A Coming Of Age Story Essay - 1124 Words

If there is one story that society loves, it’s a coming-of-age story: a tale that follows a young protagonist (usually a teenager), and chronicles life as he or she grows into a mature and advanced individual. One famous, and rather unconventional, story of this nature is J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye. In this book the main character, Holden Caulfield, has a bit of an episode, and feels near hopeless at times as he struggles with his own adolescence. In order to tie Holden’s individual strife with the mayhem of every adolescent mind to form one central message, Salinger relies on a number of novel-based elements. Specifically, he illustrates the complexity and uncertainty associated with the transformation into an adult through the details and symbols of Holden’s journey. One way that the author conveys his message about the lives of teenagers is through details concerning Holden’s struggles with maturity. To begin, Holden feels that adult society reeks of falsehood. Commonly referring to the world and people around him as â€Å"phony†, Holden has a particular quarrel with the movies in particular. He feels as if the movies are the epitome of society’s phoniness, and especially hates the fact that his brother â€Å"prostitutes† his impressive writing skills to such a fake form of entertainment. Likewise, plenty of budding youths have trouble coming to terms with realizations such as these. They face their own dilemmas when deciding whether or not to assimilate withShow MoreRelatedThe Coming Of Age Stories Essay1012 Words   |  5 PagesComing of Age Stories Cultural Revolution could be defined as one of the disasters in China. In that period, most of the students were forced to become sent-down youth, which lost chance to be educated at school. However, Chinese people explored some important spirits in this period. 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Charlie does not haveRead MoreThe Catcher in the Rye as a Coming-of-Age Story Essay841 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Rye can be read as a coming-of-age story. How does Holden’s Character change or mature during the course of the novel? To what extent are there TWO Holden Caulfields in the book, and what is the difference between them? The novel ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J.D Salinger is a coming-of-age story. It follows the short tale of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen year old boy, who throughout his experiences in the novel, changes and becomes more mature and independent. The story essentially has two HoldenRead MoreEssay about 3 Stories About Coming of Age903 Words   |  4 PagesThe definition of coming of age is the attainment of maturity. In these three stories â€Å"To Every Thing There Is A Season† by Alistair MacLeod, â€Å"The Sunrise on the Veld,† by Doris Lessing, and â€Å"Stones,† by Sandre Birdsell, all of the same theme â€Å"Coming of Age.† They all go through hardship, pain, and loss. In each of these stories the protagonist realizes reality in three different ways: by facing death, by watching one closest to them get hurt or made a fool, and by realizing his or hers surroundingsRead MoreJane Eyre: a Coming of Age Story -Grade = 80b1762 Words   |  8 Pag esJane Eyre: A Coming of Age Story Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre, is a coming of age story, about a young, orphaned, and submissive girl growing up, through many hardships, into a young, passionate, and free willed woman. Charlotte Bronte begins the story with a ten-year-old Jane Eyre living with an impartial and sometimes cruel aunt, Aunt Reed. 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The main character, Jane, travels from the innocence of childhood through the maturity of adulthood. During this journey, Jane goes through the battle of education vs. containment, where she attempts to learn about herself and about the world. She must constantly battle a containment of sorts, however, whether it be a true physical containment or a mental one. This battle of education vsRead MoreMy à ntonia by Willa Cather is a story of the coming of age of Jim Burden and à ntonia Shimerda. The500 Words   |  2 PagesMy à ntonia by Willa Cather is a story of the coming of age of Jim Burden and à ntonia Shimerda. The recently orphaned Jim moves to Blackhawk Nebraska to live with his grandparents. On his trip from Virginia to Nebraska, Jim first catches glimpse of the Bohemian immigrant family who happen to be moving in near the Burdens. Because she Shimerda’s speak no english, they are quickly che ated out of their money and have moved into a small lean-to on the side of a hill. Jim’s grandmother is a very kind