Why do we love stories about pure, hopeful characters getting stripped of their innocence? One needn't take an "AP Psychology" course to know. The loss of innocence is a relatable theme. Who hasn't had their equilibrium memorably thrown off balance through a rude awakening to some terrible truth? It is part of growing up or coming of age. Perhaps the most painful aspect of this experience is the fact that there is no going back. Once innocence is gone, it's gone for good.

Experiencing Jem's heartbreaking loss of innocence in "To Kill a Mockingbird" may be a pivotal reason we return to this classic again and again. We feel Jem's childish hopefulness and pride as he watches Atticus absolutely prove Tom Robinson's innocence. Jem is certain that Tom will go free. We want the world of Maycomb, Alabama to be a better place for Jem, but we are not surprised to find that it is not. The shock and disappointment Jem feels when Tom is found guilty is palpable. The world Jem thought he knew so well does not exist. Instead, he faces a hearty dose of what adults like to call "reality."

It is this reality that Holden Caufield finds deplorable. Catcher in the Rye plays on the theme of innocence from the inside out. Holden has had his rude awakening and finds what he sees to be ugly and depressing. He yearns for youth and innocence and thinks it's all a damn shame that people turn out the way they do. Even though he knows it cannot be, he wishes things would remain the same.

"Certain things they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone. I know that's impossible, but it's too bad anyway."

Holden bemoans the "filth" of the world and equates it with adulthood. He yearns to contain youth in a jar. The way he sees it, growing up only turns you into a "phony" or a "bastard."

If everyone loses their innocence as they age and mature, a question to ponder is: what does one do with this newfound knowledge? How does a person's personality and view of the world adjust after seeing things in a different light? Jem is torn up when the jury convicts Tom. However, with the great support and guidance of super-dad, Atticus, he remains hopeful. We are confident that Jem will grow gracefully into adulthood and, like his father, become a moral and optimistic man. At the other end of the spectrum is Holden. He sees the filth of the world and can't seem to see beyond it. He has lost hope and respect for the world he has to live in. Which character do you identify with? Do you see the world around you for what it is and remain hopeful or do you resent your awakenings and long for more innocent times? One thing to keep in mind: one of these characters ended up in a padded room.