Lec 11/17

Littrans ? A Path to the Spiders Nest Finish by Tuesday Novel Brutality of history is registered on the soft body of a young child. Page 31- traditional in narrative voice, there to relate perspective of child Intro section- Vertical descent, bringing us down to street level ?urine of life? -Underwear hanging out on line -House by the meddler tree- a pot of basil on the window seal is a symbol of available women (not necessary prostitutes- but women who are available on the market) Calvino uses a lot of contrast- dominant rhetorical feature -Degraded environment of old town and innocence of child (youth of child) -Character who is not yet affected by the world Pin- not a typical Italian name -Apprentice working for violent master -Protagonist who works in cobblar shop; beaten by master as he looks toward sky (nose in the air- contrast of up and down); thinking about getting away; he is a victim of abuse -In these moments; author gives us dialect of local language (aspect of realism of novel- reproduction of local languages of this city- does this in most brutal instances- the language is heard in areas of ghetto and Pin) -Ex. ?Why don?t you just shut up that stupid sister and master of yours? -Contradiction between image of child and clothing of adult- symbol of character- who is a child and forced to be older of his years Rheoteric of contrast continues- Hoarsness of voice- trying to sound older that he is -Languages he uses is irritating him and harming him! -Words he use of of older adults Perfect protagonist for novel- sees everything (including things your not suppose to see- sexual lives of these characters); he has a novel understanding -?Pin is always risky?, ?he knows all the gossip? Pin?s sister is a prostitute Pin steals pistol so kids would have respect for him (a ticket to adult hood and power) -Men in bar tell him to go get pistol (the Germans? pistol and bring it back here and we will talk)