Maturation and Growing Up in Children's Literature

This essay explores the themes of maturation and growing up in the context of two stories, 'The Children of the King' and 'Throne of Glass'. It discusses how adverse external environments can affect the mental and physical growth of children and how authors use the genre of children's literature to introduce important themes in a light manner. The essay also highlights the impact of war and the fight of good against evil in these stories.

Running head: MATURATION AND GROWING UP
Maturation and Growing Up
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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The genre of Children Literature has emerged as one of the most important one
within the cannon of contemporary literature and it is seen that various authors are actively
resorting towards use of this genre for articulating important ideas (O’Sullivan, 2017).
Moruzi, Smith and Bullen (2017) are of the viewpoint that the popularity attained by children
literature can be ascribed to the fact that the use of this genre offers liberty to authors to
express important themes in a light manner. More importantly, as opined by Nikolajeva,
(2015), this genre is also used by various authors to introduce budding children to the harsh
as well as cruel world that they need to enter a few years later. In addition to these, it is seen
that stories as well as novels written for children not only serve as a source of delight for
them but at the same time offer them entertainment as well (Nelson, 2017). Geerts and
Bossche (2014) uphold the viewpoint that supernatural elements, brave heroes, distressed
ladies, happy endings and others entities with which these stories or novels are redolent with
are much appreciated by the children. However, in the recent times, it is seen that these
stories often contain complex issues like problem of maturation, growing up and others. This
essay will explore the themes of maturation and growing up in the particular context of the
two stories “The Children of the King” and “Throne of Glass”.
Nikolajeva (2016) are of the viewpoint that the popularity gained by children
literature in contemporary times is reflected in the plethora of works like “Cloudstreet” by
Tim Winton, “Picnic at Hanging Rock” by Joan Lindsay, “The Book Thief” by Markus
Zusak and others. In addition to these, various fantasy fictions like J.K. Rowling’s “Harry
Potter”, J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Ring” and others have also gained much popularity
in the recent times among children (Spring, 2015). As opined by Shavit (1989), the major
lacuna of these works is to offer the kind of fairly tales and other contents to children which
will delight them in the best possible manner. In this regard, stories like
“The Children of the King” (2012) of Sonya Hartnett and “Throne of Glass” (2012) of Sarah

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J. Maas are important ones to note. More importantly, taking the help of common elements of
fairly tales, humor and others, these two works also shed light on the themes of maturation
and growing up.
“The Children of the King” (2012) written by Sonya Hartnett is not only one of the
most important works related to the genre of children literature composed in recent times but
at the same time helped Hartnett to earn critical acclaim as an author. The lines of Sonya
Hartnett from her famous work “Surrender”, wherein she says “We both knew that what I
said was the truth, as well as being a lie. The pure and honest answer was pinging between
us, hovering above the weeds” can be said to be the theme of the work (Stevenson, 2014). For
example, in the short story under discussion here, it is seen that the children Jeremy (14) and
Cecily (12) are hovering between the real world of adults which is being dominated by the
World War II and the innocent world of children (Stevenson, 2014). It is pertinent to note at
the beginning of the story, the two children and their mother are being shown as moving from
the city of London to the suburbs of the nation in order to escape the adversities of the war
(Stevenson, 2014). This obviously had an impact on the two children and the process of their
growing up. However, the measures, that the two children use to react to change is
completely different
It is seen that Jeremy wants to participate in the war just like his father and contribute
in a meaningful manner towards the cause of good (Stevenson, 2014). Druker and
Kümmerling-Meibauer (2015) are of the viewpoint that this can be traced back to the notions
as well as concepts that are being taught to them since their childhood but also to the
surroundings in which they have been brought up. For example, it is seen that Jeremy belongs
to a family where there is a soldier, thus it is obvious that he would inculcate the virtues of
his father and try to fight the evil. However, Cecily, on the other hand, is a timid child who is
horrified by war and wants to escape the adverse effects of it at all costs (Stevenson, 2014).

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In this regard, it needs to be said that the influence of society of 1940s and also the manner in
which the women of that time were required to act is clearly manifested in her character.
Freeman (2018) has stated the process of maturation in children is being facilitated
to a great extent by various adverse events since they leave a lasting imprint on the innocent
minds of the children. This becomes apparent in the case of the two children who are being
depicted in the story under discussion here. This also becomes evident from the realization of
children that “Bad people aren't happy. . . Wickedness often wears fancy clothes, dines on
rich food, has money, controls armies, rules nations. . . but it never seems to know joy. Peace,
laughter, trust, ease: these things flee from wickedness like sparrows from the shadow of a
hawk” (Stevenson, 2014). The various adventurous that these children undertake during the
course of their journey like the experience of castle and others contribute in a substantial
manner towards their maturation (Stevenson, 2014). The children describe the castle as
“Nonethless it had been a castle, with all that this implies: it had had towering walls and
turrets, beams as great as trees….It housed sculptures and paintings, tapestries and cushions,
carpets and carvings…silver, glass, gold, damask, ivory, ermine” (Stevenson, 2014). It is
pertinent to note that these experiences at first might seem to be very simple ones yet a
deeper analysis of these incidents reveal the fact that they are redolent with deeper meanings
as well. For example, the incident of castle might seem to a simple fairly tale and a
supernatural event yet a deeper analysis of the same reveals the fact that it in a subtle manner
depicts the horrors and also the uncertainty presented by the gruesome war itself (Stevenson,
2014). Thus, it can be said that the author Sonya Hartnett in a subtle manner utilizes the
theme of maturation and growing through her use of contemporary events and also the impact
that they had on the budding minds of the children. More importantly, the author also
conveys the message that “In the quest for power, truth is always the first thing left behind”
(Stevenson, 2018).

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“Throne of Glass” (2012) of Sarah J. Maas, on the other hand, is a literary work
related to the genre of children literature which can also be classed under the genre of fantasy
fiction as well (Maas, 2014). The work under discussion here not only appeared on the “New
York Times Best Seller list” but at the same time a television adaptation of the same is being
made by Mark Gordon which will be telecasted by Hulu (Maas, 2014). This story, just like
the story of Sonya Hartnett dwells on the themes of maturation as well as growing up. The
story under discussion here traces the adventurous of Celaena Sardothien, a teenage assassin
in a kingdom which is being ruled by a tyrannical ruler (Maas, 2014). The story portrays the
valiant efforts of Celaena Sardothien to fight against the tyrannical rule of the ruler of the
kingdom but also her attempts to defeat the ruler (Maas, 2014). The story also sheds light on
the different unexpected bonds or associations that she forms with people but also her efforts
to unearth a conspiracy.
Celaena Sardothien is shown in prison at the beginning of the story because of her
protests against the autocratic rule of the ruler of the kingdom. However, the son of the
tyrannous ruler makes an offer to her to serve as the champion of the king and fight against
the other assassins of the kingdom (Maas, 2014). She would have to perform this role for four
years after which she would be granted freedom. Furthermore, during the course of these four
years she forms meaningful bonds with “Chaol, the captain of the guard, and Dorian, the
crown prince of Adarlan” (Maas, 2014). More importantly, during the course of these years
she is not only drawn towards various battles but conspiracies as well which reveals
insightful details not only regarding the malpractices of the king but also about her past as
well.
The themes of maturation as well as growing up had been explored by Sarah J. Maas
in the story under discussion here through the journey of Celaena Sardothien in the period of
four years that the work under discussion here depicts. At the beginning of the story, the

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protagonist is being shown as a helpless child who has to accept the decision of the son of the
king and fight against the assassins just to please him (Maas, 2014). However, as the story
progresses she not only maturity but valuable insight as well and at the same time gains
mental ability to analyze the different events and the facts which are revealed to her in a
subjective as well as objective (Maas, 2014).
She develops the mental faculty of identify the real nature of human beings and also
learn to form effective bonds as well which as a matter of fact helps her in a substantial
manner. In this regard, the lines “’You could rattle the stars’, she whispered. ‘You could do
anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most’”
are important to note (Maas, 2014). Furthermore, it is because of the mental development as
well as maturity which she has gained during the course of the story that she is being to
understand things which are going on around her and also to unearth the conspiracy in an
effective manner. This gets reflected in the confidence that she exuberates towards the end of
the story “My name is Celaena Sardothien. But it makes no difference if my name's Celaena
or Lillian or Bitch, because I'd still beat you, no matter what you call me” (Maas, 2014).
Thus, it can be said that the subtle manner in which Maas explores the themes of maturation
and growing are one of the major reasons for the unprecedented gained by the work under
discussion here.
A close analysis of these two works under discussion here would reveal the fact that
both of them are redolent with the themes of maturation and growing up and show the
process of development that the protagonists of these two stories in a subtle. More
importantly, both the stories show the manner in which children respond to unfavorable
external environment and the effect these can have on their mental as well as physical growth
(Wolf, 2014). For example, in the context of “Throne of Glass” the process of maturation is
attained by the protagonist through the adverse conditions that she faces during the course of

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the four years. On the other hand, in the context of “The Children of the King”, the process of
maturation is attained by the two children through the journey that they undertake from
London to the suburb and also by the adverse effects of the Second World War.
These two works under discussion here in addition to the themes of maturation and
growing up that they utilize also take the help of other themes as well. For example, it is seen
that the work “The Children of the King” takes the help of the theme of war and its cruelties.
More importantly, the work also highlights the adverse effects that the machinery of war can
have on the lives of individuals and also the resultant changes that they need to make to
mitigate the adverse effects of these evils (Stevenson, 2014). For example, in the story under
discussion here it is seen that the family had to leave their home and move out to suburbs of
the city to stay out of the way of harm. In addition to this, the story, at the same time, in a
subtle manner shows the effect or impact that the machinery of war and its cruel effects can
have on the budding minds of the innocent children. The author discussing the loathsomeness
of war in the story under discussion here says “I fail to see how turning the subject over like
compost can do anything except raise its stink” (Stevenson, 2014).
In the context of the story “Throne of Glass” it can be said that the author tries to use
the theme of fight of good against evil. For example, throughout the course of the entire story
it is seen that the author tries to highlight not only the fight of Celaena Sardothien against the
tyrannical ruler but more importantly on the fight of good against evil. Buckingham (2013) is
of the viewpoint that the theme of good against evil and the subsequent victory of virtuous or
good is one of the favorite themes of children. As opined by Latham and Ewing (2018), the
children love to read this kind of stories and this helps them to believe in the logic which is
being taught to them in their childhood that the world is full of “roses and sunshine” and the
virtuous despite the various challenges that they face ultimately emerge victorious in the
longer run. Maas as a matter of utilizes this notion for the portrayal of the fight of Celaena

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Sardothien against the tyrannical ruler which as a matter of fact is a source of much delight
for the children. In this regard, the lines of the story “Sometimes, the wicked will tell us
things just to confuse us–to haunt our thoughts long after we've faced them” are important to
note (Maas, 2014).
Branson (2018) has stated that the authors often use a plethora of themes in their
works which not only help them in the process of the development of their main storyline but
at the same time help them to shed light on the motivation of the characters and their real
intentions. More importantly, as argued by Flegel (2016), the majority of the themes used by
the authors are not only interconnected with each other but at the same time help the authors
to articulate the main theme used by them in a much effective manner. This becomes
apparent from an analysis of the secondary themes of the two stories,
“The Children of the King” and “Throne of Glass”. For example, in the case of the story,
“The Children of the King”, the author takes the help of the secondary theme of war and its
effect on the individual to highlight the impact that the environment and also the
surroundings can have on the development as well as the maturity of the children. For
example, in the story, it is seen that the children are able to attain maturation at a much earlier
age because of the adverse conditions which are being created by the on-set of the war
(Stevenson, 2014). Thus, it can be said that this not only reinforces the main theme of the
author, that is, maturation and growing up but also serves as source of delight for the children
as well.
In the context of the story “Throne of Glass”, the secondary theme of fight of good or
the virtuous against the evil and the subsequent victory of the virtuous over evil is being
utilized by the author for highlighting the mental growth and also the maturation of the
protagonist. For example, it is seen that Celaena Sardothien is being able to attain a higher
level of maturation as well as mental because of the struggle or the fight which she

8MATURATION AND GROWING UP
undertakes with the tyrannical ruler of the kingdom and also the conspiracy which she
unearths (Maas, 2014). Thus, it can be said that the author in a subtle manner interweaves the
secondary themes of her story to highlight the main theme used by her in the work, that is,
maturation and growing up.
To conclude, the prominence that the genre of children literature has attained in the
contemporary times can be ascribed to various factors. For example, the major reason which
has facilitated the rise of this genre as one of the most popular ones is not because of the
entertainment or the delight that they offer to the children but also because of the subtle
manner in which they explore complex themes as well. In this regard, the two contemporary
stories related to the genre of children literature, namely, “The Children of the King”
and “Throne of Glass” are important. In both the works, it is seen that the authors try to
explore the themes of maturation and growing in the light of the adverse effects of the
external environment. More importantly, it is seen that the authors of both the works
interweave various secondary themes to focus on their main themes in a much effective
manner.

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