Like Adam and Eve whom God warned not to eat of the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden, the protagonists of our stories often encounter box they are to leave closed, lovers whose lips theirs are not to touch, forests in which they are encouraged not to wander alone, galas and balls that on attending they must exit by the stroke of midnight, and alas sea witches with whom they should strike no bargains.
And yet our central characters push the envelope open creating a second upheaval. But this chaos caused by the hand of the protagonist delivers direct transformation that reveals whom she or he is.
The first part of the change renders the central character vulnerable. Once exposed, not unlike Adam and Eve, who after eating of the tree of good and evil discovered their nakedness, our protagonist must find new clothes, appropriate attire for the task ahead.
The search for armor involves a renewal and reconstruction of identity.
Personality features that once hindered their ability to achieve their goal must be addressed, adjusted, reshaped or abandoned.
This loss of persona by which she or he has identified her or himself allows the true nature to come forth. With this come pain and blessings.
Sacrificing innocence and naïveté for the sake of knowledge to accomplish the task at hand, achieve the goal of survival or that which allows life to continue always delivers suffering, that of birth and labor at life and living.
For Adam and Eve the pain came in the form of working by the sweat of your brow (Adam) and the experience of giving birth to children (Eve), each of which bring love and loss.
But just think if Adam and Eve had not eaten of the fruit.
You and I might never have been born–or so the myth says.
What is the forbidden place in your novel?
What is the knowledge once gained that will bring pain and freedom, love and loss?
What must your protagonist sacrifice for this gain?
What parts of her or him does pushing open the envelope expose?
What parts of yourself came forth in writing these aspects of your novel?