THE ORGANIZATION OF
THE BILDUNGSROMAN
NOVEL
SIMPLY PUT:
 In literary criticism, bildungsroman (or coming-of-age
story) is a literary genre which focuses on the
psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from
youth to adulthood and in which character change is thus
extremely important.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bildungsroman
I N T RO D U C I N G :
JOHANN CARL SIMON
MORGENSTERN
I’m not a linguist, but sometimes It helps to breaking down a word
Bildungsroman:
The word “Bildung” is German word for self-cultivation.
“Roman” translates into literally: novel
Source: http://dictionary.reverso.net/german-english/Roman
Criteria for Bildungsroman:
1. Protagonist is usually (but not always) an adolescent.
2. Protagonist usually carries an unusual burden that
prevents him/her from taking their usual place in society
(orphaned, war, race issues, identity issues).
3. There is usually (but not always a villain that makes
matters worse (factory owner, evil step-mother,
Voldemort)
4. There is a benefactor that assists the protagonist on his
way by assuming the role of teacher, suitor,
philanthropist).
5. The story usually resolves with the spiritual growth of
the antagonist who happily takes his/her place in society.
Bonus: The evil villain is locked
away, trades places with the
protagonist, or dies a terribleyet satisfying- death.
There are many ways to classify this Genre!!! Here are just a few:

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

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Language or Nationality
Time Period (Early versions and Modern)
Genre
Particular Issue or Controversy
Mediums (The novel expands from the page to the stage)
Language and nationality of earlier works:
Bildungsroman began in present day Germany (I have no idea what the
country was called in the 1830’s)
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Meister%27s_Apprenticeship
French:
Gustave Flaubert's L'Education sentimentale (1869)
There are others-of course-but these may be more familiar:
19th Century English:
Charlotte Bronte: Jane Eyre in 1847 and Charles Dickens: Great
Expectations in 1861
MODERN EXAMPLES OF
E N G L I S H B I L D U N G S RO M A N :
 Harry Potter
 To Kill A Mockingbird
 White Oleander
 Great Expectations
 Jane Eyre
 Kite Runner
GENRE!
Examples can be found in most genres but here are a few most may not
think of
 Fantasy: Harry Potter
 Sci Fi: Endor’s Game
 Romance: Anne of Green Gables
 Steampunk: The Diamond Age
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Age)
 Even Plays: Look Homeward Angel (Though it was God-Awful!)
CONTROVERSY
The most common form of Bildungsroman are the novels
that makes the news headlines because of target
audience and content (and now you know what they are
actually called!)
COMMON CONTROVERSIAL
OBSTACLES
Quick Re-cap: Bildungsroman is a genre defined by how it’s
organized.
First, you are introduced to the protagonist. The coming-of-age
element is critical to this definition. He/she is entering adolescence in
an unusually cruel way.
Second, There is some sort of obstacle preventing the normal
transition into adulthood.
Third, There is usually an antagonist or evil villain that worsens the
obstacle typically by oppression. Think of almost every Disney movie
ever made (Scar, Captain Hook, Ursula, Wicked Queen, Gaston).
Finally, there is usually a benefactor that assists the protagonist.
Can be organized by:
Language or Nationality
Time Period (Either the actual time book was written or back drop of
story).
Genre (Note how the Bildungsroman theme can appear in nearly any
genre).
Controversy: Today’s common element of the Bildungsroman is
controversy of some kind.
Finally: Crossover of story mediums:
From the page to the stage:
Questions ???
Comments???
Tomatoes??
Sources Cited:
Google Images
Dabble, Margaret. (2003). "Bildungsroman." The Concise Oxford Companion
to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved April 12, 2012 from
Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54Bildungsroman.html
Websites:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/65244/bildungsroman
http://michelle-wright.suite101.com/how-to-write-a-coming-of-age-storya210637
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/5160054/Elements_of_Bildungsroman
http://www.enotes.com/bildungsroman-nineteenth-century-literaturecriticism/bildungsroman-nineteenth-century-literature
http://www.abebooks.com/books/coming-of-age-youthchildhood/bildungsroman-novels.shtml