There are some attempts to build a concise theory, though, on which the following chapter will focus.
2.1 Origins of the term .
Initiation as an anthropologic term means "the passage from childhood or adolescence to maturity and full membership in adult society" (Marcus, 189), which usually involves some kind of symbolic rite. In American literary theory the term first appears after World War II (Freese 94). As the term `initiation′ is borrowed from anthropology, many of the definitions of the literary equivalent are oriented on the original concept. As nowadays initiation rites are seldom found (especially in western societies) (Freese 128f), the term had to be adapted, though. The ritual aspects have been replaced by other characteristics to define stories of initiation which will be discussed in the following chapters. There are, however, still some definitions which also find parts of rituality in literary realizations of the initiation-theme (Marcus 190). This hypothesis is controversial in as much as it is difficult to define ritualistic behavior in everyday (western) life. Furthermore, these ritualistic initiation stories include "adult society deliberately testing and indoctrinating the young" (Marcus 190), which is only found in a "very small proportion of works called initiation stories" (Marcus 190).
2.2 Theoretic approaches to the initiation-theme in literature .
Here, some attempts to define and categorize stories of initiation regarding typical elements will be shortly presented.
2.2.1 Views on the characteristics of stories of initiation .
As mentioned in chapter 2.1, `initiation′ in literature focuses on different aspects of the passage from childhood or adolescence to adulthood than the anthropologic term denoting mainly rituals of primitive societies. In general, four aspects of initiation can be found in literature (Freese 95). This chapter will give a brief overview about these characteristics.
