Embracing ones' Heritage

One thing I find interesting as I reflect upon all of the novels we have read is that they all, except Harry Potter which is fantasy, have a main character that is a product of their culture and struggles with that. Huck is the typical poor white orphan and his companion Jim a runaway slave, and their experiences have much to do with this fact, as does Huck's growing process. If it had been someone else besides Jim teaching him, he would have turned out a lot differently, I feel. Then Lucy is a product of Victorian English society, but the key element to her growth is that she rejects those conservative values for a more liberal and passionate Italy. Finally, Janie is a woman who is between black and white, and a woman who is alone and beaten by her husband; her struggles and experiences all stem from these gender and race issues. However, she overcomes each obstacle. The thing I am wondering, though, is if these characters should qualify as part of a Bildingsroman, because the growth they achieve is circumstantial to their walks of life and their cultures. I think this would be an interesting issue to discuss as we continue.