Life’s journey consists of multiple forks in the road. How one navigates these forks defines the person and molds their character. Some of the most important bifurcations in the road and associated choices occur during adolescence. Adolescence serves as an essential training ground between childhood and adulthood. Due to the importance of adolescence, many authors have chosen to explore the theme of coming of age. John Steinbeck author of Grapes of Wrath, Alona Perlin author of “Adolescence”, and Henry Vaughan author of “The Retreat” would agree on the importance of adolescence, however, they would disagree on whether adolescence represents a positive or negative defining force. An in depth comparison of Grapes of Wrath, “Adolescence”, and…show more content… The themes of Grapes of Wrath and “Adolescence” support the fact that adolescence can be a positive defining force in determining character. However neither work starts out with a positive depiction of their central adolescent character. In the Grapes of Wrath Tom, the central protagonist, is an extremely self-centered and flawed young person. He has killed a man. When questioned about whether he felt any remorse he replied, “No, I aint”(Steinbeck 18). This conversation reveals he has no compassion or feeling for the dead man. He only focuses on his and his family's welfare. Similarly, Alona Perlin begins her poem describing her central adolescent character in an equally negative fashion. The author establishes this negative portrayal with, “Amidst the cacophony of raging emotions”(Perlin 1). She implies that the maturation process and adolescence inherently cause intense emotional distress among all adolescents. Both in the novel and in this poem, the central characters develop in a positive fashion in spite of significant agony during the process. As the Grapes of Wrath closes, Tom decides to…show more content… As characterized previously, Steinbeck portrays a positive character development as a result of or in spite of a turbulent adolescence. Early in the novel, Tom’s family decides to move to California for financial survival. During the road trip Tom becomes agitated by a stranger’s description of how poorly workers are treated in California. Tom responds aggressively to the man, “I ain't gonna take it. Goddamn it, I an' my folks ain't no sheep. I'll kick the hell outa somebody”(Steinbeck 167). Tom Joad’s only interest is his family’s welfare and responds to any threat with physical violence. In the poem “the Retreat” the author, Henry Vaughan, describes an opposing view of adolescence with its associated maturation ruining the virtual paradise of childhood. The poem opens with an ecstatic depiction, “Happy those early days! When I shined in my angel infancy”(Vaughan 1). Vaughan believes childhood is very close to godly perfection. It is clear the author would prefer to remain a child forever and never go through adolescence. In contrast to this negative portrayal of adolescence in The Grapes of Wrath, Tom Joad’s initially flawed character undergoes a surprisingly positive transformation. Tom even expresses a religious overtone to his conversion to a less self-centered person. Tom had a friend who was a former preacher and
