The image of the twin towers engulfed in flames will forever stand out in most American's minds. 9/11 had a huge impact on American society. It affected every person in some way or another. Many people lost a part of their innocence as a result of the catastrophic event. Throughout life, an understanding of one's surroundings is gained through experience. Whether it happens over a period of time, or in an instance, it takes place. When this understanding is garnered, a coming of age also takes place. In Alice Walker's "The Flowers", Myop shows this. She changes from a young, innocent girl, to a girl that has been affected by a startling event. Walker's writing style gives the reader the ability to see the loss of innocence Myop experiences. Several factors contribute to the story's central theme of loss of innocence such as its setting, tone, and characterization of Myop.
The setting of the story is an important aspect which contributes to Myop's loss of innocence. "The Flowers" takes place on a farm which is located most likely in the south as evident by Myop's parents being sharecroppers. Walker describes Myop's environment as picture perfect. On page seventy-three, every day for Myop is described as being a "golden surprise". This gives the reader an idea of how pleasant the area Myop lives in is. She is used to everyday being better than the day before because of her beautiful surroundings. This is later crushed when she finds the skeleton. When she stumbles onto the decaying bones, the setting goes from "silver ferns" and "wildflowers" to a "gloomy little cove." Such a transition gives the reader the idea that Myop's life is going to change. In addition to her immediate surroundings affecting her loss of innocence, the farm most likely being located in the south also plays a role. The fact that racism is rampant in the south contributes to Myop's understanding of what she found. Finding the noose, combined with the bones just sitting out in the open, help Myop piece together what the situation is.
