Coming of Age THEMES TO LOOK FOR QUESTIONS

Coming of Age THEMES TO LOOK FOR &QUESTIONS TO ASK

Identity ¡Who am I? Think about the narrator of the text you are reading and how they are trying to express an answer to this question. ¡Think of the United States of America and how it develops a unique identity apart from the native peoples and the home countries of the immigrants that populated the land.

Relationship with Parents/Guardians ¡ Think about the characteristics of these relationships as revealed within the text you are reading. Positive? Negative? Constructive? Destructive? ¡ Think about the characteristics of the “parent” countries of the immigrants (and native people!) that populated this land.

Family ¡What is the role of the main character in his or her family? Does this roll change? What does the family expect of them? How does the character try to separate from their family? Are they successful? ¡The same questions can be applied to both the creation of the idea of family here in the United States as the country develops and also in relation to the development of the country as its own entity separate from the “parent” countries.

Gender Rolls ¡What roles do men and women play in the text? Are they traditional? By what standard? ¡How do gender roles change and develop in the United States as this country comes of age?

Friendship ¡How do friendships (or lack of them) shape this character? In what ways are these friendships a substitution, continuation or reflection of family? ¡What kinds of alliances (friendships) does our country to choose to make? Are we loyal, trustworthy allies? How do our alliances change our personality as a nation? How do our choice of allies alter as we come of age as a nation?

Rebellion ¡In what ways does the character rebel? What do they rebel against? How do they rebel? Inwardly? Outwardly? Does their rebellion accomplish anything important? ¡What role does rebellion play in the coming of age of the United States?

Where is home? ¡How does this story (ie main character) define “home”? What about their definition of “home” stays with the person wherever they go? ¡How does the concept of “home” change for the residents of this country as it comes of age? What still remains of the original views of “home”?

Romance/Sexuality ¡How big a role does this play in your text and the formation of the main character? ¡How big a role does this play in the coming of age of the United States? What other Coming of Age themes might this theme tie in with most strongly?

Community Beliefs, Values, Stereotypes ¡How does where the main character is from shape who they are? Of the B, V, and S that community holds which do the main character embrace? Reject? ¡Ask the same questions of the population of the United States from Colonialism to the Post Modern Era

Three More Themes to Consider ¡Education/The Arts ¡Political and Social Realities ¡The Outside World What questions can you ask to help discover the meaning of this theme for both the coming of age of main character and the country as well?