"Unlike most other children, - especially unlike those of today - who are eager to become men and women as speedily as possible, I had a terror of growing up, which became more and more accentuated as I grew older"

This quote by Pierre Loti talks to the concept of growing up and the fear of it. He recommends that unlike the majority of kids, he had a fear of growing up, which just increased as he aged. This might be analyzed as a worry of the unknown, of leaving childhood behind and going into their adult years. It might also be translated as a fear of responsibility, of needing to take on the problems of the adult years and the expectations that featured it. It could likewise be interpreted as a fear of losing the innocence of childhood, of needing to face the harsh truths of life. Whatever the reason, it is clear that Pierre Loti had a fear of growing up, which just increased as he got older.