ADULTHOOD AND GROWING UP
Adulthood and Growing Up:
A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Humanities and Culture
Natalie Goldman
WGU
07/14/2014
Adulthood and Growing Up:
A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Humanities and Culture
One of the most fundamental themes in art and culture is the development of the individual from childhood and adolescence, into adulthood. This transformation from a boy or girl, to a man or woman is one of the most essential and significant themes that run through the gamut of any culture’s milieu. Moreover, this theme also runs through a multitude of forms and creative works, such as poems, films, songs, dance, and the like.
This thematic complexity may be attributed to the essential human experience of
“growing up”, such that all humans undergo a sort of transformation from innocence to being a responsible contributing member of society. In this regard, Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” is of particular import, as it embodies the theme of adulthood prevalent in other cultural media. In line with this theme is the Fernando Meirelles’ film City of God, which also tackles themes of growing up, albeit in a distinctly different environment and setting. Set in the backdrops of Brazil’s infamous favelas, City of God is a tale of adulthood and maturity in the face of poverty and societal alienation in the modern world. Finally, the painting “The Voyage of Life: Manhood” by Thomas Cole may also be
examined as representative of adulthood and growing up. These works, taken collectively, may be seen as a critical endeavor by artists – as cultural agents – to document the universal essence of change in society, as well as the emergence of responsibility in adulthood, amidst trials and tribulations. Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” is a critical starting point in the discussion on adulthood and growing up. This poem – a classic in its own right – puts forth a mandate on the different rules of being a man, if Kipling is concerned. Such a delineation of the
A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Humanities and Culture
Natalie Goldman
WGU
07/14/2014
Adulthood and Growing Up:
A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Humanities and Culture
One of the most fundamental themes in art and culture is the development of the individual from childhood and adolescence, into adulthood. This transformation from a boy or girl, to a man or woman is one of the most essential and significant themes that run through the gamut of any culture’s milieu. Moreover, this theme also runs through a multitude of forms and creative works, such as poems, films, songs, dance, and the like.
This thematic complexity may be attributed to the essential human experience of
“growing up”, such that all humans undergo a sort of transformation from innocence to being a responsible contributing member of society. In this regard, Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” is of particular import, as it embodies the theme of adulthood prevalent in other cultural media. In line with this theme is the Fernando Meirelles’ film City of God, which also tackles themes of growing up, albeit in a distinctly different environment and setting. Set in the backdrops of Brazil’s infamous favelas, City of God is a tale of adulthood and maturity in the face of poverty and societal alienation in the modern world. Finally, the painting “The Voyage of Life: Manhood” by Thomas Cole may also be
examined as representative of adulthood and growing up. These works, taken collectively, may be seen as a critical endeavor by artists – as cultural agents – to document the universal essence of change in society, as well as the emergence of responsibility in adulthood, amidst trials and tribulations. Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” is a critical starting point in the discussion on adulthood and growing up. This poem – a classic in its own right – puts forth a mandate on the different rules of being a man, if Kipling is concerned. Such a delineation of the
Cited: Bromley, R. (1990) “Working in the Streets: Survival, Strategy, Necessity, or Unavoidable Evil?” In Making a Living in the City. New York: Routledge, 1990: 161-182. Print. City of God. (2002) Dir. Fernando Meirelles. Perf. Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro da Hora. Miramax Films, 2002. Film. Powell, E. A. (1990). Thomas Cole. New York: Harry N. Abrams Kipling, R. (1956) “If” in Kipling: A Selection of His Stories and Poems. London: Doubleday and Co.