People will always return to what is most comfortable, based on their natural state. In Celeste Ng's short story, "Girls, At Play," the debate between nurture and nature lies in the struggles between four girls. The theme of “Girls, At Play” is that no amount of care can prevent a loss of innocence, which is found in point of view, character and plot. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The opposition between nurture and nature through perspective, characters and setting The point of view of the story gives the point of view of someone trying to preserve purity. At first, Grace seemed pure to the girls and saw her as a beacon of hope. When the girls first see the little girl on the playground, they long to protect her. “'Grace,' we repeat. 'Grace.' We like its sound, this round syllable, like a pearl of polished metal. A simple name, a sweet name. A name not yet corrupted into a diminutive. We wonder for a moment if with Grace we can be Angela, Caroline, Amanda” (4). From the beginning, the three girls view Grace as ethereal, untouched by the world, and hope that she can return them to that state. Later, their perspective distorts to see it on their own level. After teaching him all their dirty tricks, Grace surprises them by acting like them. “Sometimes we look at her, this new creature with dark eyes and elegant clothes, who holds her head high in the hallways, who sees people looking at her and batting their eyes and smiling. At first, she seems like a stranger” (9). By acting like them, Grace is now “other”, gone from someone to protect to a complete stranger. Despite all their attempts to keep her from defiling herself, she still follows them. From a girls' perspective, Grace should not throw away her childhood toys; she is lucky enough to live without having to please boys. The characters and their development show that this is what Grace will become from the beginning. The girls try to hold on to what's left of Grace's childhood. Soon after becoming friends, the girls go to Grace to start teaching her everything they know. “We are busy with Grace because she knows almost nothing. We teach him important things, like how to find the best seats at the cinema. Ask for butter in the middle of your popcorn, not just on the top. How to break your gum” (5). Because of her lack of experience, the girls return to their own childhoods. Therefore, Grace opposes girls and longs to be taken seriously. While the three girls act like children, Grace takes a big step toward herself, trying on their clothes in secret. “We put crowns, wigs, bunny ears and a mug in the mirror, and that's when we see Grace behind us. She doesn't wear a costume. She put on our clothes – Angie's little lace top, Carrie's denim skirt and Mandy's platforms – and she looks not in the mirror but at herself” (7). Grace has gone from the little girl they first met to an imitation of the actions they are so ashamed of. Grace's true values ​​and desires are revealed through her development as a girl and a character. The events of the story show both the suppression and growth of Grace's sexual knowledge. This transition from pure to as "dirty" as they do reminds the girls that Grace refused to heed their warnings. Although they still view her as a little girl who needs protection, the girls brush aside any mention of her..