Theme of Growing up in Spies by Michael Frayn Essay

How does the author Michael Frayn discuss the theme of growing up? The theme of growing up is just one of many in the novel Spies. Frayn shows us Keith and Stephen?s coming of age throughout the book. There are numerous ways in which Frayn chooses to illustrate how the two young boys mature within their sexuality, maturity and general understanding in various ways. The reader is given a deep insight on the hardships, excitement and incomprehensions of childhood and how the boys mature to conquer it, making the reader in return remember similar aspects of their childhood. You become drawn in by the cleverly conceived and intricately executed storyline. It becomes clear when the boys begin to grow up as time goes on as the secrets are†¦show more content†¦he responds by ?thrashing about like a beached fish? in an attempt to recover it while urgently bellowing ?NO?. He realises that if he never brought her here, this would have never happened, but thus is a result of his actions and his newly formed daring and adventurous personality. During h is time with Barbara, in a shock to the audience, Stephen experiences his first kiss with her as ?she leans forward? towards his lips and thus consequently taking a few steps further out of childhood and establishing maturity with his new found taste for the opposite sex and participation in sexual activity. The thought of Stephen being involved with these kinds of doings during the earlier stages of the book would have been purposterous. A little after that he experiences his first cigarette which is iconic for adult life and denotes maturity. The thought of an under aged minor smoking is seen as an attempt to enter early adulthood and just sheer disobedience and lack of respect for the law and his parents wishes. Yet another way in which he is growing up and rebelling to a certain extent. Stephen also experiences growing up by entering a new stage of nobility and courage. When Keith?s father demands him to hand over the basket he remains ?silent? while perplexedly ?looking at the floor?. He himself realises near impossible revelation and instatement of nobility as he acknowledges that this is ?the bravest and mostShow MoreRelatedMichael Frayn Spies Essay1337 Words   |  6 PagesSpies Coursework Essay Michael Frayn’s method of shifting between past and present while narrating the novel Spies makes the story more engaging and more moving for the reader. He is able to effectively portray the innocence of childhood through narrating as an old man looking back at himself growing up in WWII and as a young boy living at the time. Frayn also uses shifts between past and present to better employ certain key themes such as withholding information, which is able to enhance how engaging