Since we are discussing the notion of bildungsroman in regard to Telemachus in the Odyssey, I thought we should see how many examples we could collectively procure.
According to The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms (which is the go-to-book for all things literary criticism), bildungsroman is " a novel that recounts the development (psychological and sometimes spiritual) of an individual from childhood to maturity, to the point at which the protagonist recognizes his or her place and role in the world" (39). It literally means education (bildung) novel (roman) in German. You are probably more familiar with the English term coming-of-age, which is used more in regard to movies and has a similar connotation.
In addition to the examples we discussed in class (Brother Bear, Lion King, Great Expectations, Jane Eyre, etc.), some others I can think of that conform to the bildungsroman pattern are:
Books
Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye
Khalad Housseini, The Kite Runner
Movies
Stand by Me
Almost Famous
Good Will Hunting
Juno
The Breakfast Club
Songs
"Strawberry Wine" - Deana Carter
"Thunder Road" - Bruce Springsteen
"The Swiss Army Romance" - Dashboard Confessional
Feel free to post audio/video/lyrics, etc., as well.
I had never considered there to be a word for something coming of age. It fascinates me to look back on past literature, songs and movies and see that they totally qualify as bildungsroman books.A few bildungsroman books I can name are (these should be italicized but it won't let me) The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, and definitely The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland. Some songs would be "Heavy Weight Champion of the World" by Reverend and the Makers, "Must Have Done Something Right" by Relient K and "Sorry, Blame It On Me" by Akon. Some movies would be (again, they're supposed to be underlined) Breakfast at Tiffany's, Across the Universe, and The Labyrinth.
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