Innocence Quote by Steven Erikson
““Innocence is only a virtue, lass, when it is temporary. You must pass from it to look back and recognize its unsullied purity. To remain innocent is to twist beneath invisible and unfathomable forces all your life, until one day you realize that you no longer recognize yourself, and it comes to you that innocence was a curse that had shackled you, stunted you, defeated your every expression of living.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Malazan Book of the Fallen, The Crippled God, 2009
Innocence is a fleeting virtue; clinging to it leads to self‑loss and stagnation.
In simple terms: Innocence is temporary and can trap you.
Key Takeaway
Embrace growth, let go of false purity.
Themes
identity
growth
illusion
freedom
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal development
- creative work
- relationships
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
existentialism
self‑realization
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does innocence mean to you now?
- How can you balance purity with experience?
A Different Perspective
Innocence can also protect from harsh realities and preserve empathy.
![“...under no circumstances would he [Humbert Humbert] have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row.” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f0/vladimir-nabokov-198_children_under-no-circumstances-would-he-humbert_16228.jpg)
