My Book and Heart Shall Never Part

What a fascinating concept: the idea that as we learn to read, as we learn to write about what we read, that our innocence is lost. This theory ties in perfectly to our literary criticism class; as we grow and learn and gain the precious knowledge of literature, of writing, of rhetoric, we become critics. We become cynical and knowledgeable and critical of the works that we read. Does this begin in childhood? Of course it does. We don't think of six year olds walking around speaking of literature and metaphors and archetypes, syntax and allegory, but they do! In a way, they do. They are little critics; we all are. By saying that they didn't like a story or a book "because...", they are beginning to lose the innocence they once possessed, yet never knew they possessed, for the transition into experience is purely natural and involuntary. Their opinions are being formed, their minds are being altered, and literature is responsible for making them the people they will eventually become.
Thinking back on discussions from my British Literature class with Kimberly Meyers, we discussed when it was that children began to lose their innocence - their nature of innocence. It was argued that children lose their innocence when they hit puberty; when they first have sex; when they first intentionally lie; when they begin to rebel; when they take their first sip of alcohol. Never did we think that the instant a child picks up a book and learns their alphabet and inevitably learns the beauty of reading that their innocence is lost. What an appalling thought! But is that thought true? I think that it is.
I am a believer that everything literary can somehow be traced back to William Blake. He was phenomenal; he is phenomenal. His concept of the transition between innocence and experience can be applied to all of literature, to all characters. We are all born, and we are all born innocent - tabula rasa - a clean slate. As we grow (as we read and become knowledgeable), our innocence ceases to exist; it fades; it is inevitably ephemeral. Our naive little natures become beautifully enlightened; our mask of ignorance is stripped of us, and we reveal the power of knowledge; our innocence makes the glorious transition into the abyss of experience. Our beings are not marred or jaded or damaged; we transform, as all things in nature do. A seed into an apple. A tag-along puppy into a loyal guardian. A fragile egg into a majestic eagle. A silken cocoon into a beautiful butterfly. We make the transition of Spring to Summer to Autumn to Winter and back again as we watch our offspring grow and learn and experience life as life should be experienced. Gaining knowledge is learning; learning is growing; growing is experiencing.
This all reminds me of Blake's The Book of Thel. In this poem, a young girl rejects the idea of making the transition from innocence to experience; she feels that she needs and will stay in the stage of innocence forever, which we all know is impossible and unnatural. She speaks to the Lilly, the Cloud, the Worm and the Clay (all phallic and yoni symbols), and rejects what each of them has to say. By doing this, by never removing her "white veil", she walks through "valleys dark" and finds her own grave. She sits down and hears the voice of sorrow, and this is what it says:

'Why cannot the Ear be closed to its own destruction?

Or the glist'ning Eye to the poison of a smile?

Why are Eyelids stor'd with arrows ready drawn,

Where a thousand fighting men in ambush lie?

Or an Eye of gifts & graces, show'ring fruits and coined gold?

Why a Tongue impress'd with honey from every wind?

Why an Ear a whirlpool fierce to draw creations in?

Why a Nostril wide inhaling terror, trembling & affright?

Why a tender curb upon the youthful burning boy?

Why a little curtain of flesh on the bed of our desire?'

In these lines, Blake states that it is impossible for anyone to remain innocent. We are all going to enter the realm of experience; it is a natural occurrence that must take place. Yes, one can argue that there are a number of factors that help to determine the extent of our experience, but after the film we watched tonight, I think that it all begins with an A B C...