Joyce Carol Oates' "They" portrays the lives of urban proletarians in 20th century America in poverty, violence, and crime through the stories of two generations of the Wendell family. The novel spans 30 years and involves historical events such as the Great Depression, World War II, and the Detroit racial riots, based on the author's personal experiences while teaching at the University of Detroit. The character development of Morin and Jules reflects elements of coming of age novels, but Morin's growth process presents a theme of anti growth. Although she achieved material success, she was spiritually isolated from her family and society, and was unable to truly integrate into society. This article will explore the concept and characteristics of anti coming of age novels, analyze the influence of the American Dream and patriarchal culture on the shaping and growth of Morin's character, as well as the family and social reasons that led to her tragic upbringing.

1、 From coming of age novels to anti coming of age novels

The origin of coming of age novels can be traced back to 18th century Germany, with Verlander's "The Story of Agathon" as the starting point and Goethe's "The Age of William Masters" as the pinnacle. In the 19th century, coming of age novels became an important genre of Western realism literature. Karl van Moggenstern first defined coming of age novels, but the broad definition was not given much attention. William Dilthey defined coming of age novels in detail, emphasizing the process of youth growth and integration into society. Traditional coming of age novels reflect early capitalist reality, embody the concept of evolutionary development, and meet the needs of the bourgeoisie. In the modernist era, coming of age novels focused on the diversity and complexity of the protagonist's growth. Bakhtin introduced the concept of time and emphasized the importance of cultural context for individual growth. In the 20th century, coming of age novels evolved into anti growth novels, where the protagonist's growth was hindered and unable to integrate into society, reflecting the social reality of the middle and late stages of capitalism. Anti growth novels use the protagonist's failures, despair, and decadence as metaphors for the disasters and destruction of individual growth caused by modern industrial civilization. In Oates' novel "They", the protagonist Morin's growth story follows the traditional narrative mode of coming of age novels, but the plot development deviates from tradition and reflects anti growth characteristics, becoming an artistic typical of failed growth in modern novels of the 20th century.

2、 The lonely pursuit on the road of growth

In depth exploration of the spatiotemporal background and narrative structure of the anti growth theme in Joyce Carol Oates' novel 'They'. By analyzing the role of time and space in the narrative of the novel, it reveals the growth experience of the protagonist Morin in the specific time and space background of Detroit from the 1930s to the 1960s. The novel depicts the character changes and tragic growth of Morin from childhood to adulthood through a linear narrative time structure. At the same time, the chapter also discusses the impact of family and school as closed spaces on Morin's growth, as well as the devastation of capitalist social relations and patriarchal culture on Morin's character formation. The author reflects on her own thinking and evaluation of the world around her, as well as her criticism of the cold and dehumanizing education system in American society, through Morin's growth experience.

3、 The Journey of Growth: Imitation and Disruption

In Joyce Carol Oates' novel "They," Morin's journey of coming of age is vastly different from the experiences of the protagonist in traditional coming of age novels. She lacks positive life mentors, such as grandmother's abuse, father's indifference, stepfather's inappropriate attention, and mother's neglect, which collectively hinder her spiritual growth. Moline's brother Jules was supposed to be her guide, but he misled her due to his distorted values. In the novel, Morin's expectations for her teachers were not fulfilled, and what she encountered at school was not love but fear. In the pursuit of freedom, Morin was forced to embark on the path of prostitution, which parodied the travel metaphor in traditional coming of age novels. Her actions did not bring positive social experiences or personal maturity. Morin's worship of money reflects the influence of the American Dream culture, where she sees money as a pathway to freedom and happiness. In terms of sexuality, Morin's experience contradicts the milestones of sexual growth in traditional coming of age novels. Her sexual experience did not bring maturity, but instead made her emotionally indifferent, affecting her future emotional life.

4、 The 'counter growth' after enlightenment

In 'They', the protagonist Morin experiences an epiphany, but unlike traditional coming of age novels, her epiphany does not bring about spiritual elevation or moral improvement, but rather a spiritual atrophy and a regression of human nature. Morin was discovered by her stepfather Fran to be engaged in prostitution and subjected to physical abuse, leading to long-term schizophrenia and obesity, symbolizing spiritual emptiness. Loretta's brother Brock and Jules' letters awakened Morin, who began to reshape herself. The novel presents Morin's inner world and growth trajectory through a third person omniscient perspective and first person narrative. Morin worked hard and studied, but was forced to drop out of school due to incomplete recovery of her thinking ability. Her criticism of 'Professor Oates' and the university education system reflects the callousness of the American democratic system. Morin was determined to get rid of her identity as "Morin Wendell" through marriage, but lost the ability to love. Her tragic upbringing reveals the survival dilemma of women in capitalist society. At the end of the novel, although Morin achieved the "American Dream", behind her material success lies the sadness of life. She tried to get rid of the past, but could not erase her class background, forever hovering between two classes, unable to find a spiritual home.

5、 Conclusion

Analyzed the growth story of Morin in "They" and revealed the dual influence of capitalist society and patriarchal culture on individual growth. Morin's spiritual alienation and personal tragedy reflect the growing difficulties of women in society. Her upbringing reflects the logic of the violent cycle in capitalist society, from a victim to an abuser, demonstrating a surrender to survival instincts, in sharp contrast to traditional coming of age novels, and highlighting the anti growth theme of the work.