Innocence vs. Experience

This summer in my honors class with Dr. Hali we looked into the theme of innocence vs. experience allot. I could not help but think of this idea while reading "The Graveyard Book." I felt that even though Bod's life was fantastical he still struggled with the conflict of innocence vs. experience that normal young adults face in so many coming of age situations. There was the innocence and protection of the graveyard that Bod cherished, yet at the same time he longed for the experience of the outer world, which could potentially harm him. As Bod interacted more with the human world and aged he gained experience but ultimately lost his ability to be attuned to the spirits who raised him in the graveyard.