The Catcher and the Rye / Huckleberry Finn

The American Webster’s dictionary defines innocence as, “Freedom from harmfulness; inoffensiveness.” Although this definition is the one which is most commonly used, many authors tend to twist or stretch the meaning in order to fit the material to which it applies. For example, the way J.D Salinger applies innocence to his work is quite different from the way Mark Twain uses innocence. Innocence also changes accordingly with the time period. The definition of innocence is dynamic with respect to author and time period, as illustrated in The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D Salinger and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain.

Throughout history the concept of innocence in literature has been a topic in which author’s have held an obsession with. According to Harold Bloom, the loss of innocence has played a large role in western literature since the Enlightenment when man was said to be initially good and then corrupted only by his institutions. (Bloom 6) The institution in which Bloom speaks of is nothing more then society. Society is what is believed to be the cause for the loss of innocence in children. Bloom has stated that a return to the childhood mindset would eliminate the social problems in which people suffer. This is unerringly why the cause of many physiological problems can be traced back to a problem or unsettlement in one’s childhood. (Bloom 7) The history of innocence continues further back in history as it is said that the first encounter of loss of innocence or “original sin” was from Adam and Eve when they ate the fruit of the forbidden tree. (Bloom 7) These historical events and ideas are what influence the works of authors from the 19th century to modern day.

As a writer, the success of most authors’ comes from their power to convert common thoughts or knowledge into something which can enlighten the reader. An author thrives on being unique and imaginative. With this originality comes differentiation, when one compares two authors who have used the same literary device in their writings, this becomes apparent. J.D Salinger’s writings involve an enormous amount of childhood concepts and loss of innocence. Mark Twain is also known for his use of innocence in his novels, specifically The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Although the concept behind innocence is basically the same with both authors, each author applies his own interpretat...

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...erm can be used so widely that it can mean completely different things when taken out of context. The standard Webster’s dictionary has over five definitions for innocence. Its complexity and impact in the human life is so great that physiologists have stated that most adult conflicts involve a problem or disruption of one’s childhood. Harold Bloom has said that many disputes and conflicts in modern day life would be non-existent if a person maintained innocence throughout their aging life. Historians trace back the use of innocence to the Enlightenment, where it was thought that man was created to be good, until his institutions corrupted him. Innocence can also be traced as far back as biblical times. It has been said that the “original sin” by Adam and Eve was the first instance of a loss of innocence. By comparing two novels that use innocence as a theme, as done above, it is evident that innocence is widely dependent on the context in which it is used. There is no clear definitive answer to what the true meaning of innocence is. It can only be stated that the definition of innocence is dynamic with respect to the author and the time period, in which the literature is written.