Each essay should include the following to receive the points:
Respond in at least 2 paragraphs (5 sentences or more each)
4 Quotations from the text to support your response.
Please use conventions such as punctuation and capitalization
Clearly state the main idea of your answer and back it up with textual evidence.
A type of story popular over the last fifty years is the coming-of-age story, in which a character’s experiences result in a passage from childhood to adulthood or from innocence
to experience.
Write an essay in which you make a case for “A Sunrise on the Veld” as a good example of a coming-of-age story. Ensure that you analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
"A Sunrise on the Veld" by Doris Lessing is a powerful example of a coming-of-age story that effectively portrays a character's transition from innocence to experience. The protagonist, a young boy, sets out on a hunting trip full of excitement and curiosity only to be confronted with the harsh realities of life and death. As the story unfolds, the boy grapples with the concept of mortality and the brutal nature of the world around him, ultimately coming to a deeper understanding of human existence.
One key moment in the story that highlights the boy's coming-of-age is when he witnesses the death of the buck he has shot. He is initially jubilant at his success, but as he watches the animal suffer and die, he is overwhelmed with a sense of guilt and remorse. This is exemplified in the text when Lessing writes, “It lay dying, and yet it was not dead. And he, its killer, stood at the distance, looking down at it, with his hand over his mouth” (Lessing). This poignant scene serves as a turning point for the boy, forcing him to confront the harsh reality of mortality and the consequences of his actions.
Another significant aspect of the story that contributes to its coming-of-age theme is the boy's realization of his own vulnerability and insignificance in the grand scheme of things. This is exemplified in the text when Lessing writes, "He watched it, unable to move" (Lessing). Through his encounter with death and suffering, the boy begins to question his place in the world and grapple with existential questions about life and mortality. This new awareness marks his transition from childhood innocence to adult understanding, highlighting the poignant and impactful journey of self-discovery in "A Sunrise on the Veld."
Overall, Doris Lessing's "A Sunrise on the Veld" effectively captures the essence of a coming-of-age story through the protagonist's journey from innocence to experience. The author's choice to depict the boy's realization of mortality and his place in the world through powerful and evocative scenes contributes to the emotional impact and thematic depth of the story. By structuring the narrative in a way that highlights the boy's emotional and intellectual transformation, Lessing creates a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the transition from childhood to adulthood.