--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We become innocent when we are unfortunate." description: "\"We become innocent when we are unfortunate.\" — Jean de La Fontaine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_innocence_we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortuna_3222728.jpg" --- # We become innocent when we are unfortunate. ![“We become innocent when we are unfortunate.” quote by Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_innocence_we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortuna_3222728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_innocence_we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortuna_3222728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_innocence_we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortuna_3222728.jpg) > “We become innocent when we are unfortunate.” [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Misfortune can strip away pretensions, revealing a pure, unguarded self that is both vulnerable and honest. **In simple terms:** Hardship can expose true innocence. Key Takeaway Accept hardship as a chance for authentic growth. Themes humility misfortune innocence Mood thoughtful somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal loss - financial crisis - health challenges - emotional setbacks Key Concepts fable human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does adversity change your self‑perception? - Can hardship ever deepen sincerity? A Different Perspective Innocence may be lost if misfortune leads to cynicism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent/) [Innocent Unfortunate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent-unfortunate-6064974/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Unfortunate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfortunate/) ## Related quotes > [The fastidious are unfortunate; nothing satisfies them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/the-fastidious-are-unfortunate-nothing-satisfies-them/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Philippine President Joseph Estrada said he was saddened by the conviction. It's very unfortunate and what happened is saddening, ... If he really is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-estrada/philippine-president-joseph-estrada-said-he-was-saddened-by-the/) [Joseph Estrada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-estrada/) > [It is unfortunate that in most cases when the sins of the father fall on the son it is because unlike God, people refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-unfortunate-that-in-most-cases-when-the-sins-of-the-father-fall/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Justice is always Violence to the Party offending, for every Man is Innocent in his own Eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/justice-is-always-violence-to-the-party-offending-for-every-man-is/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“Looks sure can be deceiving: not every ‘ugly’ person is a ‘bad’ person (or is guilty of whatever it is that they are accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looks-sure-can-be-deceiving-not-every-ugly-person-is-a-bad-person-or/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [You are as innocent as a babys butt cheek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/you-are-as-innocent-as-a-babys-butt-cheek/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [Some may remember, if you have good memories, that there used to be a concept in Anglo-American law called a presumption of innocence, innocent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/some-may-remember-if-you-have-good-memories-that-there-used-to-be-a/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [They're innocent movies, and they're fun movies and there were no pretensions about 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-winter/they-re-innocent-movies-and-they-re-fun-movies-and-there-were-no/) [Alex Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-winter/) > [“...I'm innocent still -inside me are stained glass windows that have never been broken- and when I see your light it stains my soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/i-m-innocent-still-inside-me-are-stained-glass-windows-that-have/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [It is better that ten guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blackstone/it-is-better-that-ten-guilty-persons-escape-than-one-innocent-suffer/) [William Blackstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blackstone/) > [Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/relationships-don-t-thrive-because-the-guilty-are-punished-but/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“Lust? I have no desire to incite lust in anyone." Veliss turned to her with a quizzical expression, her smile suddenly genuine. "Then I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ryan/lust-i-have-no-desire-to-incite-lust-in-anyone-veliss-turned-to-her/) [Anthony Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ryan/) > [To cut short this question of the law of retaliation, we must note that even in its primitive form it can operate only between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/to-cut-short-this-question-of-the-law-of-retaliation-we-must-note/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The only things that I can tell you is that every case I have reviewed I have been comfortable with the innocence or guilt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-only-things-that-i-can-tell-you-is-that-every-case-i-have/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is one of the most vicious crimes conceivable, a violation of mankind's most basic duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-walsh/the-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation-of-children-is-one-of-the-most/) [James T. Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-walsh/) ## More by Jean de La Fontaine > [Nothing is so oppressive as a secret: women find it difficult to keep one long; and I know a goodly number of men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/nothing-is-so-oppressive-as-a-secret-women-find-it-difficult-to-keep/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [One should stick to the sort of thing for which one was made; I tried to be an herbalist, Whereas I should keep to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/one-should-stick-to-the-sort-of-thing-for-which-one-was-made-i-tried/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [ No flowery road leads to glory. \[Fr., Aucun chemin de fleurs ne conduit a la gloire.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/no-flowery-road-leads-to-glory-fr-aucun-chemin-de-fleurs-ne-conduit-a/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Nothing is as dangerous as an ignorant friend; a wise enemy is to be preferred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/nothing-is-as-dangerous-as-an-ignorant-friend-a-wise-enemy-is-to-be/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [“Everyone believes very easily whatever he fears or desires.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/everyone-believes-very-easily-whatever-he-fears-or-desires/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Example is a dangerous lure: where the wasp got through the gnat sticks fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/example-is-a-dangerous-lure-where-the-wasp-got-through-the-gnat/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Neither wealth or greatness render us happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/neither-wealth-or-greatness-render-us-happy/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [No favor can win gratitude from a cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/no-favor-can-win-gratitude-from-a-cat/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Love cries victory when the tears of a woman become the sole defence of her virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/love-cries-victory-when-the-tears-of-a-woman-become-the-sole-defence/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/a-person-often-meets-his-destiny-on-the-road-he-took-to-avoid-it/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [You've tried to reform what will not learn. Shut doors on traits that you wish were dead; They will open a window and return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/you-ve-tried-to-reform-what-will-not-learn-shut-doors-on-traits-that/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [We ought never to scoff at the wretched, for who can be sure of continued happiness?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/we-ought-never-to-scoff-at-the-wretched-for-who-can-be-sure-of/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Such gluttony second to none Almost ended fatally When a bone choked a wolf as he gulped what he ate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/such-gluttony-second-to-none-almost-ended-fatally-when-a-bone-choked/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Every flatterer lives at the expense of him who listens to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/every-flatterer-lives-at-the-expense-of-him-who-listens-to-him/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [Cats know not how to pardon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/cats-know-not-how-to-pardon/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) [Explore all 166 Jean de La Fontaine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) ## More Innocence quotes > [Children, Never look Back!" and this meant that we must never allow the future to be weighed down by memory . for children have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/children-never-look-back-and-this-meant-that-we-must-never-allow-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's still possible to savor the remarkable foods that millennia of human ingenuity have teased from milk. A sip of milk itself or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-mcgee/it-s-still-possible-to-savor-the-remarkable-foods-that-millennia-of/) [Harold McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-mcgee/) > [You've had a whole lot of experience, but everything is also radically new at each moment, and you have to bring a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-houston/you-ve-had-a-whole-lot-of-experience-but-everything-is-also-radically/) [Jean Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-houston/) > [It had never occurred to Giles that there was something perfectly sensible about wanting to hold onto innocence. He had always gone in for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-had-never-occurred-to-giles-that-there-was-something-perfectly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Let us not subside into a single mandatory way of thinking or feeling, immersed by a spirit of self-gratification. But let’s dig into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/let-us-not-subside-into-a-single-mandatory-way-of-thinking-or-feeling/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [I don't think that on a daily basis, people need to be so concerned with others think. When someone comes forward and is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-goreski/i-don-t-think-that-on-a-daily-basis-people-need-to-be-so-concerned/) [Brad Goreski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-goreski/) > [ “...under no circumstances would he \[Humbert Humbert\] have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/under-no-circumstances-would-he-humbert-humbert-have-interfered-with/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is one of the most vicious crimes conceivable, a violation of mankind's most basic duty to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-walsh/the-sexual-abuse-and-exploitation-of-children-is-one-of-the-most/) [James T. Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-walsh/) > [The decision of such judges as Claudius and his Senate is worth very little in the question of a man's innocence or guilt; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-decision-of-such-judges-as-claudius-and-his-senate-is-worth-very/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorance is innocence - stupidity comes with experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-bronson-alcott/ignorance-is-innocence-stupidity-comes-with-experience/) [Amos Bronson Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-bronson-alcott/) > [Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/ralph-wept-for-the-end-of-innocence-the-darkness-of-man-s-heart-and/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [There could never be innocence in a world without justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-bowler/there-could-never-be-innocence-in-a-world-without-justice/) [Tim Bowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-bowler/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“In every guilty man, there is an element of innocence. This is what makes any absolute condemnation revolting. We do not think enough about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-zaretsky/in-every-guilty-man-there-is-an-element-of-innocence-this-is-what/) [Robert Zaretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-zaretsky/) > [“Ô, Wanderess, Wanderess When did you feel your most euphoric kiss? Was I the source of your greatest bliss?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/wanderess-wanderess-when-did-you-feel-your-most-euphoric-kiss-was-i/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) [Browse all 1,629 Innocence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We become innocent when we are unfortunate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean de La Fontaine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortunate/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Innocence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortunate/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_innocence_we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortuna_3222728.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_innocence_we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortuna_3222728.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24c/jean-de-la-fontaine-2320_innocence_we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortuna_3222728.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We become innocent when we are unfortunate.” — Jean de La Fontaine", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jean de La Fontaine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We become innocent when we are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortunate/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/we-become-innocent-when-we-are-unfortunate/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```