Giuseppe Flashcards
what is giuseppe about
poor treatment of minorities under fascism in ww2
My Uncle Giuseppe once told me
introduces second hand monologue - doubtful
only captive mermaid in the world
brutality singles her out - magic realism depicts her as being vulnerable and unique
only captive mermaid in the world/ was butchered on the dry and dusty ground
enjambment justifies how she is naturally drawn into the brutality - ease of the cruelty
animalistic and brutal treatment dehumanises her
by a doctor, a fishmonger and certain others
justification of violence by authority figures
she, it, had never learned to speak
dehumanising pronoun is forced in - emph by parenthesis and caesura- reluctance
because she was simple, or so they’d said
parenthesis and caesura emph his reluctance and how he attempts to convince himself of her inhumanity - attempts to justify actions
the priest
returns to ideas of authority figures justifying violence - irony of church and critique of its corruption
her throat was cut
minimalist language depicts the brutality of reality - lack of figurative language
took a ripe golden roe/ and anyway an egg is not a child
emph the cruel brutality of actions
use of colloquial language depicts disregard of blame and cruelty
but she screamed like a woman in terrible fear
argument marker reflects his doubt and regret
the simile reminds she’s human - emph brutality
but refused when some was offered to him
repetition of argument marker emph his regret and doubt
they put her head and her hands in the box for burial
change in pronoun humanises her - humane treatment in burial
the rest they cooked and fed to the troops
idea of corruption of higher authorities being passed down to the lower ranks - complicity to cruelty
starvation forgives men of many things
excuse/justification - extremities humanity will go to during trouble/war
my uncle, the aquarium keeper, said
parenthesis suggests the uncle’s greater role/blame in the murder - his own secretive guilt
but couldn’t look me in the eye, for which I thank God
thanks that his uncle can at least feel guilty for his actions and shame
