bildungsroman

"a novelistic genre that arose during the german enlightenment, in which the author presents the psychological, moral and social shaping of the personality of a - usually young - protagonist.

the bildungsroman generally takes the following course:

- the protagonist grows from child to adult.
- the protagonist must have a reason to embark upon his or her journey. a loss or discontent must, at an early stage, jar him or her away from their home or family setting.
- the process of maturation is long, arduous and gradual, involving repeated clashes between the hero's needs and desires and the views and judgments enforced by an unbending social order.
- eventually, the spirit and values of the social order become manifest in the protagonist, who is ultimately accommodated into the society. the novel ends with the protagonist's assessment of himself and his new place in that society."