Coming of age to most people is, “the attainment of prominence, respectability, recognition, or maturity” (Merriam-Webster, 2017). Most definitions are normally under the lines of having maturity or reaching a certain age in your lifetime, which aren’t wrong but it doesn’t let people understand in a more precise meaning. For example, maturity, that’s all that the websites tell you, maturity could mean so many things like how someone would perceive the world in a different way, or how they would be able to handle their emotional state and not lash out like a kid would, these are things that explain what maturity means, but they’re never explained in text. What does coming of age actually mean? What are key points that explain this? This essay …show more content…
Choices define what a person is like and having choices is also a display of freedom which is why it factors in to coming of age. According to Google, choice is, “an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities,” so having options are a form of freedom and when you've become an adult more choices and options are open for you. Another way choice can represent coming of age is the impact that it can have. Impacts tie in to responsibility and consequences but choice is what determines it, when you choose to eat this cereal instead of that brand it can have a big effect on your entire life and coming of age is being able to calmly rationalize a situation and make the best decision for the best …show more content…
Choices because they teach people how to make good decisions and how they can impact you, then shows coming of age because it gives the opportunity to effectively rationalize in most situations. Secondly, responsibility because it lets somebody figure out what that person would love, hate, and care about or what's worth anything to anyone, it represents coming of age by showing maturity and patience when taking care of responsibilities. Finally, struggle because it teaches people about morals, how to deal with problems and how to create solutions, this represents coming of age because it shows that throughout struggle people gain strength and wisdom and are able to learn from mistakes, furthermore, struggle builds character. These are little details that factor in towards coming of age, although, there are many factors but these are just a few that fit in and support the topic of coming of
Someone once said, “Maturity is not measured by age. It’s an attitude built by experience.” (SearchQuotes). These experiences help advance maturity and prepare adolescence for adulthood. In coming of age literature, the key is to evolve an authentic character through different incidents. Accordingly, Evan Hunter demonstrates this characteristic development in “On the Sidewalk Bleeding”, through the protagonist, Andy. Within the story, there are moments that illustrate the development in thinking realistically rather than idealistically, a prominent transition from ignorance to knowledge and experiences that demonstrate a shift from selfishness to selflessness. Consequently, the various developments Andy encounters in “On the Sidewalk Bleeding”
emerging adults report that they get along better with their parents now than they did in their mid-teens (Arnett, 2015, p. 51 ). Most parents feel they have a better relationship now with their emerging adult children now too . The national Clark poll shows that 55% of emerging adults have daily or almost daily contact with their parents (Arnett, 2015, p. 50). Parents and children have more frequent contact and enjoy spending more free time together (Gillen, 2015)
Emerging Adulthood represents the period of development from late teens through their twenties, mainly focusing on the ages 18-25. This is the period which people start exploring and realizing the capabilities of their lives, which then helps them characterize as adults and no longer teenagers. This topic of psychology is compelling to me because it’s a stage that every adult has lived through, it’s interesting that we have all experienced it differently based on our life circumstances and demographics. It’s interesting to see the changes throughout the years and eventually it will be easier for young people to explore these years as more young adults are going to school nowadays. It teaches me to further understand why emerging adults go through
Coming of Age is when a character in a story goes through a life-changing event they learn a life lesson from. There are many types of books and short stories that are based on Coming of Age, "The Flowers" by Alice Walker is one of them. In the story the main character, Myop, is wandering through the woods. However, she later decides to shorten her walk, after she starts to feel uncomfortable and fearful, of her surroundings. Soon she decides later to find her way back home until she stumbles across something... a dead body. At first Myop was astonished of what she had uncovered . It was something she had never encountered before. After examining the body she began to realize that it was actually something very interesting. Seeing the lifeless
“Dead Poet’s Society” is a film set in the late fifties at a prestigious school for boys called the Welton Academy. The story focuses on an unorthodox English teacher and his impact upon his students, especially a group of seven boys. The primary focus of this film, in my opinion, is the theme of coming of age. The film itself highlights many important and relevent issues that teenagers face in the process of trying to find out who they are as a person. The students are constantly pressured to conform by adults throughout most of the film. Although these adults are only trying to help the boys, it is important that they figure themselves out and develop their own way of thinking. When the boys realize this, they grow up themselves. The character of Todd is a fantastic example of this. Throughout most of the film, this shy boy is ultimately unwilling and reluctant to go against what he is told. When Neil commits suicide, he begins to see the world in a very different way and understands that sometimes questioning the decisions and regulations accepted by society is necessary.
I realized that coming of age is difficult for some people, Ponyboy for example. The ongoing feud between the Socs and the Greasers caused Ponyboy to grow up in dangerous conditions. These conditions caused Ponyboy to have to adapt, and the adaptions that Ponyboy went through weren’t exactly
The dictionary defines rites of passage as ceremonies that mark important transitional periods in a person’s life. It usually involves rituals and teachings that help shed their old roles and prepares them for their new roles. Although all boys and girls will go through a rite of passage to be considered an adult, the path they will take will differ greatly. The common point I have found them all to have is the age range at which this usually occurs, which is between 13 and 16. Some will have to endure task while some participate in celebrations. Some are extremely dangerous in nature while others are less formal and less challenging. All of them require preparations and learning rituals, languages, or dance. I will focus on the puberty phase and how different cultures mark this transition.
Everyone that have ever lived to adulthood, understand that difficulty of the transition to it from childhood. As of right now, I am in the prime of the “coming of age “transition. The overwhelming pressure of our society that forces the adolescence to assimilate the social norms is felt by many. Just as in our first steps, our first words or anything that is expected in our human milestones, coming of age is one of them. It may variety from different societies, religious responsibility or modern legal convention; everyone had to reach this point eventually.
In conclusion, the growing up or the two stages in life are governed totally by a series of situations, parenting, and events that affect the outcome of how the individuals will handle the changes in life. Using human intellect and determining aspects that are normal, life will be lived and a good balanced person in society will be achieved. Because every person is different and an individual, the outcome in everyone will be different. Mature people may encounter different levels of stressful situations or circumstances than younger adults. They are more practical in coping with stress and have a greater acceptance of some things in life that cannot be altered or improved, and, can easily adapt to changes that will occur in life.
For me to “come of age” means to grow up, to become wiser, and to become more responsible. Responsibility, privileges, and consequences are all a part of coming of age. When you get the privileges you need to be responsible with them and if you're not you will get consequences for that. When we “come of age” when we are in high school, for example driving it can teach us what we need to know when leave home along with any other things we learn or any mistakes we make. Even though it’s something that can’t be avoided I don’t think anyone is ready to grow up,who wants to grow up and have to figure out what it’s like to live in the real
Adulthood has often been associated with independence. It serves as a turning point in life where one has to take responsibility for oneself and no longer being dependent on his or her family. Early adulthood, usually begins from late teens or early twenties and will last until the thirties (Santrock, 2013). Early adulthood revolves around changes and exploration while middle and late adulthood are more of stability. The transition from adolescence and adulthood differs among every individual. The onset of the transition is determined by many factors such as culture, family background, and the personality of the individual. Emerging adulthood (as cited in Santrock, 2014) is the term to describe the transition period from adolescence to adulthood.
One of the good things about transitions is they lead to growth and increased opportunities. An example of this is the increased freedom that comes with growing up.
They can dedicate to feel needed and have confidence in their abilities to motivate for themselves. They both learn that not all decisions have a right and positive outcome. They also learn from their process to make better decisions next time. Characteristics of life are meaningful who they are as a person. Also, the lesson that parents teach their children to be responsible. Learning that not all decisions have a right and positive outcome and both learn from their process to make better decisions next time. Knowing their ideas with their knowledge, they both decide their actions, aware of the consequences to some level. Adulthood has much more independence and can choose things like where they want to live and what job they will do. Their knowledge can come from formal education. When adults want something, one of the leading factors will be what others think about the decision they make. What they learn as a child and what they choose to remember as an adult will figure them into the human that they are. They will have their thoughts, actions, and idea too outstanding to them only. Equally, choosing things like where we want to live, what we want to do, and what job they will do. They determinant of how much freedom to have in made their own decisions and having their actions. Children run-through is making choices as they grow. Held responsible for their
“Age is just a number, maturiy is a choice.” (Harry Styles) Some people see this quote as true, while others view it as nonsense. Maturity is the state of being mature, but what does “being mature” really mean? In actuality, the definition of mature is defined by the person themselves. Some believe it is being “Fully physically developed; full grown” as stated in the Oxford English Dictionary. Others argue that one must attain a certain level of mental or emotional growth. Search engines and dictionaries also say that being mature is having reached an advanced stage of mental or emotional development characteristic of an adult. The definition of a word may seem like a small thing because, on the surface, it appears very matter of fact. But, for anyone who is actually striving to achieve maturity, or for one who is being judged or is judging the attained level of maturity of
Maturity is a quality that is admirable for anyone, at any age to have. Perhaps that is because it has to be learned over time and is not something that one naturally has as a character trait. When I think of maturity, I usually think of adults who know how to conduct themselves. Adults are a symbol of maturity-- this goes back to the etymology of the word- which stems from the Latin word maturitas, maturitatis, f. In Latin, the word means ripeness, which would make sense because adults are fully developed. Although the literal meaning of maturity is within the realm of being fully developed, there is a more precise definition that would apply to the psychological and mental practice of what is maturity.