Response to Fontomara

            As is stated in the preface of the novel, Silone's Fontomara is much like Steinbeck's The Grape of Wrath: it is the story of the separation existing between the fortunate and the unfortunate, the owning and the owned, the haves and the have-nots.  Here we see a separation between the townsmen and the Cafoni--one of the main reasons for this is the Cafoni's religious naivety--they believe that their misfortunes have something to do with fate and destiny.  They are easily taken advantage of due to their lack of education.  Silone takes a strong stance against Fascism with this novel.  The purpose of the novel comes down to the last line: "What can we do?"  Silone seems to be asking a question and making a firm assertion at once.  There exists within this line an element of hope, but also of a saddening unknowing nature.