuality, class structure, racism, injustice and violence are often woven into the story to set us thinking and reflecting.
The main idea is what the book is mostly about. The theme is the message, lesson, or moral of a book. By asking crucial questions at before you read, while you read, and after you read a book, you can determine the main idea and theme of any book you are reading!
Base theme and sub-theme hierarchy
Thematic groups your themes into a two-level hierarchy of base and sub-themes, that can be edited. Base themes are general concepts or topics, while sub-themes are more specific topics.