As you grow older it is inevitable that you will change
in many ways. As a matter of fact it is impossible to survive without the ability to
adapt to situations and surroundings. This ability is acquired as you age, learn and
experience life. It is a part of growing up and society demands that you adapt and
conform to their mores and customs. It is always difficult to veer from the path of
uniformity which society leads. Many times you are able to slip by unnoticed with a minor
variance from this path. However, when someone decides to blatantly blaze their own
trail, often society makes their further growth and development a difficult task. As a
result the community only tolerates acquiescence and conformity. Like the character
Cristina in Nino Ricci's novel Lives of the Saints, it is only the most tenacious that
can resist caving in to the pressure.
Often, this deviance can harm others, not just the dissident. Vittorio is
continually badgered for the deeds his mother performed, and he is too innocent to
realize that, her independence of spirit is the reason. As well, Cristina's father does
not see past the cloud which has slowly been built up in Valle del Sole. The cloud which
prevents most people from seeing how the failure to be an individual rules the town, and
how anyone with the nerve to be unique is ostracized. Cristina's father's failure to
understand this leads to the decline and eventually their total destruction of the family
structure.
In many ways, the story of the character Cristina in the novel is similar to the
story of Saint Christina. They both endure considerable suffering for standing up for
their beliefs. In both cases they have whole villages opposing them, and neither of them
give in, thus proving how strong they are. In the end, Santa Christina and Cristina end
up leaving behind these villages for a better existence.
The villagers continuous attention to whatever Cristina does, prevents her from
living her life as she would like. Cristina's only choice is to keep to herself and go
about the tedious and repetitive housework she does day in and day out. This prevents any
advance in her development and growth, she is left like a skipping record playing the
same thing over and over, not making any progress in her life.
In Nino Ricci's novel Lives of the Saints, Cristina's surprising strength to resist
society's demands is vital in showing how society can control people. In today's world
one must realize this and learn to take it in stride. Everyone must grow and change, it
is a fact of life and a necessity as much as sex is. Society should not be the only
influence to the way an individual thinks or acts, because who really decides what is
acceptable or not in "society's" eyes?
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