how does will's character begin to loose the innocence that once dominated his personality

Like Jim, Will changes throughout the course of the book. As Jim becomes more and more obsessed with the carnival, Will begins to assert himself more and displays a greater wisdom and intelligence. It is this wisdom that allows him to resist moments of temptation in the novel. So really losing his innocence wasn't such a bad thing for Will. He becomes an interpretive thinker which is why the carnival doesn't seem to have the same affect on him as it does on people like Jim.