BILDUNGSROMAN
AP Literature 2014-15
Bildungsroman
German Bildungs: pictures Roman: novel/book Goethe’s The Apprenticeship of Meister
(1795-96) a story that focuses on psychological
and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood
coming-of-age tale/initiation archetype
Plot Structure
Emotional loss causes the protagonist to leave on a journey
End goal: achieving maturity must come gradually and with
difficulty Conflict often between the
protagonist and society
Examples
Jane Eyre Great Expectations To Kill a Mockingbird The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Portrait of an Artist Catcher in the Rye The Kite Runner Never Let Me Go
Assessment :
Considering your summer reading, could your novel be considered a bildungsroman? Explain your answer in 5-8 sentences using evidence from the novel.
Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neal Hurston Harlem
Renaissance Written over 7
weeks while working as an anthropologist in Haiti
Notes on the text: Watch for
elements of a bildungsroman and other archetypes presented in the story
Watch for dialect