6. The Period of Later Youth—young People

This period is from seventeen to twenty-one or twenty-five. It is the period of altruism, love, and vocation. The period of early adolescence is egoistic; this period is ego-social, and strongly altruistic. This change in the unfolding nature of youth opens the interest to stories of self-sacrifice, heroic service and love even for enemies. These stories could not be appreciated in so keen a way before. This altruistic interest normally awakens several years earlier in girls than in boys. (See Altruistic Stories, page 33.) At the beginning of this period, and sometimes a little before, a natural interest in romantic love leads to the keen enjoyment of such stories. Love is so important and normal a factor in human life that such interest ought never to be suppressed, but it should always be directed by the most tactful and sympathetic guidance in the selection of such love stories as are referred to on page 33 of this volume.

Another normal interest of this period is that of vocation, choosing one’s life-calling. If the young man or young woman has not already started to work to support himself, the question of his life-work begins to press hard for an answer. And the ideals that shall shape the choice or spirit of that life-work are already being formed. This is the great time of appeal of such vocational stories as are indicated on page 34.