A bildungsroman (IPA: [ˈbɪldʊŋs.roˌmaːn]/, German: "novel of personal development") is a novelistic form which concentrates on the spiritual, moral, psychological, or social development and growth of the protagonist usually from childhood to maturity. These themes are now often portrayed in films as well as novels.
Bildungsromans usually contain the following course:
- The protagonist grows from boy or girl to man or woman.
- The protagonist must have some reason to go on this journey. A loss or discontent must jar him or her at an early stage away from the home or family setting.
- The process of maturing is long, arduous, and gradual, consisting of repeated clashes between the needs or desires of the hero and the views and judgments enforced by an unbending social order. This bears some similarity to Sigmund Freud's concept of the pleasure principle versus the reality principle.
- Eventually, the spirit and values of the social order become manifest in the protagonist, who is then accommodated into society. The novel ends with an assessment by the protagonist of himself/herself and his/her new place in that society.
- The character is generally making a smooth movement away from conformity. Major conflict is self vs. society or individuality vs. conformity.
- There are themes of exile or escape
Pretty much sums up the whole thing, as we now proceed to "Great Expectations" from Charles Dickens.
Pip's life, my study. Pip or no pips, I'll grab one for deco.
