Rites Of Passage Analysis

Storytelling is a way to communicate to society in a way that creates a relatable instance such that the reader can see themselves, or a version of themselves, within the story. Storytelling also is a way to demonstrate the struggles of other individuals within a society that a reader my not experience directly, but can nonetheless gain a broader understanding of different struggles within society. Although there are many ways to utilize storytelling techniques, I will apply the approach of Rites of Passage to three of the novels we’ve read this semester. The Rites of Passage that I will be analyzing are those within the stories, Houseboy, Woman at Point Zero, and A Walk in the Night. In these stories I will argue that through the characters ', Toundi, Firdaus, and Willieboy, Rites of Passage there is a physical altercation that caused a stunt in their ability to grow emotionally as a character, thus disabling them to continue to their ultimate stage of their reincorporation into society. Because of this, they never become ideal citizens and therefore have no place in society; as outcasts they have no ability to gain status in society and therefore an early death is inevitable. This comments on how even in modern society those who were emotionally or physically …show more content…
This takes place in South Africa during the apartheid. It takes place around two characters, Willieboy and Michael Adonis. We begin the story after Michael loses his job because of the white foreman’s racist viewpoint. This theme carries throughout the story as we see African characters that struggle to be heard over the voice of white men. Ultimately, Willieboy is mistakenly blamed for the murder of a white man, thereby causing the local law enforcement to intervene. As Willieboy hides from the police, he thinks back to his childhood; he remembers how his mother would blame him in the same way and beat him, just like his father beat