Myop's Coming Of Age

Going on a journey alone is important in the process of coming of age because doing so allows the person to adapt, change, and mature. The story “The Flowers” by Alice Walker and the poem “Birches” have a very good portrait of a person going on a journey alone and experiencing this. The protagonist of “The Flowers”Myop, usually walked through the woods with her mom but as seen here she isn’t, “Today she made her own path”. While alone on this walk she finds something that changes her in many ways and is the main instigator of her coming of age. On this walk, she finds the remains of a dead black man and there are many metaphors in the story of Myop losing her innocence and her coming of age, an example of this is “Myop laid her flowers” and
During his walk he imagines a child climbing the trees and then weighing down the branches to go to the ground.He did this as a kid and longs to “climb trees again”(go back to a time without the responsibility of adult life), but he is “trapped” in adulthood. However, he realizes from later thinking that his adult life isn’t a trap as his young imagination and his youthful memories can “free” him.” so was I once a swinger of birches\And so I dream of going back to be.” This shows how he longs to return to his childhood or at the least, his younger times.“I’d like to get away from earth awhile\And then come back to it and begin over.” This shows how he views a return to his younger years as a form of vacation from his adult life.The text reads, “May no fate willfully misunderstand me\And half grant what I wish and snatch me away\Not to return. Earth’s the right place for love.\I don’t know where it’s likely to go better.” This shows his realization of that life on Earth, whether it be young or old, is a better life than the other options and he realizes that his love of life can be enjoyed even now as an older