Every life in one way or another moves from a life of innocence to a life of individual experience. Life may initially be classified as innocent due to our ignorance. The fact that we are not exposed to or affected by our surroundings. This is commonly associated with children, who are new to this world. They have no idea what might be happening in the outside world; although it can sometimes occur in adults too. The child will not know that his parents could steal his meals, or that the reason he was alive was due to a process so dirty in perspective, sexual intercourse. The child may grow up thinking that their parents are sweet, normal, and want to become just like them. The irony is comically dark, the child would like to be "pure" like his parents, but in reality they are not so pure. No one is pure and this is what distinguishes an innocent individual from a knowledgeable individual. To discover that not all things are pure is necessary, but obviously "pure" is a subjective term. We as humans go through this process every single day throughout our lives without knowing it. Nathaniel Hawthorne in “Young Goodman Brown” shows us how the protagonist progresses from a state of innocence to becoming a knowledgeable person. When Hawthorne calls him "young" it could have meant several things, obviously excluding his age. Goodman Brown is initially portrayed as naive, religious and kind-hearted, and perhaps this is what makes him "innocent", being able to be ignorant but pure of heart. In the story Young Goodman Brown clearly shows how unspeakable sins can torture a person and deprive him of all happiness. “Well, she is a blessed angel on earth; and after this night I will hold on to her skirts and follow h...... middle of paper ......nk and which takes shape from the events that happen. The environment in which a person grows up also plays an important role in how their personality is formed. When Goodman Brown began his journey he didn't know what to expect. The fact that he never had any experience in this field shows how a once pure character like him was innocently manipulated by the simple words of a stranger. All of us throughout our lives will experience an initiation that will take us from being a naive individual to an expert person. One day we will meet people who will challenge our beliefs and try to convince us to change them. Works Cited"Good boy, bad boy; children are born innocent, but what drives them to criminal acts? Experts say children learn what is right and wrong based on their experiences, environment and social influences." Strait Times 29/10/2009, print