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Recommended: Child and Adolescent "8 stages of development"

In the novel Lives of the Saints by Nino Ricci, the character Vittorio loses his innocence when he is forced to experience adult things at a young age. Vittorio was bullied at school by other students after news spread about his mother. At his age, Vittorio should not have to hear mean or nasty comments about his mother. At a young age, kids should not be exposed to the evil in the world as parents tend to shield them from all harm. When he is bullied, he comes to realize that the world is full of cruelty. He said “I was merely shunned, and could not make out the insults which they whispered to each other in class while they smirked at me from their desks,” (Ricci, 107). Vittorio also loses a bit of his innocence when he notices his mother being ignored by the rest of the villagers. He tries to understand why they ignore her and this causes him to experience mature things that he should not have to until he is much older. Vittorio also overhears his mothers conversation with her friend Giuseppina, who said “I warn you Cristi, you’ll bring a curse on everyone around you... you think that people are fools, that they do not see the way you carry on,” (Ricci, 54). When Vittorio overhears these conversations, he is forced to deal with adult matters like lifting the curse as his mother refused to do so. Lastly, the reader realizes that Vittorio is no longer an innocent six year old, as he learns that his mother commits adultery, after he says “I was flooded with relief to see that all its features were human... that it was not the snake headed child that Alfredo Girasole had warned me about,” (Ricci, 237). From this quote, it is certain to the reader that Vittorio knew his mother committed adultery. As this is a sensitive topic for som... ... middle of paper ... ...f her sister Cheryl whenever she stayed over. She has to act as an adult in this case and do all the things her parents should be doing but are not. April taking care of her sister disrupts her growth and development because she has to act older than her age. Furthermore, April finds out about a rumour that she was allowing her foster siblings to engage in sexual acts with her. She is compelled to understand why they pick on her and at such a young age, kids should not be bullied or have to deal with such problems. These events cause her to change from being a naive kid to one who has to stand up for herself when at her age, her parents should be standing up for her. From doing adult chores at the age of six to taking care of her younger sister Cheryl and standing up for herself, April Raintree’s growth and development is disrupted because of a loss of innocence.

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