Innocence can be said to be a product of one's environment, and both texts, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Passing, offer validation to this theory. Jefferson Smith, the epitome of idealism and symbol of innocence, is the only one who seems unfazed by a change of scenery. Saunders on the other hand is the perfect example of someone whose ideals remain intact, but are not expressed due to her surroundings and social status. Saunders does however change, and in a way becomes more innocent, with the arrival of Smith.

The act of passing seems to be a necessary one in all aspects of society, but it is not always a proactive choice by the 'passer'. Many times passing takes place in the mind of outsiders as well as the mind of the passer. Passing would be impossible if nobody was willing to accept the altered reality. Innocence is usually associated to those who accept the altered reality, and it is traditionally thought that as one begins to know more, innocence is lost. Smith would then have lost innocence at the end of the movie, because whereas he previously believed Paine to be an honest man, he later learned and accepted the truth. But Smith's innocence also lies in his ideals and beliefs, and his ideals were unchanged throughoiut the film, therefore remaining innocent of outside influences. It can be thought of that there are two types of innocence, that of the passer and that of the observer. Smiths observer innocence was changed, but that did not effect his actions and he therefore was

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Approximate Word count = 667
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)