Compare And Contrast Half A Moon And Smokers

In the song “When You’re Young” by “The Jam,” they sing about how teens are full of youthful energy and rebellious thoughts. One of their lyrics states “...the world is your oyster, but your futures a clam.” This line represents the coming-of-age process and how difficult it can be for teens to grow up and find their true identity. In “Half a Moon” by Renee Watson and “Smokers'' by Tobias Wolff, the authors use the characterization of growing and maturing to show that as teens work to find their identity, they often struggle and make mistakes along the way but eventually realize they must make some changes if they hope to mature.

In "Half a Moon" by Renee Watson, the main character Raven undergoes a transformation as she learns to accept

This coming-of-age narrative highlights the difficulties and victories of growing up. The story follows the journey of Raven as she navigates the ups and downs of growing up. Through her experiences, we witnesses Raven mature and gain a better understanding of herself. The story explores the theme of self-discovery and growth with her step-sister Brooke. Raven begins on a journey of self-discovery as she realizes that her identity is not limited to what others say about her. The idea “I am more than what others say I am” is a powerful message in the novel that encourages readers to look inward and find their truth. The quote “I am more than what others say I am” (Watson 3) represents how teens work to find their identity and grow through their teen years. When Brooke goes into the dark forest looking for the Oak Creek Monster, Raven realizes she is Brook’s Step Sister and Brook needs her help. Raven encountered many obstacles and made mistakes during her journey. The feeling “I am seventeen, I should have taken responsibility for watching her, should have stood up for her, made her feel like she belonged.” (Watson 15) really shows how she has changed from the beginning of the story. In this moment she shows her appreciation for Brooke despite Brooke being bullied

In the short story, the protagonist, a young boy, is faced with the difficult task of navigating peer pressure, rebellion, and self-discovery as he tries to fit in with a group of older teenagers who smoke. Through the narrator's challenges, the story reflects the struggles of adolescence and the complex lives of teens. The quote “I oughta quit myself, be the death of me.” (Wolff 10) speaks to the theme of teens searching for their identity as they navigate through their youthful years. Teens must weigh their options and make decisions that will shape the direction of their lives. In the story, the narrator supports the theme of teens working to find their identity in several ways. The narrator is struggling with a personal decision about whether to quit smoking, which is a metaphor for the larger decision that teens go through as they try to discover who they are and what kind of person they want to be. As the narrator navigates the pros and cons of sharing a room, they begin to reflect on the choices they have made in their life up to this point. In this way, the quote “‘I don’t know, I kinda like rooming alone.’” (Wolff 15) serves the idea that growth and learning often come through failure and difficulty. By acknowledging the hard lessons they have learned, the speaker in the story is