The adventure stories that boys enjoy reading often depict male characters in their exposed becoming and dreaming. Boys are drawn to these adventuring characters in part because such characters portray a masculinity that feels more human than the otherwise stoic masculine norms of Western culture. Taking a cue from adventure literature, this paper addresses adventure and the dreaming spirit as avenues of self-understanding in boyhood. In adventure, this sense of exposure is not experienced in relation to shame but in relation to possibility. Adventure and the dreaming spirit are both motifs that lend themselves to Christian living. Viewing selfhood as adventure can provide boys with a self-concept that feels human. Boys do not always have friendships of mutual trust in their lives where they feel secure addressing their becoming and dreaming. Persons in pastoral roles can offer this kind of accompanying and affirming friendship to boys in their becoming.

男孩们喜欢阅读的冒险故事往往描绘了男性角色暴露的成长和梦想。男孩们被这些冒险角色所吸引，部分原因是这些角色描绘了一种比西方文化中坚忍的男性规范更人性化的男性气质。本文从冒险文学中汲取灵感，将冒险和梦想精神作为童年时期自我理解的途径。在冒险中，这种暴露感不是与羞耻感有关，而是与可能性有关。冒险和梦想精神都是基督徒生活的主题。将自我视为冒险可以为男孩提供一种人性化的自我概念。男孩在他们的生活中并不总是拥有相互信任的友谊，在那里他们对自己的成长和梦想感到安全。