Coming-Of-Age Essay Preview

    My essay was about the depiction of 'coming-of-age' in Naruto. He's a character whose story is defined by overcoming challenges, shedding his past, and the aspiration to become Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I saw his growth, not defined by simply his age or the acquisition of new power but rather, his changed mindset on why he wants to become strong. In the beginning of this 750 episode anime, Naruto's main reason to get strong is to gain recognition and to be loved. His parents were killed on the day of his birth so understandably, he seeks out attention. Despite having such a rough childhood, Naruto is able to make many great friends throughout his journey, and slowly, his reason to gain power changes. After witnessing deaths of those near to him, he now wants to solely protect all those he loves. This is what I think "Coming-Of-Age entails in Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto. 

Comments

  1. Joanna's BlogFebruary 11, 2021 at 4:23 PM

    I think it is quite different that Naruto's coming-of-age took place in the absence of parental figures, as in many coming-of-age novels, the people in the protagonist's life are significant to their growth and change. At first, Naruto's background led him to seek power and veneration out from others. But with the companionship of friends and mentors, Naruto matures and develops a selfless mindset, while ultimately not compromising his own goals.

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  2. Lorenzo PantanoFebruary 18, 2021 at 9:41 PM

    Yeah, I definitely agree. All of these are things that make up coming of age, like acceptance of death and the capability to love.

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