I think that you can definitely call this book a
bildungsroman because it follows the title character as he grows and matures and it
focuses on this process of change that he undergoes.
A
bildungsroman, we are told in the "bildungsroman"
link,
intends
to lead the reader to greater personal enrichment as the protagonist journeys from youth
to psychological or emotional maturity. Traditionally, this growth occurs according to a
pattern: the sensitive, intelligent protagonist leaves home, undergoes stages of
conflict and growth, is tested by crises and love affairs, then finally finds the best
place to use his/her unique
talents.
This is exactly what
this novel does.
Over the course of the story, we follow
Kim as he (literally and figuratively) finds out who he is. We start with him as an
orphan who does not even know what race he is. As we go along, Kim discovers who he is
in a literal sense -- he finds out who his father was and what regiment he was
in.
Because of this discovery, Kim ends up finding himself
in a more figurative way. He is sent off to school and gains not only book learning but
also instruction in how to act as a spy in the "Great Game." By the end of the book, he
has found a place for himself. He has found a profession and he has also found a sense
of belonging.
By doing these things, Kim develops himself
and his potential. This, to me, is the very definition of a
bildungsroman.
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