Question

Consider “Major Molineux” as a coming of age story. How does Robin “grow up” from beginning to end of thestory? What does he learn about himself, the world he lives in, and his place in it? Be sure to includediscussion of the ways the story’s depiction of the city (as particular place and as imaginative construct)contribute to Robin’s coming of age story.

Answer 1

Introduction- My Kinsman, Major Molineux, is an American short story originally published in 1832. The story includes contemporary romantic literature work and touches emotions of the reader. The main theme of this story is individual freedom and values of natural things over artificial or manmade.    

Description- The whole story is surrounded to a youth named Robin who came to Boston seeking his kinsman, Major Molineux who was the official in the British colonial government. Robin was unaware of the culture, people and their behaviors. A rich person threatens him with the prison. The day in Boston for Robin was becoming critical and he was eagerly finding his kinsman. The author used emotional touches in this story and showed Robin as a poor traveler who stuck in a trap of bad guys.

Robin learned many things in Boston but mainly he learned human behavior because people in the city was not much helpful. He found a person near the church who taught him a right way to meet his relative. Robin came to the city to start a new life with the help of his kinsman but his time in Boston teach him many realistic lessons, he realized that real world is very different from his imaginative world. His dress was not following the culture of the city and he had no money to spend for comfort, whole day he roamed on the street, hungry and afraid because he had no idea about the city as well unable to find the Major Molineux. A short period of time became very long for him. He stuck with bad guys but shortly learned to handle the situations. After a long time, he met his kinsman but his life in the city changed his behavior and his life changed for always.

The conversation between strangers and him left some unforgettable moments and his thought for the city had changed. In this story we can see his struggle for kinsman but his life in the city changed him completely.