Stage of a Poem

Having the poem be a birthday party is significant to the the title "Rites of Passage." A rite of passage is when a person is entering a new age or developing into something, or entering something new such as a class or age group. Where I'm from its a big deal to throw a First Birthday party and its a rite of passage for our culture because, the child has made it to the age of 1 and in our culture in the olden times, children weren't able to reach that 1 year old age, and making it that far insured that you would live a long or OK length of life. That's one example from my culture how a birthday is a important part of our rites of passage, and that's way to me having the stage be a birthday party is a perfect connection to the title, of the this poem.