SUMMARY
AbstractFrom child to young adult: The development of the main character in De koperen tuin (The garden where the brass band played) by Simon Vestdijk From an intertextual study it emerges that the postulated view of reality in the psychological-philosophical text De toekomst der religie (The future of religion) (1947) is transposed in narrative form in the text-internal vision of reality in the novel De koperen tuin (The garden where the brass band played) (1950). In both these texts the religious point of departure of the meaning of existence is reflected upon. Existential aspects especially highlighted, include the following: the I, the relationship with others, being involved in the situation, freedom, responsibility, guilt, angst, death, that which is “too-late”. Furthermore the extension of the moment, the directedness at a personal passion, and the individual’s courage to be and to keep “becoming” are also highlighted. All these aspects emphasizing existentialism are portrayed in the development of the main character, Nol Rieske, from little boy to young adult.