Rachel McCauleyMajor Avenue and Identity02/26/13Coming of age means different things in different cultures, religions, and regions of the world. As an example, in the Jewish religion, coming of age occurs when a boy or girl reaches the age of thirteen and has a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, which symbolizes the attainment of religious maturity. On the other hand, coming of age does not mean reaching a certain age or being able to give birth to a child, but rather accepting one's personal identity. Accepting your personal identity does not happen overnight, it involves finding and accepting yourself as an individual. Furthermore, in the short story “Birthmark” and in the extract from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, they depict characters who have difficulty reconciling with themselves. In both storylines, the characters face adversities that the majority of the population does not face, making them feel excluded. Additionally, both characters reach adulthood finding their personal identities through all the tribulations they face. In the short story “Birthamrk,” the main character's defining aspect of his identity is a port-stained birthmark on his face. She always struggled with the mark on her face, which made her uncomfortable; she thought she would be prettier if she didn't have that mark on her face. The character had her birthmark removed at the age of twenty-three, but "she waited patiently since the age of fourteen" to have it removed. After it was removed, she still felt embarrassed. The character thought that people who met her after her cosmetic surgery would have different feelings towards her. Besides, she did not choose this identity for herself, because she...... middle of paper ......the two characters have time to find their identity. For example, it took the woman in “Birthmark” 15 years to come to terms with her identity. This is relevant because for most people it takes days, weeks, or even years. Additionally, the writing styles and plot of each story provide the reader with an effective understanding of the characters. Both writing styles give the reader good insight because they can understand what the characters are feeling. Getting older and finding your identity can be a long and stressful process. Each person faces their own difficulties. It may take them years, months or days, but without nervousness, it is important to overcome them so that you can truly find yourself in the process. The main character of “Birthmark” and Christopher both had to overcome different scenarios. In conclusion, both characters grow up accepting their o