Of Bildungsroman Novel The Fault In Our Stars And The Secret Life Of Bees

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Growing up is hard and full of tests and changes. As bildungsroman novels, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green address and center on these issues. Lily, the main character in secret life of bees, is a teenager dealing with a hard past that is affecting her present and future. The fault in our stars protagonist, Hazel also faces struggles living an abnormal life battling cancer. Lily and Hazel both have comparable coming-of-age experiences in their epiphanies that change their thinking, the challenges of young love, and maturation from their journeys. The first coming-of-age aspect both girls have is an epiphany. After running away from home, Lily finds herself and her black housekeeper living …show more content…

Cancer limits her chances at being a normal teenage girl with a normal life. As reluctant as she was to go to support group, she meets other teenagers going through the same stuff. Hazel gets to experience the flirting, adventure, and excitement of teenage life. She allows herself to be immature and careless. Gus’s death reminds her how unfair the world is but she doesn't regret her choices. In her eulogy at the funeral, Hazel says “I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful.” (Green 260). This quote shows she doesn't regret becoming close to him; even with the unfortunate fallout she’s thankful for the time and experiences. Hazel matures because of her relationship. She got the chance at “normal” and love. Caring for someone with cancer helped her mature. The main characters in The Secret Life of Bees and The Fault in Our Stars share similar experiences in their journeys. Lily and Hazel both learn their circumstances make them in no way unloveable. They both learn in different ways that letting go of what one knows and stepping out of comfort zones is good. Lily and Hazel go through moments of insight that change them, challenges that complicate them and experiences that mature

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