What does “Loss of Innocence” mean?
No, “loss of innocence” does not mean a loss of virginity when used in the literary sense. In literature, loss of innocence denotes a loss of qualities associated with childhood such as naivete, and the exposure of someone who was “innocent” to things such as death, poverty, disease, and other concepts that children are not entirely familiar with. The above theme is very prevalent in literature. It is present in myths such as that of Pandora’s Box, and modern fiction such as Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger.
