There comes a time in everyone's life when we must transition from childhood to adulthood. This growth transition is also known as the “coming of age” phase in a person's life. This “coming of age” stage occurs when someone is no longer a child and is becoming an adult. Many things can trigger this transition; whether it's a tragic event that affects someone so much that it changes them completely, or simply growing up and having a better understanding of the world we live in. Many people are aware of the theme of "coming of age" through literature and other forms of entertainment. It is one of the main themes used in novels and films such as Looking for Alaska – written by John Green in 2005 – and The Perks of Being a Wallflower – directed by Stephen Chbosky in 2012. Both works show the coming of age of very similar characters . They show that through loss and suffering, as well as societal pressures, trying to find yourself during adolescence is one of the hardest things to do. Looking for Alaska is the story of Miles Halter, also known as Pudge, and of his longing for “Great Maybe”. He was born in Florida and attended a high school where he had no friends. So he decided to change schools to attend Culver Creek, a boarding school, in search of adventure. In Culver Creek he meets Alaska Young who is beautiful, intelligent and funny. He drags Pudge into his world, throws him into the Great Maybe and steals his heart. Pudge and his other friends cause a lot of trouble, but it's when the beautiful Alaska Young dies in a car accident that could have been avoided by Pudge and Chip, that they realize they went too far. Throughout his adventures, Pudge experiences tragic events; like Alaska like... middle of paper... making mistakes as a child to learn from them and grow. Life is like a labyrinth that represents a path of meaning to follow. Just like any maze, it pulls you in and takes you through countless twists and turns. It might make you feel lost sometimes, but that's only because we can never see where we're going. Paths in a labyrinth force us to make decisions, to follow our dreams and desires. Life is just like a labyrinth. During childhood we are curious to explore the unknown even if sometimes we refuse to find our way through all the twists and turns. As teenagers we never know whether to choose the right path or the left one. But the factors in our lives ultimately push us to make a decision and take a path. Unfortunately, some of us can't handle the labyrinth of life and choose to take the "straight and fast" route (Green 155).