Identity/Coming of Age
I’ve always been a fan of what they have dubbed high
adventure. I grew up reading books,
watching movies, even playing Dungeons & Dragons. It’s no surprise that
wizards and dragons hold a place near and dear to me. Many themes can be
present in these types of novels like good vs. evil, adventure, or
identity/coming of age, which is what I chose as the topic to address.
The three books I chose are the Hobbit, Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone, and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. I
chose singular books but all of these could be extended to include others from
the series that they are a part of.
The Hobbit
Gandalf: "I
am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s
very difficult to find anyone."
Bilbo: "I
should think so—in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for
adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I
can’t think what anybody sees in them …”
“But you are
really just a little fellow, in a wide world after all” – Gandalf
From a home
body who loved good food, pocket handkerchiefs, good food, beautiful hills,
good food, an occasional nap, good food, a pipe, and… oh yeah, good food to one
brave enough to walk into the lair of a dragon and confront a stubborn friend
who had lost his way. Bilbo’s
transformation is complete. He leaves one way and comes home over a year later
a changed Hobbit. He went from shunning adventure to longing for it. Gandalf
saw the potential in Bilbo and helped him realize who he was meant to be, even
if he never knew what lie dormant inside of him.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
"Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark
cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked
even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were
old clothes of Dudley's and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was.
Harry had a thin face, knobby knees, black hair and bright green eyes. He wore
round glasses held together with a lot of Sellotape because of all the times
Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his own
appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of
lightning.”
"He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be
surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in future - there will be
books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!”
Harry Potter has a life filled with twists and turns. He
transforms from an unloved family member treated with no respect, forced to
live under stairs, and made to wear hand-me-downs to a hero who defeats that
ultimate evil. Along the way he learns that he is more than a second class citizen,
begins to realize that he is quite gifted, and goes on to learn to deal with his
achieved “rock star status”. He deals with the Hogwarts equivalent of racism, being
half muggle, or a half blood. He goes through all the bumps in the road like
arrogance, love, friendship, fear, loyalty, self-loathing, until he becomes the
hero he was born to be.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
“Being a half-blood is dangerous. It's scary. Most of the
time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.”
"I wondered how she could say that. What was so great about
me? A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for
the sixth time in six years."-Percy
Percy, like Harry, deals with straddling two worlds. He also
deals with self-esteem issues. Harry was maltreated but Percy just thinks lowly
of himself. He doesn’t know his father, has learning issues, focus issues, and
has been removed from several schools. His mother once told him his father
would be proud and accomplishes things that will make him proud. Unlike Harry
Percy is the half son of a God, Poseidon. Percy meets others like him,
adventures cross country to clear his father’s name, and proves himself worthy
even to the king of the Gods. Not bad for a D+ student.
All of these characters had one thing in common; they were
but small folks in a larger world who had to grow in their larger than life
future selves.
