In my opinion, in order to mature you must lose your innocence. I say this because in the process of growing up you learn things about life and do things that lead up to losing your innocence. In the book "A Separate Piece" by John Knowles there are three good reasons that support this.
             The first example is when Gene has to deal with his jealousy of Phineas and his athletic ability. When finally Gene couldn't take it anymore he jostled the limb that made Phinny fall and break his leg and that experience help lose genes innocence. He could have also avoided that all together by thinking before he acted but this way he learned not to take your actions and thoughts too far. Gene also shouldn't have been so jealous of Phinny because he actually was smarter then him and in turn Phinny was jealous of Gene for that.
             Another example this book portrays that you must lose your innocence in order to mature is during the time after the accident when Brinker would accuse him of pushing Phinny out of the tree, unknowing that he actually did help in Phinny's fall. Even though Gene hardly liked the questions and accusations being thrown at him, he had to endure them because he knew it was true and it would only be a matter of time before they found out (even though they never do find out.) This taught Gene that things don't always go as planned and when the world throws you lemons, you have to make lemonade.
             The third example is when Phinny dies partly due to Gene's fault. As hard as it was, Gene has to face the facts that he is partly to blame for Phinny's death, because he was the person who crippled Phinny in the first place. In movies and shows you usually see people maturing in different ways and the major step is when they lose someone close to them. It makes people realize that death is an everyday thing that can happen to anyone and that you should live you're life to the fullest and n...