Coming_of_Age_Story

Coming of Age Story Shown in Literary Works Jellissa Bush English 207 Dr. Pace I. Thesis: Literary work’s commonly use the coming of age story, using examples of innocence and experience to convey this major theme. “The Lesson,” written by Toni Cade Bambara, “Incident,” by Countee Cullen, and “Oedipus,” by Sophocles although different and distinct in the story told. All works share examples of this recognizable theme. II. In the story “The Lesson”, Bambara uses the disparity of Sylvia dominating persona towards the rest of the children as the key feature in his work. Bambara uses this element to convey his coming of age story. 1. Miss Moore irony in name 2. Miss Moore thrust children for their betterment. III. The play Oedipus is a coming of age story, as the main character evolves into his destiny. 1. Premise of play centered on his evolution. 2. Oedipus lacks ability to face truth. 3. Oedipus fears, runs, and acknowledges fate 4. Oedipus quick to gloat about success, as a child would. 5. Oedipus comes to terms of fate, and gouges eyes because he doesn’t want to see. (metaphoric) IV. The poem The Incident written by Countee Cullen is yet again another coming of age story. The work chronologically entails the writers experience when visiting Baltimore. 1. First line sets the tone, theme, and premise of story, lets reader know a story is to be told. 2. Innocent in the gesture conveyed to writer. 3. Experience displayed in the racial slur depicted. 4. Experience displayed by the remembrance of the racial slur V. In conclusion I hope I made clear the similarities of the coming of age story shown in all three works, and how authors’ more often than not use examples of innocence and experience to depict the primary plot. Literary work’s commonly use the coming of age story, using examples of innocence and experience to convey this major theme. “The Lesson,” written by Toni Cade Bambara, “Incident,” by Countee Cullen, and “Oedipus,” by Sophocles although different and distinct in the story told all share examples of this recognizable theme. In the story “The Lesson,” Bambara uses the contrast of Sylvia dominating persona towards the rest of the children as the key feature in his work. Miss Moore, as ironic as her name sounds, suggests what the children could amount to if they would only put their education first. Miss Moore pushes for more from the children. She is the main symbol of experience in this piece. The fact that she’s older, educated, and productive in society, thrusts Miss Moore into that experience category. “She’d been to college and said it was only right that she should take responsibility for the young one’s education.”The children however depict the innocent trait in this coming of age story. The children’s unruly, untamed and unknowledgeable spirit amplifies how unaware they are about their surroundings. “And then she gets to the part about we all poor and live in the slums, which I don’t feature.”The contrast between the two forces illuminates the most identifiable theme seen in literature, innocence versus experience. The play “Oedipus,” is a coming of age story, as the main character evolves into his destiny. The premise of the entire play is centered on his fear, ignorance, and acknowledgement of his own fate. The author uses common Greek symbols and motifs to convey this recurrent theme. The story begins as Oedipus rescues the town, Thebes from the Sphinx. He becomes king immediately and does not waste time making known of his name. “I Oedipus, who bear the famous name.” (Prologue, 9).It’s as if he’s a child, innocent, and quick to proclaim his successes, gloating in everyone’s face. Nevertheless by the end of this tragedy, Oedipus’s name becomes a name not too be spoken. The Leader of the Chorus displays just that as he is frightened to even hear it and cries: “You, you’re that man'” (III, 238). Oedipus willingness to ignore the truth is yet again another innocent trait of his. Children more often than not tend to believe what is right to them and not reality, alluding to their care free spirit the same of which Oedipus possess. “You sightless, witless, senseless, mad old man!”(I, 153) he’s so quick to dismiss Teiresias, prophecy, when it could entail his fate. Oedipus willingness to ignore the truth plays out when he is prophesied too; flees from what is home to him; to ultimately fulfill his fate by killing his father and marrying his mother, just as the prophecy suggested. Experience is finally brought to light when Oedipus eventually comes to turns with his actions. Torn and destruct about his prophesy, as he is finally able to see the truth from what he’s been blinded from for so many years. Oedipus gouges out his eyes, metaphorically blinding himself from the reality of his fate, yet again another childish act, because he is still aware of his actions. “Ah god! It was all true! All the prophecies.”(IV, 66-60) The poem “Incident,” written by Countee Cullen is yet again another coming of age story. The writer intertwines innocence and experience, to bring about her story like so many other authors .The title alone implies that something was remembered; often time’s individuals learn from or recall incidents from their past. The work chronologically entails the writer’s experiences when visiting Baltimore as a child. The first line “Once riding in Old Baltimore,(1)” lets the reader know that a past occasion is to be told, as the writer reflects on her own experience as a child. Cullen uses this innocent theme as the main character is a child; children are often looked at as innocent. As you read on, the writer reveals to us that she experienced a discriminating event. The act although vulgar in the racial slur spoken, the fact that it was a child suggest that he or she was unaware of the degree of the inappropriateness. Cullen is very cautious of her selection of words. Her word choices depict both the essence of innocence and experience throughout. “Heart –filled, head-filled with glee,” embodies a child, children are often excited and eager for new experiences, as the previous line hints to the reader. While the line, “keep looking straight at me,” proposes the demeanor of an adult. Stares normally indicate a challenge; the child’s stare does just that foreshadowing an issue later on in the piece. The writer’s only recollection, of Baltimore, being that particular occasion is an inference of experience. Adults would show memory of such a traumatizing, and degrading experience of character. In conclusion I hope I made clear the similarities of the coming of age story shown in all three works, and how authors’ more often than not use examples of innocence and experience to depict this principal plot. c