Multicultural Literature in Contemporary Italy: Reflection 2

“Return” Fatima Ahmed

Fatima Ahmed shares a detailed experience with her readers about her return from Vietnam to Cambodia. When reading her short story, I was struck by her recollection of her memory. Memory, a common theme written about throughout many of the short stories compiled in Multicultural Literature in Contemporary Italy. The critical incident effecting Fatima occurred to me with this line, “Intoxicated by recollections deep in my memory, now resurfacing, I finally fell asleep and slid into the night,” (37). As Fatima's memory came back to her, she finally felt at peace with herself back in Cambodia.

This story parallels much of what was reflected in Clash of Civilizations over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio. Both the book and this short story share a common theme of memory. While Fatima finds comfort in her memories, the characters in Clash of Civilizations often worked to suppress their memories that had frequently haunted them.

“Give Me Back My Coat” Adrian N. Bravi

In the short story “Give Me Back My Coat”, Adrian Bravi speaks of a character with an obsession with committing suicide. Throughout the story, the protagonist speaks of his goal of committing suicide in a completely peaceful and happy state. For this character, the critical incident was clear: when they he decided that he no long wanted to take his own life, “I felt like the loneliest person in the world, swollen everywhere, without a coat, or anything of value, I couldn't kill myself in that state,” (43).

This short story tied to the overall theme of our class, the idea of “otherness” that immigrants feel. Since he was unable to earn a living and gain a meaningful place in society. Demonstrating much of the alienation felt by many immigrants, this story demonstrates the struggles faced by immigrants on a daily basis.

“Light Beer and Peanuts” Viola Chandra

This short story, describing a half Indian half Italian woman, depicts a woman struggling to identify with her roots. Being taught her entire life to conform to society and reject the blood she had been given, she struggles to find her place in society, “But it is also true that thanks to his sense of humor, that country for many years has meant nothing more than an unreachable, unreal, and nonexistent place for me,” (46). Struggling to find her identity, she feels as if she is “buried alive” (46).

In this particular story, I think that the critical incident is when she finally is determined to become a part of the culture that her parents always made her afraid to confront, “Every time that I see an Indian or an African in Italy, I hope that he recognizes me; that he sees me as a member of his family, a daughter, since I am no longer the daughter of my own father,” (49). This quote represents the fact that she is beginning to embrace her otherness and reject the ideals of rejection that her parents placed in her head.

“The B-Line” Christiana de Caldas Brito

“The B-Line” continues the theme of memory in relation to words, “these words are all void of memories,” (54). This story illustrates how one does not necessarily have to communicate with the voice in order to make a language. Not being able to speak the native tongue of a foreign country means that many immigrants are forced to find other ways to communicate within society, “Fortunately a musician comes in. he speaks with his hands,” (55). I think that the musician boarding the metro represents the critical point in the story. Music represents a universal language that can be interpreted across borders by individuals of a multitude of cultures. This idea can be tied back to the day that we went on the graffiti walk. ON this walk, art was represented as a universal means of communication. The center where all of the graffiti was constructed represents a gathering place for people from all countries and walks of life where their words can be expressed through pictures.

“The Beggar” Christiana de Caldas Brito

Written by the same author as “The B-Line,” “The Beggar” once again has a strong focus on the meaning of words. In this short story, words are represented as a novelty and are something that the beggar strives to collect. Without these words given to him, the poet would remain in complete solitude and isolation from the world. I think that the critical incident in this story would be when the beggar receives the world foliage from someone on the street. When he received this word he exclaimed, “Do you know that FOLIAGE is much more beautiful than MOON or SPRING?” (60). This reaction represented how much words truly meant to him. They represent a gateway to communication and learning for the beggar.

“The Beggar” parallels the idea of the meaning of words and their importance to immigrants that we often take for granted.