There is no definite way of proving that someone has come of age. However, there are symbols that can be shown that you are on your way. Symbols are concrete objects that represent a bigger idea or event as a whole. Bobby in Angela Johnson's The First Part Last has many experiences in the novel that show how he comes to age by the end of the story. This novel is about a sixteen year-old boy who's girlfriend is pregnant...and he's the father. Throughout the duration of the story we see Bobby's struggles while he raises his daughter, Feather, with no help from anyone else, not even the baby's mother, Nia. An example of a symbol of coming of age in The First Part Last is the basketball. In this part of the story, Bobby is leaving his apartment
