Zachary C. Bowie
Mrs. Enix
AP Literature
February 19, 2016
In a coming of age novel serval author bring in several similar themes into their works such as knowledge, and applying that knowledge through a event of enlightening the mind.
Maslow´s hierarchy of needs and how that is very influencing in many young adult novels. Having characters that lack essential parts of the lower tier of the pyramid of needs cause a need for an event or circumstances that cause for the main character to undergo a transformation that causes them to reach the final tier. Living in a hard or difficult circumstances causes characters to believe that is all that they can obtain for life. Several characters in bildungsroman novels are stuck in the bottom of the barrel and stop themselves from progressing. The character that can fulfill the basic needs of a human being can crawl out of the pit of despair and suffering. If¨ by Rudyard Kipling has great impact to the reader regarding bildungsroman events. Within the first stanza it says, ¨ If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you¨ this is a very bildungsroman characteristic. It shows how to hold your ground even when everyone around you is doubting. It tells the reader to doubt your doubts during hard times and to hold on to the iron rod. Being able to wait without growing impatient with yourself. It also talks of not looking too good or talking to wise. I find this a very critical line in the first stanza. People will be people and be judgmental of those that appear to be more successful than them. By acting lower than you are they will be less prompted to mock you. Being able to handle destruction and despair with a positive attitude
In many bildungsroman novels we can discover several different themes that contribute them in finding a way to escape their lower way of thinking and become enlightened beings. Innocence plays a major part in these novels because in is because of their innocence they can not progress. It is not till that innocence is shattered that they finally see the answer to the obstacle before them. Several characters such as the little u’ns go through their experience on the island through a glass of innocence. Unaware of the true circumstances that they face. Even some of the older characters have innocence. Jack is innocence in the fact that he does not accept their situation. Civilization and how it´s rules and regulations can control and affect the actions of individuals that are in a poor circumstances. In ¨The Lord of the Flies¨ it shows how youth in a unique circumstance were trapped on an unpopulated island and tested what they knew of civilization. Civilization and its rules were no longer enforced and they were left to their own devices to make their new civilization and laws.
The development of the protagonist directly correlates to how the story and mindset of the novel unfolds. How enlighten minds can fall and those who have nothing can find everything. In numerous novels the development of the protagonist is often times how the story in made and created. In novels such as, ¨The Lord of the Flies¨ we see how the protagonist comes to the realization of their humanity and civilization. The Novel itself goes into depth and detail making circumstances that make and forces the main character to make a critical thinking decision. That decision can make or break the protagonist as well as the minor characters that may be involved as well. Maslow´s pyramid of need is often used in most novels such as, The Lord of the Flies. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered a bildungsroman novel because it shows how the main character underwent a considerable transformation. Huck broaden his way of thinking throughout the novel as he went through new experiences. He was able to see people differently because of his past experiences. Huck is more forgiving because of those experiences. Status symbol to appear that your thriving in society? Blank slate or born evil?
As we have seen throughout the examples given it is evident that bildungsroman novels show the reader how those of unfortunate circumstances and placed low in society can undergo mental and physical transformations that cause them to be enlighten beings. This however does not guarantee success of the character. They have to be willing and take action in their new life in order to grasp the success of life itself.
Mrs. Enix
AP Literature
February 19, 2016
In a coming of age novel serval author bring in several similar themes into their works such as knowledge, and applying that knowledge through a event of enlightening the mind.
Maslow´s hierarchy of needs and how that is very influencing in many young adult novels. Having characters that lack essential parts of the lower tier of the pyramid of needs cause a need for an event or circumstances that cause for the main character to undergo a transformation that causes them to reach the final tier. Living in a hard or difficult circumstances causes characters to believe that is all that they can obtain for life. Several characters in bildungsroman novels are stuck in the bottom of the barrel and stop themselves from progressing. The character that can fulfill the basic needs of a human being can crawl out of the pit of despair and suffering. If¨ by Rudyard Kipling has great impact to the reader regarding bildungsroman events. Within the first stanza it says, ¨ If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you¨ this is a very bildungsroman characteristic. It shows how to hold your ground even when everyone around you is doubting. It tells the reader to doubt your doubts during hard times and to hold on to the iron rod. Being able to wait without growing impatient with yourself. It also talks of not looking too good or talking to wise. I find this a very critical line in the first stanza. People will be people and be judgmental of those that appear to be more successful than them. By acting lower than you are they will be less prompted to mock you. Being able to handle destruction and despair with a positive attitude
In many bildungsroman novels we can discover several different themes that contribute them in finding a way to escape their lower way of thinking and become enlightened beings. Innocence plays a major part in these novels because in is because of their innocence they can not progress. It is not till that innocence is shattered that they finally see the answer to the obstacle before them. Several characters such as the little u’ns go through their experience on the island through a glass of innocence. Unaware of the true circumstances that they face. Even some of the older characters have innocence. Jack is innocence in the fact that he does not accept their situation. Civilization and how it´s rules and regulations can control and affect the actions of individuals that are in a poor circumstances. In ¨The Lord of the Flies¨ it shows how youth in a unique circumstance were trapped on an unpopulated island and tested what they knew of civilization. Civilization and its rules were no longer enforced and they were left to their own devices to make their new civilization and laws.
The development of the protagonist directly correlates to how the story and mindset of the novel unfolds. How enlighten minds can fall and those who have nothing can find everything. In numerous novels the development of the protagonist is often times how the story in made and created. In novels such as, ¨The Lord of the Flies¨ we see how the protagonist comes to the realization of their humanity and civilization. The Novel itself goes into depth and detail making circumstances that make and forces the main character to make a critical thinking decision. That decision can make or break the protagonist as well as the minor characters that may be involved as well. Maslow´s pyramid of need is often used in most novels such as, The Lord of the Flies. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered a bildungsroman novel because it shows how the main character underwent a considerable transformation. Huck broaden his way of thinking throughout the novel as he went through new experiences. He was able to see people differently because of his past experiences. Huck is more forgiving because of those experiences. Status symbol to appear that your thriving in society? Blank slate or born evil?
As we have seen throughout the examples given it is evident that bildungsroman novels show the reader how those of unfortunate circumstances and placed low in society can undergo mental and physical transformations that cause them to be enlighten beings. This however does not guarantee success of the character. They have to be willing and take action in their new life in order to grasp the success of life itself.