Growing pains are… well… a pain. But they're a normal part of growing up. And once a character emerges from his or her cocoon to become a butterfly, it all seems worth it. Arrietty seems to do the most growing up in The Borrowers, although characters like the boy, and even her parents, have some maturing to do, too. Along the way, characters learn to make decisions for themselves, thanks to some tough new experiences that shove them along the path to adulthood.
Questions About Coming of Age
- How do new experiences contribute to the character development of Arrietty and the boy? What would their characters have looked like if they never interacted with each other?
- Which characters decide to believe something different from what they've been taught? Do these characters have anything in common?
- Are youths the only ones who grow up in this novel? What about Great-Aunt Sophy, Homily, and Pod?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Growing up means leaving prejudice behind in The Borrowers.
Growing up means gaining independence in The Borrowers.