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What Is The Archetypal Theme Of 'Individual Loss Of Innocence'?

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The archetypal theme “Loss of Innocence” is the most relatable to the reader's personal human experience. An “Individual Loss of Innocence” is an archetypal story narrative when the protagonist of the story is affected by corresponding tragedies or events causing them to grow from a child into an adult. Throughout Jonathan Stroud's “Amulet of Samarkand” The Protagonist, Nathaniel transforms from an innocent child to an pretentious and vengeful magician due to his poor upbringing from his Master Arthur Underwood.
With this in mind, at the age five Nathaniel’s birth parents abandoned him, and Nathaniel was forced to become a magician's apprentice to Arthur Underwood. At the age six he is paralyzed with fear from being locked in Underwood’s study and attacked by hundreds of small demons called imps. .Nathaniel begins the novel as an innocent child incapable …show more content…

Eventually, Bartimaeus is tracked back to the Underwoods residence. The tragedy causes Nathaniel to face the classical archetypal narrative theme “Individual Loss of Innocence”. Instead of hiding in his room; allowing Simon Lovelace to hurt the Underwoods, Nathaniel fearfully steps forward. “He's telling the truth, he said. “I took it. The person that you want is me.” (Stroud 291) When Nathaniel takes responsibility for his actions emphasizing his courageous character. Unfortunately, Lovelace still unleashes his demon, Jabor, to burn the house and kill the Underwoods. Mr Underwood's final scene emphasizes his cowardly character, as he shoves Nathaniel in front of the danger“Yes, but I will say nothing! You can trust me, Lovelace! … But the boy is a meddling fool; he must be silenced before he blabs. Kill him now, and the matter will be finished!” (Stroud 295) After these problematic tragedies, Nathaniel fully transitions from a innocent child to a pretentious and vengeful

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