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Write of Passage

What makes for a great rite of passage story, and how have classic coming-of-age novels influenced our ideas of what it really means to ‘grow up’? In our Write of Passage series, we’ll look at this energetic field of writing from various angles – ‘adult’ coming-of-age stories, work aimed squarely at young adult readers, and writing that introduces young readers to adult themes.

‘Maturity’, according to Kurt Vonnegut, ‘is a bitter disappointment for which no remedy exists’. So why are we all so eager to grow up?

The continued importance and popularity of coming-of age stories, hungrily devoured by readers of all ages, is perhaps testament to the journey being more important – and entertaining, wonderful, and terrifying than the destination. Stories of young characters trying on new political opinions, philosophical ideas, and sexual identities (all while negotiating friendships, cramming for exams, or saving the world) continue to fascinate us. As the market for young adult writing continues to expand, coming-of-age stories have never been in greater demand.

What makes for a great rite of passage story, and how have classic coming-of-age novels influenced our ideas of what it really means to ‘grow up’? What does the flourishing of increasingly specific coming-of-age subgenres say about the state of contemporary young adulthood – and what exactly is the relationship between coming-of-age narratives and broader YA fiction?

In our Write of Passage series, we’ll look at this energetic field of writing from various angles – ‘adult’ coming-of-age stories, work aimed squarely at young adult readers, and writing that introduces young readers to adult themes.

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The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Centre stands. We acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders, past and present, as the custodians of the world’s oldest continuous living culture.