Bundling up with a ARTS
Bildungsroman If you were a sucker for “The Outsiders” in high school or rewatch “Dead Poets Society” every autumn, the WRITTEN BY
ILLUSTRATIONS BY
Bildungsroman is your niche. The German word Bil-
Lauren Koleszar
Devin Benko
dungsroman is a high-brow and more technical term for the genre of coming-of-age stories. These stories
Searching for a seasonal read? We’ve got you covered with nine atmospheric coming-of-age novels that will transport you everywhere from the romantic streets of Italy in the summer to the captivating nightlife of New York City streets, plus bonus recommendations for those already familiar with our list!
journey into full adulthood or realization of the true self. Because these stories revolve around topics such as young adulthood, identity and understanding, novels belonging to this genre are especially attractive to those already interested in subjects including psychology, philosophy, education or English. Navigating this genre can be more difficult than others; the Bildungsroman is not studied or taught nearly as often as other genres, such as horror or
ith the colder months ahead of us and COVID-19 still crippling our social lives, more people are turning to literature as a quiet companion while confined by
the walls of their living rooms. Isolation can be lonely, but consider the solitude a chance to finally get back into your book collection or a challenge to read something for pleasure outside of English class assignments. Maybe you’ve already decided to get back into reading, but now the challenge lies in determining which book you should read. If you’re looking for a story conducive to the autumn weather, you need a narrative that’s comforting yet thought-provoking—a work that understands your thoughts, but that can simultaneously transport you to a new setting and cast of characters. If you haven’t already done so, now is the ideal time to familiarize yourself with the Bildungsroman genre. Bildungsroman: a novel dealing with one person’s formative years or spiritual education Bildung: refers to German tradition of self-cultivation resulting in a harmonization of an individual’s mind and heart in unification of identity within the broader society roman: German word for “novel”
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through a philosophical, emotional, and/or spiritual
science fiction. For instance, you probably started reading this piece because you were curious what “Bildungsroman” even meant. As you roam your bookshelves or browse online for a captivating read, consult the recommendations below. Categorized for your convenience are nine novels from the Bildungsroman genre, complete with plot summaries and reasons why they might be the cozy quarantine reads you’re looking for! “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath To call American poet Sylvia Plath’s only novel dark is a severe understatement. We follow Esther Greenwood as she navigates a magazine internship in 1960s New York City until her eventual mental breakdown takes us back to her hometown in Massachusetts, where she faces societal stigmatization of both her mental illness and what is expected of her as a woman. Not for the faint of heart, “The Bell Jar” is a riveting story of brutal depression, search for identity, and the painful, sacrificial road to recovery. Recommendations: “Girl, Interrupted” by Susanna Kaysen, “Hangsaman” by Shirley Jackson The Book Thief” Markus Zusak Zusak’s historical fiction novel lends itself to the Bildungsroman genre. Set in Nazi Germany, we follow little Liesel whose self-discovery is married with the
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often follow a teenage or young adult protagonist
