Transitions: From Boyhood to Manhood

736 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Gender roles in african culture

The older boys would be punished but it would be so overlooked that as soon as they were finished being punished, they would return from their beatings and give them back tenfold to the young boys who told on them. This section is actually one of my favorite parts. As he grows older, his style changes and he sees the real world as it really is as opposed to his fantasies he had when he was younger. A major development in the story is the actual act of becoming a man. Boys his age have a festival for many days that lead up to their circumcision, after which they become men. After this accomplishment, he still writes about his fears and his thoughts but he is much more wary to keep them to himself. And as he grows even older he moves away from home to attend Technical College for four years. These years change him very much and when he returns home he is much more of an adult and conducts himself in such a manner. The ending of the book was …show more content…

Truth be told, and as ignorant as it truly sounds, I believed Guinea to be in South America. I had never really given it much though. I had never really given much thought to the life and beliefs of the different African villages. The only familiarity I have with that topic is the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Similarly, Things Fall Apart has a coming of age tale; something that I am starting to believe is very important to different African villages. In the U.S. there isn’t a set age where we become a man. We grow facial hair, finish school, get a job, but I would argue that a “man” in the U.S. does not truly become a man to the extent and maturity of Camara Laye until he is in his 30’s. I’m not saying this is everybody, but I would say on average we in the U.S. refuse to grow up. We want to be treated as adults and we want freedom and to do things, but we still want to be able to run back home if we need help, something, I don’t think, that Laye would consider

Show More
Related

  • Montana 1948 by Larry Watson - Metamorphosis from Child to Adult

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    Maturity may come at any age and time in a person’s life. One moment he or she may be a carefree child, and then suddenly realize that they have been transformed into a mature adult by a powerful and traumatic experience. An experience they will remember their whole lives. Young David Hayden, the narrator of Montana 1948 by Larry Watson, has a traumatic experience. He discovers that his uncle has been sexually assaulting Native American women in his town. This is a heavy burden for a twelve year old boy, especially since it reveals that his beloved Uncle Frank is the "bad-guy". However, one discovers, as the novel develops, that David matures and grows in order to deal with this situation. He must come to understand what has happened and how the immoral actions of Frank will affect his family and its name. But most importantly, he must know that his integrity will be changed. He will learn shocking things that would mean nothing to a child, but everything to an adult. Larry Watson suggests that traumatic experiences transform children into adults. Therefore, disturbing experiences lead to changes of mind, growth in morals, and an emerging sense of adulthood.

    Read More

  • Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl and The Signalman by Charles Dickens

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    towards the reader to what is the man like but later in the story this

    Read More

  • COllapse by Jared Diamond

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although Greenland and Australia are thousands of miles apart and very different in geography, they also have many similarities. In his book “Collapse”, Jared Diamond shows that both countries have the five factors that can contribute to a society’s collapse. Greenland’s Norse society already collapsed a long time ago, while Australia is still a First World country going strong. If some things there don’t change, the country’s living standard will go down and there could be major problems.

    Read More

  • Momma, the Dentist, and Me by Maya Angelou

    771 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her essay, “Momma, the Dentist, and me” Maya Angelou describe her insight in remembering an incident of racism. The incident refer to a time when a white dentist named Lincoln did not treat her tooth ace just for being colored “Niggah.” In America no one should be allowed to be a form of prisoner, because of their native skin color. Americans should be held accountable for their actions whenever a color person are in need of help their social life. There should be laws ordinances to prohibit persons from confronting -either verbally or physically -color people for not being a Caucasian person. This conflict in rights between those held by color people and the American people those held by, because American refused freedom rights, endanger lives, and economic issues.

    Read More

  • It's Structure That Matters

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    In ¡§Boys,¡¨ the writer condenses the boys¡¦ life into one paragraph. Even though it is a story with thirty-year time frame, the narrative way ¡§one paragraph¡¨ makes every single account similar. As if readers are looking at the world from a high place. Moody uses repetition,¡¨ Boys enter the house¡¨ in every sentence, makes a connection on every single account in boys¡¦ life. It indicates that every outcome that happens before the turning point is relatively immature. This particular style, repetition, emphasizes the symbolism of the growing process and maturity. The story is based on a thirty-year time frame; from infancy to adulthood. It consists a chronology linear of thirty-year which indicates the amount of the time that boys need to transform to men. The writer condenses the whole story into a paragraph with one incident followed by the other which reflects the pace of time as they age.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Gene Forrester In A Separate Peace By John Knowles

    886 Words  | 2 Pages

    Maturity and change comes from a person or character experiencing powerful and life-changing events. These events can range from something small like things people say to something larger like the loss of a life. Throughout the book A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Gene Forrester experiences life-changing events such as Finnys fall, his subsequent death and Leper Lepelliers mental deterioration that cause him to change and mature.

    Read More

  • Irony In Sharon Olds's Loss Of Passage By Sharon Olds

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Using this literary technique enables the author to show how a loss of boyhood innocence helps shape his adult identity. For example, the speaker compares the boys to a group of bankers, “a room of small bankers” (11) to show the hope the mother has for her son to grow up and be successful. Even though the mother knows her son is growing up, she compares her son’s freckles to “specks of nutmeg on his cheeks, (16) and his chest to “the balsa keel of a /model boat.” (17-18). This comparison suggests that even though her son pretends to have a tough exterior, he is still fragile underneath. Olds compares boys to Generals “ they clear their throats/ like Generals they relax and get down to / playing war, celebrating my son’s life.” (24-26) This comparison shows that aggressive behavior is an inborn trait. Boys are hardwired to show their masculinity and they do this by aggressively fighting to establish their authority.

    Read More

  • Still I Rise, by Maya Angelou

    388 Words  | 1 Pages

    With the poem, Still I Rise, by Maya Angelou, she describes the basics. feelings and descriptions of a person that does not need loathing or people to try and lift her up. She shows us that she and all those oppressed in general are strong. We are shown some of the thoughts and feelings people have displayed. against her, but the reality is she won't let them get her down.

    Read More

  • report

    683 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... he becomes a man as he experiences life in the wilderness with the help of his new Indian friends Attean and Saknis. He is eventually faced with the decision of whether to go with the Indians who feel forced to leave the area or wait for his father and the rest of his family, who are months late getting to him and who may not return at all.

    Read More

  • Angry Young Man

    626 Words  | 2 Pages

    The short read, Angry Young Man by Chris Lynch, depicts the very complicated personality of Alexander, a seventeen year old boy who has been through and goes through several hardships like never seeing his father, having a hard time at school and much more. He is a very hot-tempered, socially awkward and misguided boy. His character is a very complex one which Chris Lynch does a great job of describing.

    Read More

  • Comparing Masculinity In Indian Camp And Barn Burning

    1179 Words  | 3 Pages

    Each work tells the story of a boy discovering what it means to be a man in the face of various challenges that would compromise manhood through the help of their fathers. In “Indian Camp,” Nick is taught that to be a strong masculine man one must be confident, in control, and able to handle tough situations. He is faced with challenges that had the ability to compromise his masculinity and path to manhood such as, the heart wrenching screams of the woman giving birth and the horrific scene of the newly born baby’s father sitting in the corner with his throat cut. In “Barn Burning,” his father teaches Sartoris that to be a man means putting family loyalty above all else, enduring violence, and to do whatever his family asks of him. Sartoris is faced with the challenge to choose between what he believes is right and what his father has taught him is right. Sartoris knows that choosing to act on what he believes in will compromise his manhood in the eyes of his family. The young men are forced down very different paths to manhood. Nick’s journey is led by a father who has the best intentions for his son, while Sartoris’ journey is led by a father who does not have his son’s best interest at heart and ultimately learns what it means to be a man by breaking from his father’s ways. However, both young men receive some benefit from their situations

    Read More

  • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

    1397 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Chinua Achebe’s Classic 1959 novel Things Fall Apart, we are faced with the foreign ways of the Ibo people of present-day Nigeria. The story is told through the experiences and often times thoughts of protagonist Okonkwo, an imperfect but respected clansman whose fear of appearing weak drives every decision he makes. In the peak of conflict, Okonkwo is exiled for seven years, loses much of the esteem he had gained and finds his bad Chi to be to blame. Eventually, this leads him to commit suicide. However, despite his belief that his Chi is blocking his good efforts, Okonkwo does have good Chi and free will, and it is his fear of weakness that truly brings upon his downfall.

    Read More

  • Themes In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    1380 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the story Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, there were many events that occur that is pertaining to many different types of themes. Three examples of themes in this story are gender, fear and religion. Gender is a theme of this story because men and women have their own roles that they abide to in Umuofia. There was not any roles that both men and women share in common. Fear is a theme of this story because Okonkwo had a negative perspective of his father Unoka and he did not want to become like his father. In the story he try to do everything differently than his father. Religion is a theme in this story because this story shows how Umuofia’s traditional religion changes to Christianity.

    Read More

  • The Lost Boy Analysis

    691 Words  | 2 Pages

    The author addressed the issues that were talked about in the main points extremely well considering it was coming from his experiences as a boy from twelve to eighteen years of age. In his younger years he noticed the issues but did not understand them till years’ latter when he had experienced them over and over again. The author was able to make connections with how the issues affected him and his choices even before he fully understood what the issue was. An example of this was when he was talking aback on being taken from his school he talked about how the children though he was bad and that there was something wrong with him. This and his abuse caused him to latter not connect well with other children. He was able to

    Read More

  • Still I Rise, By Maya Angelou

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many forms of telling stories and illustrating points in literature. These literary works are meant to convey the author’s thoughts and emotions. One of the most common and easily recognized literary works is, “the poem.” There are many elements that can be used to assemble a poem. For example, in Maya Angelou’s, “Still I Rise,” she utilizes the elements of repetition, figurative language, and rhyme scheme to advocate rebellion and resilience when faced with life’s trials and tribulations, as well as in opposition to her oppressors.

    Read More

More about Transitions: From Boyhood to Manhood

Open Document