Loss of Innocence

Jackson presents Claudia and Monday’s loss of innocence as a product of their coming to terms with the reality of their world. She focuses on young main characters between the ages of 13 to 16 over the span of the before and after timelines. This makes it especially impactful when they end up facing intense ordeals that children would not have to experience in an ideal world

Claudia’s struggle to move forward with her life as she delves deeper into the mystery of Monday’s disappearance demonstrates her gradual loss of innocence. She feels responsible for saving Monday from harm because nobody else in her life seems as concerned about her absence. In the same vein, Claudia alters her perception of her own life as she pieces together more about Monday. She feels like she needs to reach the same level of maturity as...