The transition from childhood to adulthood is often characterized by cultural events, birthdays, puberty, and graduations. Sharon Olds poem, Rite Of Passage, gives an interesting perspective on the transformation. Using beautiful imagery, the reader can visualize a birthday party filled young boys trying to one-up each other. This is first presented when the boys are comparing their ages, “How old are you? Six. I’m seven. So?” (Sharon Olds, Rite Of Passage). The hidden meaning behind the poem is that as a child transitions to adulthood they have to decide what type of adult they want to be and often feel pressured to be the toughest. The descriptiveness in this poem draws a picture of vulnerability and self-confidence. “Men ... with smooth
