What is coming of age? What is a symbol? These are questions that must be answered before reading the story First Part Last. The story gives many great examples of symbolism that correspond with coming of age. The story involves a child with young parents, so that could easily show coming of age. Using symbols is a great way to show coming of age.
When Nia gives Bobby a balloon it symbolizes many different ideas, but it especially symbolizes love. The red balloon that Bobby receives from Nia also symbolizes gender, warning, childhood, and maybe even blood because of the red color. "Bobby I've got something to tell you," Johnson said. Nia is going to tell Bobby that she is pregnant and she is having a child. After this Bobby knew things would change and he would have to grow up. Bobby must come of age and grow up to help his baby in the future.
At Bobby's
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Bobby can't be a kid since he now has a baby daughter. When Bobby says, "... haven't had the time, and probably won't ever have," Johnson means Bobby wants to checkout the arcade. "It'll never be like before, but I still got 'em," Bobby is talking about his friends K-Boy and J.L. Bobby knows he won't be able to go to the arcade or even hangout with them as much because he now has a baby daughter. The arcade symbolizes Bobby's childhood that he will no longer be able to live with his daughter, Feather.
Coming of age can be easily shown through symbols. Those symbols were Bobby's basketball rolling away from him, when Nia gave Bobby the balloon, the wall that Bobby tags, the arcade, and Bobby's backpack. Nearly ever object in this story could be represented as a symbol, but the ones I talked about felt like the were easily understood symbols. I believe that Bobby did come of age and grow up a lot throughout the story. He became a new