Q&A: Coming of Age Stories
Q: What are the elements needed in a coming of age story? What kind of transformation are we looking for in the hero/main character?
A: Almost without exception, coming of age stories are about the transition from adolescence to adulthood, from being defined by family or society to defining oneself. The hero is somewhere between 10-years-old (Elliott in E.T.) and late teens (the four heroes of American Graffiti).
At the beginning of the story, childhood has already been left behind, and the hero has concluded that the world is not a safe or blissful place. An event that occurred prior to the beginning of the story, or the hero’s overall situation, has made the hero feel lost or stuck in a world over which she has little or no control (the death of a brother in Stand By Me; a dystopian society in The Hunger Games; the social pressure and institutional indifference of school in The Breakfast Club).
After the hero’s introduction in the setup of the story, he is presented with an Opportunity that will either make life even worse (Katniss’ sister being chosen for the hunger games; the introduction of the bully in Karate Kid), or will hold the promise of some escape from his pain (the report of a dead body in Stand By Me; the Rolling Stone assignment in Almost Famous). In response, these heroes’ outer motivations are declared, and their pursuit of those goals begins.
As with any character arc, it is in this journey that their transformation occurs. But in coming of age stories, the conflicts the characters face force them to realize that they are now on their own, that parents, friends and society will not save them, and they must rely on themselves. And with this painful realization comes each hero’s individuation. He now defines himself and stands up for who he is – usually in defiance of parents or figures of authority.
So at the end of the journeys in the movies above – and in all coming of age stories – the world has not changed. It’s as painful and inhospitable as ever. But the hero is now equipped with the strength and courage and independence to face the world head on, and to move into adulthood living his or her essence.
why do you think coming of age stories are so popular
Hello Michael,
are there typical formal criteria in a coming-of-age story?
Julia –
I actually thought that’s what this article was providing. I don’t know anything more formal that what I’ve said – though there may be other elements I haven’t thought of. Perhaps other readers have some ideas? If you do, please send them.
– Michael
When I think of the idea concerning coming of age, I have look at my self and review my dreams. Maybe it does not matter how old the person is as long as the dream is realized. For example; a man raises his family and decides to explore a dream that was set aside for many years. Coming of age can happen to anyone at any time. Coming of Age films are every powerful and entertaining. Thanks Michael for your outstanding comments on Coming of Age.
Hi Michael. Your Q&A article on “Coming of Age Stories” was a great help. But is it possible to have a coming-of-age story for a middle aged man? Perhaps a part of his growing up was taken from him and he still has to learn to carve his own path, even though he’s well beyond the age you describe in your article about these types of stories.
Opie –
Technically, no. A middle-aged man would already be “of age,” so he can’t just now be leaving his childhood. But that really shouldn’t matter to you, because lots of stories involve heroes who must overcome the wounds of childhood, confront a hostile world, and ultimately define themselves and determine their own destinies. This would certainly describe the heroes of Good Will Hunting, About a Boy, The 40-Year Old Virgin, and Frozen, among many, many others. (I explore the nature of wounds and character arcs in much more detail in The Hero’s Two Journeys and in the article “Revealing Your Hero’s Wound” .)
Oh, God, Michael, just like Lonna, I written a coming of age screenplay and I cover some of the elements that you cited and you just reinforced my belief (for years now) in my script. Now, I need to be able to put my screenplay’s chore message, the hook I believe is what I hear a lot, into a two page written pitch or what’s more difficult an eight minutes verbal pitch. Thanks to you, the written , I feel confident, that I can now successfully accomplish. Words can’t express how grateful I am to you for this.
Jorge –
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. But unless a producer has specifically asked for these, I wonder why you’re creating a two-page written “pitch”, or an eight minute verbal one. I recommend creating a verbal pitch of NO MORE THAN 2 minutes, which you will use to get people to read your screenplay. If you must create a treatment to accompany that, keep it to a single page. And only provide it if requested. Your goal is to get people to read your script, not just a treatment. I present this in much more depth in my book Selling Your Story In 60 Seconds and my webinar Pitching and Selling Your Screenplay or Novel, as well as in other articles on this website.
Thank you Michael for answering my question! I have sought this answer for a long time. No one else seems to be teaching Coming of Age stories. When I have asked this question of others, never really got a concrete answer. Again, thank you so much for answering my question.
Lonna – thanks! And thanks for being the writer who submitted this question. It was a lot of fun to ponder and answer.
– Michael
Thank you, Michael. You just helped me realize one of my scripts is a coming of age story and I have fresh eyes on it.
Michael you’ve just succinctly described Bailee Smith’s journey.