Coming-of-Age Narratives Lecture Notes

Changing Absa Queen: Booksmart Lecture Notes by Dr. Alan D. DeSantis

Introduction

• Booksmart (2019) is a coming-of-age movie.
• Feldstein was nominated for Best Actress at the 77th Golden Globe Awards.
• Rotten Tomatoes named Booksmart the #1 comedy of the decade.

Part 1: Brief History of the Coming-of-Age Narrative

Basic Narrative Defining the Genre

• The coming-of-age narrative typically involves:
  • A teen protagonist.
  • Life (school) transition.
  • Adult choices.
  • A journey of discovery.
  • Pressure from adults and peers.

History

• Before Cinema: Western writers generally ignored the lives of youth, considering adult experiences more interesting.
• 1800s: The beginning of Coming-of-Age Narratives
  • Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens (1839)
  • Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott (1869)
  • Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain (1884)
  • Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (1894)
  • Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane (1895)
• 1950s & 60s: Three Great Novels
  • The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger (1951)
  • East of Eden, by John Steinbeck (1952)
  • To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee (1960)

Coming-of-Age Films

• Started Slowly:
  • Wizard of Oz (1939)
  • 400 Blows (1959)
  • Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
  • To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
  • Oliver! (1968)
• Disney (1938-69): Softer, kinder coming-of-age stories for kids
  • Snow White (1938)
  • Cinderella (1950)
  • Sleeping Beauty (1959)
  • Jungle Book (1967)
  • Lesson: Tradition and parents always know best; happiness comes from listening & obeying them.
• 1960s Films: Radical challenges to power
  • Easy Rider (1969)
  • Graduate (1967)
  • If (1968)
  • Lesson: Break free from the older generation.
• 1970s & 80s: The genre exploded.
  • American Graffiti (1973)
  • Star Wars Trilogy (1977–1983)
  • Saturday Night Fever (1977)
  • Grease (1978)
  • Flashdance (1983)
  • Risky Business (1983)
  • Karate Kid (1984)
  • Stand by Me (1986)
  • Dirty Dancing (1987)
  • Stand & Deliver (1988)
  • Big (1988)
  • Dead Poets Society (1989)
  • Back to the Future Trilogy (1985-90)
• John Hughes Owned the 1980s:
  • Sixteen Candles (1984)
  • Pretty in Pink (1986)
  • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
  • Breakfast Club (1985)
• Comedies of the 90s:
  • American Pie (1999)
  • Something about Mary (1998)
  • Billy Madison (1995)
  • Beavis & Butthead (1996)
• Horror of the 90s:
  • Scream 1 & 2 (1996-97)
  • The Faculty (1998)
  • Buffy (1992)
  • I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
• Recurring Commonalities (1939 to 1999):
  • Many were comedies.
  • Most focused on love.
  • Most were conservative in tone (parents are right).
  • Featured likable characters.
• Disney’s 2nd & 3rd Generations: More Diverse But Still Expressed “Conservative” Values
  • Older Generations Were Right. So Repeat it.
  • And of course, get married & start a heterosexual family.
• More Than Just White, Heterosexual Boys:
  • From Late 90s to Today: Films with a) Diverse Casts, b) Dealing with Previously Ignored Mature Topics Have Become Very Popular
  • Black:
    • Boyz in the Hood
    • Dope
    • Crookly
    • Love and Basketball
    • Juice
  • Gay:
    • Call Me By Your Name
    • Love Simon
    • Moonlight
  • Girls (not defined by boys):
    • Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
    • Mean Girls
    • Juno
    • Booksmart
  • Death:
    • Fault in Stars
    • Me, Early, and the Dying Girl
    • All the Bright Places
  • Drugs:
    • Feeling Clean
    • 28 Days
    • Basketball Diaries
    • Thirteen
    • Trainspotting
  • Mental Health:
    • Edge of 17
    • Perks Wall Flower
    • Virgin Suicides
    • Girl Interrupted
    • 13 Reasons
  • Bullying:
    • Eighth Grade
    • Unfriend
    • DUF
    • Assassination Nation
    • Evan Hansen
  • Foreign:
    • Spirited Away (Japan)
    • Persepolis (Muslim)
    • Moana (Pacific)
    • All Boys I Loved (Asian)
    • Real Women (Latina)
    • Book of Life (Latino)
  • Super Hero:
    • Harry
    • Twilight
    • Spiderman
    • Hunger Games

Part 2: Generic Conventions of Coming of Age Films

Lead Characters:

• Teenagers (ages 12-18)
  • Erik Erikson's 5th Stage of Life: “Identity Stage”
    • Asks: Who am I? / Where am I going? / Do I belong?
    • Outcome: The child slowly transforms to an adult.
• Underdogs: Less-Popular & More Awkward than typical leads (but they are also more relatable)
  • (e.g., 3 Wizards, McLovin’, Luke, all of Hughes’ teens, Karate Kid)
• Sidekicks: Who are uncool & are on a similar life journey
  • Often, this friendship is tested
  • (e.g., Superbad, Book Smart, Stand By Me)
• Love Interest:
  • 1st experience with mature love (and they are not very good at it, yet).
  • (e.g., Call Me Name, Spiderman, Juno, Perks, Farris, Grease)

Other Character Types

• Popular Kids (Often Antagonists):
  • Star Athlete / Head Cheerleader / Popular Mean Girl / Class President
• Bullies: Lots of Bullies
  • Often, the Cool Kids at School
• Adults: Out of touch adults
  • Parents, teachers, coaches, deans
  • Cynical lesson about adults
  • (kids may be young, but we’re not evil)
• Cool Adult: 1 Good Adult
  • “Cool” adult, empathizes with the kids
  • Often hated by the other adults.

The Context:

• Moment in young life during a Transition
  • Elementary to Middle
  • Middle to High
  • High to College
  • College to Adulthood
• Time Frames
  • Day: (Dazed, Booksmart, Farris Day Off, American Graffiti)
  • Event: Detention (Breakfast) / Suicide (13 Reasons) / Death Match (Hunger Games) / Party (Book Smart, Super Bad) / Fight/Contest (Mulan, Karate Kid & Friday Night Lights, Scooby Doo)
  • Quest: (Goonies, Mulan, Stand By Me, Lion King, Hobbit & LOTR)

Emotions of Our Lead(s) Experiencing Adult Emotions:

• Lust / Jealousy / Envy / Self-loathing / Rage & anger towards family / Narcissism / NEED to be liked & accepted by peers / Depression / Public humiliation -- Not found in a child’s mind Causes of these new adult emotions:
  • Distance from home & school
    • Both used to give them stability & solace.
  • Conflicting expectations
    • Home: To stay their innocent child.
    • School: Be the ideal student.
    • Peers: Peer Pressure to follow the cool kids/gang
  • Hormones and Physical Changes
  • Being misunderstood
  • Lack of control

Drama in the Narrative:

• Protagonist forced to make adult decisions
  • Forced to operate above their current emotional capacity
• Situation puts lead on a path of self-discovery:
  • Learning something about themselves & the world
• Realization of limitation
  • Identity Crisis: We are not the most attractive, popular, lovable, and intelligent & we can’t be anything we want
• Discovers that Adults are flawed individuals (no longer their heroes)
  • Dad having affair / Parents Divorce / Financial problems

Recurring Activities:

• Acting Out:
  • Alcohol / Drugs / Breaking Law
  • Sex / Abortion / Police Arrest
• Often at Parties
  • Where teens play at “adulthood”
• Loss of Innocence
  • (Symbolically = Loss of innocents)
• Experimentation of adult control
  • Followed by getting caught

Dialogue:

• More authentic
  • (unique for “teen audiences”)
• Focus on the internal struggles
  • Often shocks adults how mature & troubled they are

Resolution: Narrative Arc

• Lead Character Growth (From Act 1 to Act 3)
  • From Naiveté/Innocence . . .
  • To discovering a greater understanding
• Relationship with Parents/Adults Improved
  • Both teens & parents come to better understand each other
• Key: Growth does not equal certainty:
  • Their Future is Unwritten=
  • But no simple answers (or smooth sailing)

Genre’s Purpose

• For Older Audiences:
  • It is nostalgia, supplying romantic ideas of youth
• For Younger Audiences:
  • Reminds kids that are not alone
  • Underscores the Shared Experience (not isolation)
  • Creates a sense of community
  • Truth: Adolescence is tough, mean, & lonely time in our lives