The Importance Of Coming Of Age In Storytelling
DescriptionAn essay about the theme of coming of age and how it is prevalent in many stories and their characters.
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ImageHarper Lee
Throughout humanity's existence, there have been many tropes and commonalities between stories that allow them to be universally loved and enjoyed. Many examples exist, like “the hero’s journey” or “the tragic hero.” Though one of the most significant and critical ones, especially to young readers, is the “coming of age” archetype, used by many to show changes in a character and the progress they have made throughout their respective tales. Three books, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, are shining examples of this all-important aspect in narrative writing, as their characters evolve from young children to matured adolescents, learning lessons along the way.As many know, Romeo and Juliet is a classic love story that has been told through the ages. It follows the two titular characters as they connect, fall for each other, and in the end, sacrifice their lives to be with one another. But the protagonist that grows the most throughout its pages is Juliet, who starts out as a naive teen living with her family in the fine city of Verona, Italy. She lives an innocent and unknowing life, surrounded by the bliss of childhood. Though obviously, her family wants more, as it is customary in the 14th century for a female to get married once they are of age. To her parents, she is not old enough yet, saying she has not yet matured enough. But some say otherwise, as to which her father responds with this: “‘But saying o’er what I have said before. My child is yet a stranger in the world. She hath not seen the change of fourteen years’” (Shakespeare 19). It is apparent that her guardians are hesitant when asked, but after enough pressure from family members and possible spouses alike, they agree to throw a party and see if they could secure a safe and rich husband. Though this is where the story takes a twist, as Juliet finds her first true love, but it is someone who her parents think does not fit. They don’t want her to marry him, and this man turns out to be Romeo. So the two of them sneak off together, breaking the mold of virtue once held by Juliet. This was her moment of rebellion, leaving the peaceful state set by her family. She had finally freed herself, coming of age and learning to be her own person. Unfortunately, Juliet does take the affection a bit too far, eventually killing herself after her dear love Romeo did the same. But regardless, she learned about the truths of the world, the truths of genuine love, and why it is such a powerful force. She goes from a child with nothing to an adult with everything. Juliet changed, gaining what she never had before: freedom.Number the Stars is another remarkable showing of how characters can change throughout a story, learning more about the world and having their innocence stripped away. It takes place during World War II in the Nazi-occupied country of Denmark; soldiers line the streets, intruding on the everyday lives of the people, checking in on their activities. The main character of the book is Annemarie, a young girl who has a Jewish friend named Ellen. Together, the two of them do everything, which includes helping Ellen escape when the Nazis start prosecuting and “relocating” the Jewish population of Europe. The moment Annemarie figures out what is happening, her happy and quiet life was taken away, realizing her friend was in serious trouble. Her parents attempt to explain what was happening, stating, “‘We don’t know where, and we really don’t know why… We only know that it is wrong, and it is dangerous, and that we must help’” (Lowry 51). Overall, the euphoria of before is now replaced with fear, as they have to help her friend get out of sight of the ruling regime. Annemarie, her parents, her sister, and Ellen all run, eventually getting to a house near the coast. This home, coincidentally, is near the free and neutral country of Sweden, which is where Ellen is to escape with her family if they are able to reunite. There are many trials and tribulations that lead to the eventual conclusion, and luckily, they all survive. But Annemarie, likely along with everyone else, had her life changed, going from a naive girl playing with dolls to a savior of her friend. She learned about the horrors of the world, the tortures it wants to cause, but also the importance of being a good person. Without her hard work, without the help of her family, Ellen would have died. She grew from that, becoming a newer, better person because of it.The coming of age experience is seen in many books, but it is by far the most prevalent in To Kill a Mockingbird. It starts out simple, explaining the everyday life of the main character Scout as she explores the world around her and grows up. But suddenly, a trial hits her hometown of Maycomb, Alabama, causing controversy and gossip all around. This suit was led by no other than her father, Atticus, who was a lawyer in town representing the defendant, Tom Robinson. Mr. Robinson was accused of raping and assaulting a woman, but some believe that the claims are false, as he is a black man, and the woman who accused him is white. This leads to light speculation, but overall, the ruling favors the “victim.” Scout, though, is there to hear it all: the case, the trial, the results, all of it. To her, Tom seems innocent, and her father agrees, but due to the nature of the time, which was the 1930s, he was unlikely to win the case. “‘The older you grow the more of it you’ll see… you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life’” (Lee 207). At that moment, Atticus is seen telling Scout the cold, hard truth of their lives: Tom Robinson was set to lose in the first place. That’s when she went from being a young uninformed child to a full-blown adult. She realized that the world was not a fair place, that it treats people wrongly, regardless of whether or not they deserved it. Her viewpoint of it all changed, now understanding the hardships of life only after “coming of age.” Scout learned the ultimate lesson, the ultimate truth of her life: the world sucks, and we need to change that. And from there, she takes that teaching forward, trying to make a better future for all.Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee are all perfect examples of the storytelling vehicle known as “coming of age.” Their characters, whether Juliet, Annemarie, or Scout, all change who they are, leaving behind their innocence for an abysmal yet ultimately fulfilling role in society. Together, they all grow, change, evolve, and develop; the three of them follow the same arc of going from naivety to hardships, and hardships to maturity. This is why “coming of age” is so important in storytelling, as it follows something that almost everyone can relate to. We all were kids at some point, living in pure bliss and joy; we all have that moment that took it away from us; we all take those lessons learned from the past and have applied them to the future. The concept is universal, the idea is international. It has no borders, no boundaries; every single person on this planet can understand it. That is why it is so important, because it teaches us to learn from our mistakes, to make a lesson out of everything that happens. Coming of age stories teach us that life can be hard, but also that it will always be worth it in the end. That message has rung around the globe for millennia, and hopefully, will continue for many more generations to come, because it is undoubtedly the most important storytelling archetype in the history of writing.
Sources
Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars (Yearling Newbery). Yearling Book, 1990.Lee, Harper, and Timothy Stafford Healy. To Kill a Mockingbird. Grand Central Publishing, 1988.Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Edited by Alistair McCallum, Oxford University Press, 2016.
