As long ago as Telemachus setting sail for Sparta, tales of youthful protagonists facing seemingly insurmountable challenges – whether personal or epic – have provided a fertile ground for rich storytelling and character growth. Since then, the universal need to find a place in the world has been explored by numerous authors and found expression in coming-of-age novels, with their roots in Bildungsroman and some of the great works of the 19th century, when the notion of childhood was first sanctified.
The History of the Bildungsroman
Originating in Germany, Bildungsroman translates literally as ‘novel of education’ and self-culture is a defining factor. Goethe’s 1795–96 Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship is widely considered to be the first in the genre, which traces the protagonist along a difficult path to maturity and nudges them towards a place in the accepted the social order.
Such reinforcement of social norms might have suited Victorian values, but stories in which naïve characters create their own moral code and stand up for their beliefs offered novelists such as Dickens greater scope for building the type of character arc that underpins modern Western literature. As the 19th century progressed, the Bildungsroman was adopted into a broader sense of coming-of-age books in which social values themselves come under scrutiny.
The youthful exuberance of the 1920s and development of teen culture following the Second World War saw another notable shift in the genre, with the emergence of titles that focused on life as experienced by teenagers and written specifically for them – leading to the boom in young adult fiction that has dominated recent bestseller lists.
Whether focusing on a struggle against a social issue, the defiance of authority or the development of a deeper self-awareness, the examples discussed below are now often thought of as modern classics, earning them a broader audience than perhaps intended and a longevity that shows no sign of waning.
10 Must-Read Coming of Age Novels
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1847)
After suffering cruelty both at the hands of her uncle’s family and at the austere Lowood Institution for poor orphans, Jane embarks on a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall. The book follows the typical stages of Bildungsroman – Jane is propelled by the desire for new experiences, her chance of happiness is seemingly thwarted, and she puts her desires to one side before a change in circumstance offers her a new future – but Brontë used indirect free speech and gave her protagonist more control over her life than was usual for women at the time.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1861)
Looking back on his life, orphaned Pip recalls his childhood encounter with Magwitch, an escaped convict; the romantic feelings he developed for Estella; and how an unexpected inheritance offered him the chance to become a gentleman – as well as the predicament he finds himself in when he discovers that Magwitch has funded his education and that his money is lost. While the novel traces Pip’s transition from childhood to adulthood it also offers a commentary on class, poverty and the extent to which someone can change their identity.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1884)
To escape his abusive father, 13-year-old Huck fakes his own death and sets sail down the Mississippi with Jim, a runaway slave. The characters they encounter draw Huck into overcoming his prejudices, and his initial unease at helping a slave to escape is replaced by a strong bond of friendship that sees him rescue Jim when he is sold to a farmer. The novel is written in the vernacular and offered its primarily middle-class readers an unromanticized view of working-class difficulties as well a protagonist whose moral development challenged racist attitudes.
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce (1916)
Stephen Dedalus is in many ways Joyce’s fictional alter ego and the novel began as the autobiographical Stephen Hero, which the author abandoned. The book follows Stephen from childhood poverty in Ireland, through the gradual rejection of the constraints placed on him by Catholicism and a period of repenting for his hedonism, to the realization that he needs to live a full life that defies his family’s expectations.
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger (1951)
After being expelled from his prep school 16-year-old Holden Caulfield spends time in New York City rather than going immediately back to his parents’ house. He rallies against the ‘phonies’ of the world, conformity and any number of petty issues before falling into a state of despair – all expressed through the sexualized encounters, violent moments, alcohol use and offensive language that made the book instantly controversial – before coming to appreciate that meaning and happiness aren’t dependent on perfection.
Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin (1953)
James Baldwin’s debut novel explores the influence of the Pentecostal Church on the life of John Grimes, an African American boy growing up in 1930s Harlem, and that of his overbearing father – who had been much more wayward in his youth than his son realizes. Semi-autobiographical in nature, the novel addresses themes including guilt, sin, religion and family expectations and soon after its publication Baldwin received a Guggenheim Fellowship.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1961, Harper Lee’s novel explores the racism that its author witnessed during her childhood in Alabama. When their lawyer father goes against the opinion of the town to represent a black man who has been accused of rape, Scout and her brother are confronted with the prejudice and unfairness of the adult world; and as the trial progresses they are led to reassess their place in the community.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963)
With strong echoes of Plath’s own life, The Bell Jar follows the difficulties faced by Esther Greenwood, an aspiring young writer who suffers a breakdown and attempts suicide. While Esther’s story casts light on psychiatric care and attitudes to women’s mental health, her struggles to make her way in the world highlight the strength needed to ward off social conformity, objectification and expectation.
Oranges are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson (1985)
Jeanette Winterson’s broadly autobiographical novel won the Whitbread Prize for first fiction. Set in the 1960s it sees the young Jeanette struggling to come to terms with a sexuality that is at odds with her evangelical beliefs and those of her devout mother. Despite attempts to ‘save’ her, Jeanette refuses to repent and is forced to step away from her faith, and everyone she has ever known, to pursue a life in which she can be true to herself.
The Cider House Rules by John Irving (1985)
Homer Wells spent most of his childhood in an orphanage in the 1930s and was trained by its director, obstetrician Wilbur Larch, to provide safe, but illegal abortions. Unconvinced that Larch’s actions are morally justifiable, the teenaged Homer befriends a young couple and moves with them to their orchard, where he sets out rules designed to offer the black migrant workers order and safety. When life gets complicated, Homer discovers that sometimes even personal rules need to be broken and the repercussions faced.
