Coming Of Age Film Essay

Growth in characters is a major characteristic of the “coming of age” film. The young characters rebel, find their “true” self, and have problems with the authority that exists. Most often these characters grow as they find the source of their rebellion and “find” themselves. Growth comes easily to the “coming of age” film because of the age of the characters and the natural mental social changes of that time. Growth is important to a “coming of age” film because it includes the four main elements of a coming of age film; retaliation by a young adult, breaking free, relationship problems, and messages from adults to the young adult. All of those four elements help the character grow from the beginning to the end of the movie. By watching The Graduate and Dead Poets Society one
Actually all of the characters exempting the red haired student are able to find themselves as unique entities outside of the system that oppresses them. One can see the characters journey as more complete in part because there are more characters and their combined journey creates a complete image of the “coming of age” experience. Dead Poets Society is based in the perfect setting for the coming of age film, strict fifties culture and a strict private school. We see the boys’ transformation from these obedient students into self thinking individuals. This happens from odd source considering the normal themes of a “coming of age” film; their teacher. It is Mr. Keating that leads them “astray” from the rigid discipline of the school. Mr.Keating is considered more odd as this source of inspiration when the views of the institution on individuality are captured by this quote from one of the teachers “Freethinkers at seventeen. Hah.” The boys transformation is aptly considered complete when they rise up on their desks in the face of the old headmaster who has persecuted them in their love of Mr.