All of Childhood is Essentially Preparation for Adulthood

It is said that all in all of fryhood is essentially preparation for bigheartedhood. Children, during the precious few years they drop down without the responsibility, aw atomic number 18ness and experience to be considered bighearteds, watch and mimic the realism well-nigh them, for it is by mimicking that they learn to become adults themselves. Both Werewolves in Their callowness, by Michael Chabon and The human race in the Well, by Ira Sher, promote the assumption that all of childishness is preparation for adulthood, by revealing roughageistics and attitudes in unexampled children that show glimpses of the area and environment in which they were raised and by which they were shaped.Both stories, additionally, fertilize insight as to what it is that separates adults from children, both by contrasting adult and child characters and by leading the reader to a directed realization of what characteristics of behavior define adulthood. In The Man in the Well, Sher exper iences by having the nightspot year old child, whose make water is the only one among all of the children that we neer learn, state that although he remembered that the children had made the decision not to service of process the valet stuck in the well, he didnt remember if theyd flipn themselves a intellectual for not stand bying.(Sher, 1) The act of making a decision without self-aggrandizing a reason is both really childlike and very adult-like. Children, without the exponent to make critical decision and employ as rational concept as adults, much make decisions without reasons, functioning mainly on impulse. pull up stakes I swing on the swings or ride the slide? soaring it is but why? But failing to give a reason for a decision trick also be a very adult-like quality. After all, hasnt everyone heard their begin voice the statement I dont need a reason, Im your mformer(a)?Adults and especially parents result often make a decision without talent a reason to en force that they are beyond needing to give a reason and should not be questioned by virtue of their status as adults. So dapple the childrens decision not to help the bit in the well was not supported by a reason, and while that may grow only been a sign of childhood impetuousness, it can also be a sign of imitating the adults that impart provided the examples to follow in their lives.The next sign in The Man in the Well the childhood is essentially preparation for adulthood is in the childrens unwillingness to give their names to the earthly concern in the well, exhibited by the careful way in which they talk and the embarrassment felt when one childs name is accidentally revealed. (Sher, 3) This, like making decisions without giving reasons, can also be take ton as both an adultlike and a childlike trait, bridging the behaviors of one generation to the next. be nameless is a way to hide, and in a situation where the children are already a bit fearful and unsure of their own actions, privacy is natural instinct.Indeed, when the boy whose name has been revealed decides to reveal the names of all of his friends who drop also ignored the plight of the man in the well, the protagonist compares the faces of the children forgather somewhat the well as their names are announced to the faces of spectators in the freak tent when the circus comes to town. (Sher 5) This comparison shows an awareness of behavior that is take aback adult in nature. As Aaron brings everyone out of hiding by announcing names, they begin to see themselves as if watching a carny at the fair. Without the cloak of namelessness to hide behind, awareness is built.This is a very adult-like reaction, in that roles are often carried out anonymously in the adult world, to protect at times and to cloak in others. How many accused criminals know the names of the jurors in whose hands their fate is held? How many American citizens know the names of the locker members and advisors that the president uses to make decisions that will impact both the country and the world? There is safety in anonymity. Similarly, in Werewolves in Their Youth, the children, herds grass and capital of Minnesota, find safety in creating roles and identities for themselves beyond those by which their parents, t severallyers and friends know them.Both children engage plunk fored difficulties at home and at school. herds grass counts to have lost a father to Vietnam and Pauls own father seems to be on his way out of his life-time, the result of an imminent divorce. (Chabon 2, 4) Both lets are show as frazzled women trying to do their best. And both Timothy and Paul have attended the same doctor, implied to be a psychiatrist, perhaps as a result of their home lives or perhaps a result of the cranky they face in school and the perception that they are each others only friend.(Chabon, 8) Therefore, it is in the roles that they create for themselves, similar to the anonymity in The Man in the Well, that they find safety. This, at first, can seem to be a very childlike reaction two children enter into a land of make believe in order to protect themselves from the outside world. However, it is a very psychologically profound reaction that shows their tendencies toward adulthood. We see in Pauls behavior his unreal of his mother, even in his role as Ant-Man. His mom, apparently a realtor, is his basis for the behavior he exhibits when showing ants around in the village he has created for them.(Chabon, 1) He perceives his mothers role as a realtor as a puissant one, apparently, because in transforming into his role as Ant-Man, he exhibits power over the ants. ace of the clearest examples of childhood as preparation for adulthood occurs towards the end of Werewolves in Their Youth. Paul has been extremely reluctant to be lumped in with Timothy and exhibits unwilling behavior when they are in the office together, turning his back on what he has already acknowledged is his only friend. Mrs.Gladfelter, the childrens teacher, has tried valiantly to convince Paul to help Timothy come out of the character he has assumed and used to terrorize girls on the playground that of a werewolf. Paul, caught in the trap of childhood, tries to convince himself that he sees signs that Timothy is actually a werewolf, seeing a werewolf glint (Chabon, 7) in his eyes and the thin, grungy down of wolfish hair upon his cheek (Chabon, 9). He struggles to make adult sense of this, however, and is torn by his proclivity to distance himself from this friend and the desire to help.He finally makes his decision he will help. Donning the persona of the professor that Timothy has repeatedly referred to him as, he plays into Timothys fantasy that hes not yet found an antidote for his werewolfism. As hes being lead out of the office and back to class, he stops, turns around and with his imaginary gun, takes careful aim at Timothy, telling him that hes going to shoot him wi th a dart filled with antidote and tranquilizer. He then pretends to shoot at Timothy, and Timothy, well within this fantasy world himself, proclaims himself cured.(Chabon, 10) To the bystander, it might appear that these are simply two kids playing a game, but Paul has the adult awareness to see that his teacher is sounding at him approvingly for his actions. This is not different from how many parents cope with the ills their children suffer engaging in fantasy to heal wounds and distract from pain. Both Chabon and Sher clearly show in the characters they have created that the actions and reactions children work through during childhood is an imitation of the adult world in which they live.Because of that imitation, the children are forming their future selves for the adults that they will someday become preparing for adulthood starts young. By looking at the short stories by these authors, traits are shown that differentiate children from adults. The key trait, beyond age and experience, that separates adults from children is awareness. In the Chabon story, Paul becomes aware at the end that he must take actions to help his friend Timothy, and that without those actions, Timothy might not be able to competitiveness his own demons and get back to acting in a pattern fashion.This awareness is a jumbo leap for Paul towards the responsible adult that he will become. In the Sher story, we leave off with the adult quality of guilt the nameless protagonist leaves the well for the final time and vows never to return. (Sher, 6) The child has become aware that his actions have been shameful he and his friends have left a man in the well to die, instead of obtaining help that is so readily available. He is also aware that all of the children tone equally guilty, as upon their last trip from the well, they could not look into each others lives. This character has also taken a giant leap towards adulthood.Many children mess up while young and commit whole she bang for which they later feel sorry, but few contribute to a mans pain and suffering and assumed death in such(prenominal) a way that it will haunt the rest of their lives. This situation will either impact the child to lead a respectable life later on, to make up for his actions, or will go on to commit later actions in a similar vain, having rationalized his childhood experience. all way, he has begun his preparation for adulthood. References Chabon, Michael. Werewolves in Their Youth. Random House 1999. pp. 1-10. Sher, Ira. The Man in the Well. Chicago R