Are grown ups really the worst? Tilja finds out that they're not all bad when she does some maturing of her own on her journey to the Empire in The Ropemaker. She goes from a magic-less kid who doesn't know where her life will lead her to a powerful magician who acknowledges what the future holds for her—in this case, leaving Woodbourne and returning to the Empire. It's a long and winding journey for sure, but in the end when Tilja comes back to Woodbourne, we can see just how far she's come.
Questions About Coming of Age
- How does everybody on the journey—not just Tilja—grow up a bit?
- How does each member of Tilja's family at Woodbourne change over time?
- Do you think Tilja is a full-on adult yet? Why or why not?
- What aspects of growing up, as presented in The Ropemaker, do you find scary or exciting?
Chew on This
Growing up isn't just for kids. Even the older characters, like Meena and Alnor, mature over the course of the book.
Growing up allows you to find a purpose in life. After her journey is complete, Tilja knows what she's meant to do and how she wants to live her own life.