In Ignazio Silone's novel, Fontamara, he is telling the story of the Fontamaresi people living in very poor conditions under fascist control. It shows the tremedous gap between the "cafoni," peasants, who live in Fontamara and the people that live in the city. The Fontamaresi are exploited due to their naviety and poor economic status. They are abused in all every way possible. The novel is written to reflect the people of Fontamara and their level of education, so the style and language is simple and told from the townspeople's voices. The novel is also narrated by three different characters whom all have drastically different view point and roles in this society. Giuva is the main narrator along with his wife and son. The essential question that is raised in the both the foreward and last chapter is, "what can we do?" The townspeople are trapped in this living situation and they are helpless. It's a frustrating book to read because as the reader I wanted to change the story, but there is nothing I can do about it. Looking at the context to when this book was written it is a reflection of the historic time period. Silone is showing the truth to how the people in southern Italy truly lived, which was in this peasant lifestyle. It contradicts what most foreigners picture. Instead of looking at how the people in this fictional village answer their own question of "what can we do" my question becomes what is the point of Silone writing this novel? Because "what can we do" is the final sentence in the novel it puts it on the reader. The book is a way for the readers to move forward and make a change. In the end of the forward Silone himself asks, "In this human situation which always seems hopeless, what can we, what shall we, do to enhance the dignity of Man?" (Silone 4). The answer is in the story. The answer is the telling of the story and making this lifestyle known to people in the world. The forward opens with this line, "Books like people die; only a few have a persistent life," (4). After reading this book I believe it does have a persistent life makes these peoples tales known. The last line implies hope and a future.
I would like to elaborate on what you said about the last line implying hope and a future. A major theme in this book is that the lives of the cafoni have been extremely cyclical. The are born into extreme poverty and die in extreme poverty. At that it is an extremely dismal cycle. Another major theme in the story is the lack of solidarity and/or altruism, which is magnified by the character of Barardo. By the end of the story, Berardo has sacraficed himself for the greater good of the cafoni, Mystery Man, and the revolution. At his death, he has made a complete 180 degree turn as a character. In class we discussed that literature is meant to change the way of thought and the way society acts. The man from Abrezzano does this to Berardo in the prison cell. He changes Berardo's selfish way of thought hoping that it will inspire the rest of the cafoni to change the way they act. Silone ends Fontamara with a sense of uncertainty implying his hopes for a better future with change but also with some degree of doubt.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tom about the cyclical nature of Cafoni poverty. It is next to impossible for them to escape their poverty. Yet, you are right to read the ending line of the novel as hopeful: Berardo, though he dies, serves as proof that the Cafoni can change. His transformation is a model for the rest of the Cafoni. But I think there is something to be said about how Silone limits Berardo's voice: he is the protagonist, yet he is basically voiceless. He may be hinting here at the voicelessness of the impoverished. I think the last line of the novel was written to be read ambiguously: it inspires no more hope than it begs sympathy.
ReplyDeleteUnder the oppression from the upper class, the cafoni from Fontamara will never be able to get out of the bad cycle. The book talked about how they were mistreated, and how do they gradually come to realized that they are mistreated, how they struggle to stop being mistreated which still ends up in failing. The unstoppable inertia of this cycle, will it always be there? I think this cycle not only applies to the Italian southern society, but also countries around the world. For people who are underprivileged, they are always provided with less resource and power, therefore it takes more from them to get out of the cycle. However, I don't agree with the idea of that being impossible - after all, there are examples of breaking this cycle in the history.
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