In genre studies, a coming-of-age story is a genre of literature, theatre, film and video game that focuses on the growth of a protagonist from childhood to adulthood, or coming of age. Coming-of-age stories tend to emphasize dialogue or internal monologue over action and are often set in the past, with teenagers as their typical subjects. The Bildungsroman is a specific subgenre of the broader coming-of-age story.
Facts
Place of OriginGermany; the Bildungsroman, the genre's most developed subgenre, arose there and later influenced literature first across Europe and later worldwide. 1 Notable ExampleNaruto by Masashi Kishimoto 1 Defining TraitCenters on a protagonist's growth from childhood to adulthood, emphasizing dialogue or internal monologue over action, with the plot built around the character's emotional change. 1 Sources
1. Coming-of-Age Story (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section, first paragraph
focuses on the growth of a protagonist from childhood to adulthood, or "coming of age"
Japanese literature section
Masashi Kishimoto's manga Naruto is a notable example of the genre, depicting the teenage protagonist Naruto Uzumaki with self-confidence, growth and ambition to becoming the Hokage.
Literature section, Bildungsroman subsection
Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world.
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