Coming of Age

One of the primary themes that run throughout the novel is growing up and coming of age. Dean and the other teenagers struggle with the fact that their coming of age experience propels them into adulthood because they are facing the adversity of the downfall of their society. While Dean and his peers are teenagers, they have to start acting as if they are adults, and they have to start making adult decisions in order to take care of themselves and the younger children while they are trapped inside of the store.

Dean also faces having to do the right thing in life. He recognizes that the situation the children are in is a genuine life or death situation. This is why Dean works so hard and effortlessly to do his part to care for everyone in the store and to protect them at all costs...