“The hardest part of growing up is letting go of what you were used to, and moving on with something you are not”(Kush and Wizdom). When a child must grow up and become independent, they are subjected to internal conflict. They must muster up confidence in themselves to become an adult who is a dependable part of society and the world. This can make way for feelings of sadness as one realizes their childhood has culminated and they must leave irresponsible, childlike traits behind. In “Bangs” by Jodi Bolfe, “On Turning Ten” by Billy Collins, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, all feature children growing up, trying to find their way. These texts all deal with coming of age, but do so in different ways.
In “Bangs”, the author, Jodi Bolfe …show more content…
As the narrator copes with the loss of his childish times, every aspect of the world seems bleak to him. He said that “the late afternoon light....never fell so solemnly”(18-19) against the side of his tree house. The personification makes the reader feel as though the afternoon light is choosing to give off a negative vibe. It also helps emphasize the feelings of the narrator as he is upset over the most subtle details during this crisis. Additionally, the narrator says that his blue bike has “all the dark blue speed drained out of it”(23). Even though dark blue speed can not be actually drained from a bike, it can feel as though it is. The use of personification captures the narrator’s feelings in this moment, upset, unsure, disappointed. To add on, Collins wraps up the poem with a metaphor which reads, “If you cut me I could shine. But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life, I skin my knees. I bleed”(30-32). Collins uses this metaphor to perfectly capture the internal change within the narrator. When the narrator was younger, he was full of magic, happiness, and confidence. As he got older, all of that disappeared, leaving him feeling unusually ordinary. All in all, one’s childhood is not interminable so they must cherish it while it lasts, as one day, they will begin the internal struggle that is
In “Bangs”, the author, Jodi Bolfe …show more content…
As the narrator copes with the loss of his childish times, every aspect of the world seems bleak to him. He said that “the late afternoon light....never fell so solemnly”(18-19) against the side of his tree house. The personification makes the reader feel as though the afternoon light is choosing to give off a negative vibe. It also helps emphasize the feelings of the narrator as he is upset over the most subtle details during this crisis. Additionally, the narrator says that his blue bike has “all the dark blue speed drained out of it”(23). Even though dark blue speed can not be actually drained from a bike, it can feel as though it is. The use of personification captures the narrator’s feelings in this moment, upset, unsure, disappointed. To add on, Collins wraps up the poem with a metaphor which reads, “If you cut me I could shine. But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life, I skin my knees. I bleed”(30-32). Collins uses this metaphor to perfectly capture the internal change within the narrator. When the narrator was younger, he was full of magic, happiness, and confidence. As he got older, all of that disappeared, leaving him feeling unusually ordinary. All in all, one’s childhood is not interminable so they must cherish it while it lasts, as one day, they will begin the internal struggle that is