I am fascinated by various Genres of literature. One recurring theme that I seem to keep running across is the heroic adventure, one where the young man takes a journey or quest and throughout the story progresses toward manhood. This type of literature is called bildungsroman. It is commonly found in the German literature, like Goethe's Apprentice Stories. One could apply the same definition to Tolstoy's The Hobbit, where young Frodo embarks on a journey with his young friends, and at the end of the story emerges a seasoned veteran at handling life's crises.