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First of all, initiation as a process in literary descriptions denotes the disillusioning process of the discovery of the existence of evil, which is depicted as a confrontation of the innocent protagonist with guilt and atonement (Freese 95) and often has the notion of a shocking experience. This confrontation usually includes a progress in the protagonists character or marks a step towards self-understanding. Thus, the first type describes an episode which leads the protagonist to gaining insight and gaining in experience, in which this experience is generally regarded as an important stage towards maturity (Freese 97). .
The second group differs from the first in focusing on the result of the initiatory experience. This includes the loss of original innocence concerning the protagonist1 and is often compared to the biblical Fall of Men (Freese 97). Furthermore, this approach generally stresses the aspect of duality in the initiation process, which is the aspect of loss of innocence as a hurtful but necessary experience as well as the aspect of profit in gaining identity (Freese 98). .
In contrast to the approaches presented above, which focus on the individual′s experiences and their consequences, the third one emphasizes the sociologic aspect of initiation. This means, that by an initiatory experience (during which rules, duties and manners of behavior are learned) the protagonist is enabled to become a full member of an existing society2 (Freese 99). .
The fourth aspect centers on the story of initiation as describing the process of self-discovery and self-realization, which basically means the process of individuation (Freese 101). .
It is important to mention, that these aspects of initiation do not comprise the same significance as puberty rites in some societies: the initiatory experiences described in stories of initiation generally represent only one certain stage or one certain aspect in the passage to maturity (Freese 134).