To me the loss of innocence is when you start to really learn about life, and when it becomes a reality. As a child everyone views the world as a small place where nothing bad can happen, apart from maybe the monsters underneath your bed. As you start to grow older you realize that their are much worse things that can happen, and as soon as you realize your childhood fears were silly is the moment I think you lose your sense of innocence. In this novel I definitely think that Holden's older brother has lost all of his innocence, which is why Holden partly resents his brother. Since Holden is in the middle of losing his I believe that he wants to hold onto it for as long as possible. Which means resenting those who have lost it and praising those who still have a full grip on their innocence; like his sister Phoebe. I feel like Holden believes that the longer he holds onto the thought of his sisters' innocence the longer his will stay. Holden associates growing up with the loss of innocence which I also find to be a true statement. But the problem with Holden is that he is not ready to grow up, although he acts like he is. He pretends to be older because he feels like he has to, because he never had parents around to tell him it was okay to act like a child. This is why I think Holden has such trouble with the loss of innocence.
This is very well put. Children lose their innocence when you go out into the world and learn about it; when the realities of life are revealed to them. When you are younger you fear little things that are not realistic. Once you grow up you realize there is a lot more to life than you have ever known. And this is when innocence is lost. Holden thinks a lot about age and he thinks age has a lot to do with someones innocence. So from Holden's point of view, his older brother has lost his innocence, and his little, ten year old sister still has an innocence about her. Holden thinks highly of people that still have their innocence and in some ways, I also think, he wishes he could hold onto that innocence forever. Holden is always wanting to hang out, and talk with his little sister. He says, it is because she is smart, I think it is also because she still has her innocence, and he wants to be associated and surrounded by her innocence to save himself from losing it. Holden has struggles with losing his innocence, because he has never really had his parents around to raise him and go through certain stages of his childhood as he grows older, and loses his innocence.
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