Loss of innocence

The novel Atonement by Ian McEwan concerns the loss of innocence and coming-of-age experiences. 

At the beginning of the novel, Briony is in “an ill-defined transitional space between the nursery and adult worlds which she crossed and recrossed unpredictably” (Chapter 11, 84%). Moreover, she wishes to grow up and have the maturity and perspective of an adult, but she lacks the experience which would allow her to attain this, so she is still naïve and childish. Briony's loss of innocence comes when she misinterprets the encounter between Robbie and Cecilia by the fountain. She sees something sexual happening and does not understand what it means, but feels compelled to do something about it. This leads to her writing the false accusation against Robb...