This paper aims at providing a research analysis of how a child’s life is socially constructed through their transition and development to adulthood. The essay will demonstrate extensive knowledge and critical comprehension of the dominant studies of child development, cultural roles, and characters that affect children and youth. The article also describes the application of differing rights and responsibilities in practical scenarios through the use of key concepts to help develop a well-versed and stable position of how both international and national settings and studies perceive children and youth rights and responsibilities. The essay also compares and contrasts the different conflict concepts of childhood and adolescence. By doing so, the article provides the links between the concepts and the expected behavior of children and young people by society and the responses to the said behaviors from society. The essay uses the Orwell Story in “Such Such were the Joys” by George Orwell as an illustration.
George Orwell’s story narrates how as a young boy he acquired a scholarship to a prominent school known as St Cyprian’s a private school which catered mostly for children from upper-class families and sporadically for bright lower-upper and middle-class children like Orwell. Ironic to the title, Orwell’s experience in St Cyprian’s was extremely horrible as other students frequently bullied him, beaten by ruthless and unskilled teachers, he barely fed to survive, and the small amount of money he received from his parents was kept by the headmaster’s wife who would disburse it to him in little amounts. That means that even though Orwell had more pocket money he was only allowed to spend the least of it.
At the beginning of the essay is the narration of how young Orwell is wetting the bed for the very first time in many years after he arrives at St Cyprian’s out of fear and loneliness in the new environment and being away from his friends and family. This marks the beginning of his miserable life that is meant to influence him into his career, construct, and transit him into a reasonable adult.
To understand how the transition processes occur it is essential to define transition and discuss the changes that take place during the transition process. A transition is a movement from childhood to adulthood through adolescences in all areas from school, home, and healthcare as well as in the community. Defining the transition process biologically will help us understand the changes that occur in the body.
During the transition, multiple changes occur in the child’s body. These include the physical, mental, social as well as the emotional changes. Physical changes occur when the child’s body starts to show changes such as aches on the face, growth of pubic hair, and beards, breaking of the voice, enlargement of shoulders, breast, and hips among other changes (Adams et al. 2008). However, mental changes can be well defined by cognitive development.
Cognitive development is the creation of the thought processes from childhood thru adolescence to adulthood which includes problem-solving, remembering, understanding and decision making (Giedd et al.. 1999). As the child transforms into adulthood, they can perceive, gain better understanding, reason, and most important make rational decisions (Berk 2008). During the process, these young adults think like grown-ups but still, make wrong choices since they do not emphasize on long-term decisions but make decisions that will satisfy their peers.
These changes often take place during adolescence a stage that is often confused with adulthood. A sense of maturity usually accompanies the transition from adolescence to adulthood with expectations that one is independently responsible for their selves and are capable of making independent choices and can sufficiently take care of themselves. During this period young people struggle with many opportunities and problems that significantly impact their lives. The individual growth trails are marked by their decisions about education, occupation, residential plans, marriage, and parenting. Such significant fluctuations in societal roles and duties can result in stress and challenge a person’s ability to adapt. Nonetheless, these changes can also help an individual to overcome previous struggles and start a new growth course (Rogers & Chapuis 1962).
In every generation, cultural prospects and social chances structures affect the timing and planning of entering and exiting roles during the adulthood transition process. In the contemporary world, early adulthood entails personality identification and exploration in the trial of different possibilities in life and the gradual move towards making sustainable decisions. Often adulthood pathways are intensely connected with social classes and once family resources, origin, and support. For instance, poverty and family issues can force youth to leave their home to support themselves while still too young independently. This can disrupt their learning and limit their future success. From a growth viewpoint, such early unwell-prepared transitions have the potential to cause hardships, affect the ability to cope, and force a person to engage in situations that can restrict their prolonged expectations (Rogers & Chapuis 1962).
Social changes occur when an individual identifies and attaches themselves with their peers. There are various ways through which this transition process is constructed; there are factors that make this transition a success such as educational institutes, good society, traditions and cultures (Rogers & Chapuis 1962).
According to Bronfenbrenner Theory, the exosytem which is indirectly influenced by family, friends, neighbors, legal services, welfare and mass media, all have a significant role in a child’s development and transition into adulthood (1979). For example, a child’s separation from family and friends can significantly affect both his emotional and social development (Bowlby,1988). For instance, Orwell is forced to study far away from his friends and family; he has no control over the situation. As a result he suffers emotional fear for being all alone in a new environment that he does not know anyone as he does not have friends. According to the Ecological Theory by Bronfenbrenner, five systems have the potential to impact a child’s development. The frontline system is the microsystem which is the most immediate environment of the child (Arnett & Hughes, 2012). Within the system, the inner circle individuals have the most communicating connection which is subsequently the most influential. The second system is the mesosystem which involves the interactions of the different factors of the microsystem and their positive and negative impacts. The primary system is the macrosystem which includes the cultural factors such as the predominant and belief values as well as the economic and constitutional systems (Arnett & Hughes, 2012). The last system is the chronosystem which focuses on different timings of life occurrences which have significant effects on a child’s growth and development (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). Orwell is strongly affected by his microsystem which is critically demonstrated through the analysis and comparison of the social systems and government law provisions as well as different children protection acts.
From the society that Orwell grew up, there were different schools for the rich and the poor. Orwell is lucky to have been bright enough to appoint that he found himself securing a scholarship to a school meant for kids from upper-class families. Although today there is the financial capability gap between the rich and the poor there is no restriction that a particular school is for the rich. Everyone has the freedom to enroll their children in whatever school they want if they feel they are comfortable to pay what is required of them. Unlike in Orwell’s society today there are many sources of financial support for education such as government sponsorships, and loans. Society has provided them with these opportunities to empower them to be better citizens in the future (Wells 2009). Currently, children are given education loans to enable them to succeed in their study.
Orwell’s story starts by telling how he was beaten up for wetting the bed. The teachers even threaten to call the sixth form boys to beat him up if he does not stop. According to the then, education system violence threats to children would ideally work. As if threats were not enough, he would be sent to the headmaster who would beat him ruthlessly. The essay openly depicts how his schooldays were frequently cruel and monstrous in the 1940s unlike in the 21st century. In the past society, children’s rights were less appreciated. They had no laws that protected them as in Orwell story he had no authority to report what he was going through showing that children could be exploited and oppressed without any protection. Also, the children back then had no choices to make on their own since their decisions were less acknowledged by society (Wells 2009). According to Orwell, he remained damn since the community referred to him as a minor. However, society today has set out acts and laws that protect children from being exploited. These acts recognize children as minors until they reach the age of being an adult (Boylan & Dalrymple 2009). For example, the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child it’s an international law that has established out political, civil, economic, social, cultural and health rights for children. The UNCRC is more concerned about children and creates awareness of their right to maximumly protect the children. Therefore, today’s society has positively constructed the transition process from childhood to adulthood.
Low self-esteem is another challenge that Orwell faced from his society. His self-esteem is affected by what he goes through in school. He hates himself for wetting the bed and despite how many times he tries to stop and cries to God to help him stop he does not stop. This makes him feel incapable of anything, and he hates himself for that. He is beaten, humiliated before his peers something that makes them despise him. Besides, he is in a new environment where he knows no one; he is afraid and feels lonely given that his family and friends are many miles away. He has no one to share his worries with. As a result, he lacked confidence in himself; he was weak as well as unpopular. The community made his transition process difficult. He needed support and friendship which he does not receive at any point in his school life. The current society helps in boosting the children’s self-esteem in a couple of ways such as social security. It is a law that supports the less fortunate in society since every member of the community is entitled to the realization (Knowles 2009). The law mainly targets vulnerable people by restoring their dignity and self-esteem (Dalrymple &Burke 2006). In the Maslow hierarchy of needs self-esteem is a necessity in once life and achieving it helps one to have self-satisfaction. Boosting self-esteem in a child help them make correct choices, focus on them, and eventually succeed in life. Therefore, society has positively impacted the transition process from childhood to adulthood.
Essentialism is the acceptance that things have a set of features that make them what they are as well as a task on philosophy and science is their expression and discovery. For instance, all children should undergo the same biological changes during the transition. Precisely this is proven characteristics that all people should endure and bear, but they differ with persons. Every child ought to be considered differently (King et al. 2005).
Another challenge is determinism, a principle where external causes eventually determine events. The determinism principle does not apply to the transition from childhood to adulthood. Childhood to adulthood is a transition that is triggered by internal factors such as hormones. According to Orwell, this rule does not apply to children since they believe their shortcomings are not influenced by external factors but individually stimulates them.
During Orwell’s time, the education they received was a sort of confidence trick example in history they only mastered the dates without actual understanding. They were encouraged to cram not taught to understand hence less knowledge they gained. The society viewed a boy child to be a Christian and a social success which was impossible since masturbation was a pattern of their school life. The society then gave the children including Orwell a rough time in their transition from childhood to adulthood.
The society today differs much from the community back then; life in school today is the best that most of the homes. Today the United Kingdom nation has set acts and guidelines that protect and safeguard the children and ensure they receive a quality education, health, and social welfare. Unlike the Orwell education system where they were encouraged to cram, in the current society students are taught to understand the concept and gain knowledge. Pupils today receive tender care no punishment but positive reinforcement of discipline from their teachers who are human and understanding. However, society today view all children equally unlike when the boys were considered as Christians and social success. More so, schools today uphold high standards of cleanliness in all sectors be it the food they provide, classrooms, and the boarding facilities. Today life in school is such such a joy. Today’s society is playing a significant role in the transition of childhood to adulthood.
The society today has neglected and shifted its responsibility towards the education institutes. In the olden days, children belonged to society. Today children rights are so crucial hence the much involvement in their affairs. Today’s institutes include schools, colleges, universities and vocational institutes. A subject known as life skills has been set aside where the children and young adults are taught about issues in life (Knowles 2009). As Orwell state that was such a joy, it is right that education institutes have aided in the shaping of the transition process.
The non-governmental organization is institutions that are not operated by the government. The organizations offer training and create awareness concerning the transition process (Conradie & Golding 2013). Besides, they involve the young adults in volunteer services which also shape them in the transition process (Woods & Hine 2009).
Youth justice is an institute that prosecutes, convict and punishes young adults below eighteen years those who commit a criminal offense (Dalrymple &Burke 2006). The primary aim of this institute is to shape those that go astray.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the transition from childhood to adulthood is a long process often accompanied by emotional, social, and physical struggles. Nonetheless, there are different systems such as the education system set by the society that is meant to help construct individuals and guide them during their transition process into becoming better adults. However, these systems have different ways of shaping individual into better citizens. The main difference is marked by the periods. The early systems have demonstrated a vast difference in dealing with individual emotional, social, and physical issues as compared to todays. In the old days, children were threatened and beaten because it was believed that violent threats would correctly work on children. The earlier education system was cruel and monstrous unlike today’s which is gentle and friendly. The essay has clearly illustrated how individuals transit to adulthood by the help of the education system as well as the difference between the early education system and today’s education system.