Maggie the Girl of the Streets and innocence essays

Maggie the Girl of the Streets and innocence essays "Maggie, A Girl of the Streets" by Stephen Crane is an illustration of the morals and views of innocence in the early 1900's. The story chases the young and innocent Maggie into a life of sinfulness. The opinions of all of those around her change during her growth, and express the ideals of life during that time. Innocence is defined as freedom from sin, wrong, or guilt. (Barnhart 413) Many people value innocence as a very respectable virtue to have. The poeple around Maggie in this story have an opinion close to this. Maggie begins her life with little sin, but as she grows older, this ideal begins to weaken. Maggie's relationship with Pete is esentially what begins and pushes her along this path to indecency. Pete is her brother's friend, whom she has liked for many years. He carries with him an air of superiority, and Maggie looks up to his higher social status. Maggie is incredibly happy when Pete finally asks her out. However, at the end of the date, when he asks for a kiss, she refuses. (Crane 25) This refusal shows Maggie's naive nature and how, at this point she is still maintaining her innocence. From here on, however, it is all downhill for Maggie and her innocence. Her change in attitude and demeanor, caused by Pete, affects many people. The way Pete took her out and introduced her to a life of drinking and going out every night, a life of wealthier society than the people around her had, bothered many people. Her brother becomes jealous and shows up at Pete's pub and starts to fight. (Crane 39-41) jimmie, Maggie's brother, believes that Pete has betrayed their friendship and that Pete has ruined his sister. After she met Pete, Maggie also pulled away from her family and stopped living with them. She would very rarely come home. Maggie's mother is also affected by Maggie's changes such as these. Although a drunkard before, Maggie's mother begins to blame her drunkenness and the tr...