Pinocchio, a Political Puppet : the Fascist Adventures of Collodi's Novel

Original citation: Sinibaldi, Caterina. (2011) Pinocchio, a political puppet : the Fascist adventures of Collodi's novel. Italian Studies, Vol.66 (No.3). pp. 333-352. ISSN 00751634

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http://go.warwick.ac.uk/lib-publications Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies Adventures ofCollodi’sNovel Pinocchio, aPoliticalPuppet:theFascist italian studies © TheSocietyfor ItalianStudies2011 2 1 I wouldliketothankProfessorLuciano Curreri(UniversitédeLiège)forhisexpertiseandgenerosity. children’s l that booksforchildrenareoftenconsideredtobe‘common property’)make the fact time andc development forthesignificancetheybearwithinadult community.Distancein national h child’. .] . [. ‘Anything wecreateforchildren Talking abouttheideologicalaspectsofchildren’sliterature, Oittinenclaimsthat colonialism, children’sliterature keywords stages ofitsevolution. logical implications,andrelatedtotheprioritiesofFascismatdifferent almost mythicalcharacterofchildren’sliteraturewillbeexploredinitsideo- and rootedinpre-existingideologicaldiscourses.Theappropriationofthe ing thebreaksandcontinuityinnarrativescirculatedbyregime their chronologicalbreadth,makethosetextsparticularlysuitableforshow- time. Thediverseideologicaldimensionsofthere-writings,combinedwith positioning themselvesinrelationtobroadernarrativescirculatingatthe to determinehowthenewstoriesengagewithCollodi’snovelwhilealso political andeducationalpriorities.Iemployanarrativeapproachinorder of Collodi’spuppetisre-framedandre-interpretedaccordingtodifferent be analysedasacaseof‘intralingual’translation,wherethepopularity years oftheFascistregime,rangingfrom1923to1939.Thefourtextswill This articleexaminesfourretellingsof University ofWarwick Caterina Sinibaldi Van CoillieandWalter P.Verschueren Translated Children’sLiterature’,in Isabel Desmidt‘APrototypicalApproach withinDescriptiveTranslationStudies?CollidingNormsin Riitta Oittinen, 1 This is especially evident in the case of children’s classics which, as part of a This isespeciallyevidentinthecaseofchildren’sclassicswhich,aspart a eritage constructedbyadults,areexpectedtocontribute toinfantspiritual ulture between the original texts and the present day readers, (combined with ulture betweentheoriginaltextsandpresentdayreaders, (combined with iterary classicsparticularlypronetobeingmanipulated, adapted,and Pinocchio, Fascism,intralingualtranslation,narrativetheory, Translating forChildren , Vol.66No.3,November,2011,333–52 Children’s LiteratureinTranslation:Challenges andStrategies,

(Manchester: StJerome, 2006),pp.79–96. (New York:GarlandPublishing,2000), p.41. reflects ourviewsofchildhood,beinga Pinocchio producedduringthe DOI 10.1179/007516311X13134938224367 ed. byJan Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies fascist ideology. ticularly revealingofanongoingprocessnegotiationwiththepastunderlying recitazione collettiva’, described byMarioIsnenghias‘lospazioscenicodiunagrandeecoinvolgente produced duringtheItalianfascistregime.Italy,betweentwowars,hasbeen book forchildren is ‘aninterpretationofverbalsignsbymeansotherthesamelanguage’. tions andre-tellingsasatypeoftranslation.Inhisdefinition,intralingualtranslation Jacobson, whoconsideredtheinternalre-negotiationofmeaningoccurringinadapta- ‘intralingual’ and‘intersemiotic’werefirstusedinTranslationStudiesbyRoman often intersemioticadaptationsofclassicalworksareproducedovertime.Theterms phenomenon canalsobeobservedwithinthesamelanguage,whereintralingualand abridged. as inamoretraditionaltranslation-basedanalysis,I am interestedinadoptinga appropriation ofthenationalpast. how theideologyofregimewasconstructedandpropagated throughaselective case ofanintralingual,aswellintertemporal,adaptationcanofferinsightsinto privileged channelforpropagandaandindoctrination.Lookingatthosetextsasa immediately recognizablecharacter,butalso,theyexploitedchildren’sliteratureasa project oftheregimeaimedata‘riscritturadellacronologianazionale’. re-framing andre-interpretationofthenationaltradition,wheretotalitarian process of‘makingthefascistself’,inBerezin’sdefinition, and politicallegitimizationcouldnottranscendthe‘necessitàdelpassato’. as arevolutionarymovement,markingdecisiverupturewiththepast,itsideological narration wasacentralaspectoftheregime.WhileFascisminitiallypresenteditself in acoherentideology;however,itcannotbedeniedthatthedrivetowardsself- tions onwhetherFascism’saestheticizedandtheatricalself-representationresulted fications andloyaltiesweretobesubordinated.Historianshavetakendifferentposi- aimed atconstructingasenseofidentityandbelongingtowhichallpreviousidenti- Throughout itscourse,thefascistregimedevelopedacontinuousself-narration, versions, aimingto‘bringthesourcetextcloserreaderofday’. 334 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 Il Mulino,1985),p.69. (Amsterdam: Rodopi,2007) 1997). From nowon,Iwillreferto Zunino, p.64. Mabel Berezin, Piergiorgio Zunino, Mario Isnenghi, Press, 1959),pp.232–39. Aspects ofTranslation’,in tion ortranslationproper;intersemiotictransmutationin his influentialessay‘OnLinguistic Roman Jacobsondefinedthreetypesoftranslation:intralingualtranslation orrewording;interlingualtransla- Ş In thiscontext,therewritingsofachildren’sclassicsuchas This articleseekstoexploresomeoftheintralingualadaptationsclassic Rather thanfocusingonthelinguisticaspectsinvolvedin theprocessofrewriting, ebnem Susam-Sarajeva, CATERINA SINIBALDI 2 Firsttranslationsofforeignclassicsaremostoftenfollowedbysubsequent Making theFascistSelf:ThePolitical Culture ofInterwarItaly L’Italiadelfascio 9 NotonlydidthefascistPinocchiosrelyonCollodi’spuppetasan L’ideologia delfascismo.Miti,credenze evalorinellastabilizzazionedelregime Le avventurediPinocchio 5 Theories ontheMove:Translation’sRoleinTravelsofLiterary Theories On Translation ofwhich,from1922,Mussoliniwastheindisputabledirector.

p. 137. Le avventurediPinocchio (Florence:Giunti,1996),p.5. , ed.byReubenA.Brower(Cambridge,Mass.:HarvardUniversity as (1883)byCarloCollodiwhichwere Pinocchio . (Ithaca: CornellUniversityPress, 7 reliedheavilyonthe Pinocchio 8 3 Asimilar arepar- (Bologna: 6 The 4 Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies it asanovelwiththetitleof title of‘Storiadiunburattino’.Inthatyear,FlorentinepublisherFelicePaggipublished 1881 andJanuary1883inthechildren’smagazine grande favola’, narratives. AccordingtoGibelli,FascismimposedonItalianculture‘lapropriaunica, coercive methods,butalso—andespeciallythroughthedisseminationofpowerful the narrativesactivatedbyintralingualrewritingsofPinocchio. narratives areframedintranslation,thesetermsparticularlyusefulforexamining tional characterofItalianchildren’sliteraturebecomesa‘stranierointerno’, boundaries. by translatedworksineithersustainingorneutralizingnarrativesacrosslinguistic narrative approach.MonaBakerhasdrawnattentiontothecentralroleplayed 14 13 12 11 10 A firstversionofthestorynowknownas Pinocchio anditsrewritings certain themesandpatternsofCollodi’sstory,aswelltheirevolutionovertime. development, representausefulsampletoobservethefunctionalappropriationof relevance totheregime’spoliticalandeducationalprioritiesatdifferentstagesinits politics andnarration.Thefourre-tellingsunderreview,selectedonthebasisoftheir in theformofstorieswhichblurredboundariesbetweenrealityandimagination, tion’, ‘temporality’and‘narrativeaccrual’. egies describedbyBakeras‘relationality’,‘casualemplotment’,‘selectiveappropria- with Collodi’soriginal,whilealsoconstructingnewnarratives,throughtextualstrat- circulated bytheregime.Inordertodoso,Iwillanalysehownewstoriesengaged work toexaminehowthefascistrewritingsofPinocchioservedbroadernarratives Applied toanintralingualcontext,Baker’smodeloffersausefultheoreticalframe- needs tobe‘translated’accordingtheregime’sideologyandpoliticaldirectives. the nation’. family, religiousoreducationalinstitution,politicalactivistgroup,themediaand among socialandinstitutionalformationslargerthantheindividual,suchas Suspicious Frames’, p. 246. Antonio Gibelli, in Translation’; psychologists, suchasJeromeBruner. SeeMonaBaker,‘NarrativesinandofTranslation’;‘ReframingConflict The termsareborrowedfromsocial theorists,suchasMargaretR.SomersandGloriaD.Gibson interno: psicanalisidiunostatolimite’, separa danoi,unadifferenzaintornoauntrattocostitutivodellanostraidentità’: ‘Iltraditorecomestraniero .]Eppurerimanestraniero.Qualcosalo . spazio significativo,appartieneallanostracomunità,cièinterno.[. il confinespazialeoesistenzialedelnoi,entranelladialetticadellavicinanza edelladistanza,stanelnostro This definitionisusedbyEnricoPozzi,whogivesthefollowingdescription: ‘Lostranierointernononstaoltre Mona Baker,‘NarrativesinandofTranslation’, Social Semiotics explored theimplicationsofusinganarrativeapproachintranslation‘Reframing ConflictinTranslation’, On theseissuesseeBaker, 4–13 (p.5). The Italiandictatorshipattainedpowerandconsensusnotonlythroughviolent 10 11 Bakerdescribesnarrativesasbeing‘elaboratedbyandcirculating ThefascistPinocchiosanalysedhereofferaninstancewhereatradi- , 17.2(2007),151–69. Translation andConflict Il popolobambino.Infanziaenazione dallaGrandeGuerraaSalò 14 bybroadcastingitsviewsthroughapowerfulmediaapparatus, Critical StudiesonTerrorism, Translation andConflict Le avventurediPinocchio:storiaunburattino Il Corpo , and‘NarrativesofTerrorismSecurity: “Accurate”Translations, , 8/9,(1999),60–82(p.70). SKASE JournalofTranslationandInterpretation, 3.3(2010),347–64. Pinocchio 13 (London: Routledge,2006).Theauthorhasfurther EmployedbyBakertodescribehow PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET Il CorrieredeiPiccoli appearedseriallybetweenJuly (Turin: Einaudi,2005), , withthe 1.1(2005), 12 . who 335 Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies o rimontato’. alla perpetuacollaborazionedellettore,peressereanalizzatoochiosatoesmontato tutti incontranodopol’abbecedario’,whilealsopointingoutitscapacityto‘offrirsi 20 19 18 17 16 15 fascismo sembrerebberestarepoinecessitatoaunaperpetuariscrittura’. .]il . as wereadinIsnenghi:‘Natopertrasmutazioneoreinterpretazionedisé[. Collodi’s book,beyondthenameofprotagonist. publication ofPinocchio.Theseshortadventurousstorieshadlittleincommonwith and rewritings.Infact,thefirst‘Pinocchiate’emergedlessthanadecadeafter distinctive featureofthenovelwhichmadeitparticularlysuitableforadaptations emphasized here, rules. path, movingfromthestateofnaturetowardssubordinationtocapitalist freedom andhumanself-realization, social policies. both asadidacticbookformiddle-classchildren, is reflectedinthecomplexmoralmessageofstory,whichhasbeeninterpreted writer andsocialcommentator.Hissubtleironyambiguouspedagogicalattitude 24 23 22 21 libri cheglirestanolargamenteestranei’. young readerswhichwouldbeableto‘tradurreneiterminidellinguaggiofascista tization’ oftheschool,launchedinmid1920s,createdneedforliterature seizure ofpowerwasespeciallyevidentinchildren’sliterature.Theprocess‘fascis- of re-framingandre-interpretingthenationalpastinordertojustifyfascist original puppet. mously andwereephemeralpublications,relyingsolelyonthepopularityof 336 Franco Angeli,2004),pp.185–97(p. 191). World WarI. appropriation ofthecharacter,turning thepuppetintoapatrioticboywhodesperatelywantstovolunteerin nephew PaoloLorenzini,alsoknown asCollodiNipote.Thestorysignificantlypredatesthefascistideological A notableexceptionisrepresentedby The firstdocumented‘Pinocchiata’wasOresteBoni’s It isimportanttopointoutthat Italo Calvino,‘MaCollodinonesiste’in Antonio Gagliardi, Luigi Volpicelli, See inparticularCarlIpsen, d’infanzia This opinionwasexpressed,amongothers,byFrancoCambiin in Adolfo ScottodiLuzio,‘Letteraturaper l’infanziaestoriaculturaledelfascismo.Ilproblemadell’Ottocento’, Isnenghi, p.107. Vita epensiero,1997), reprinted in450.000copies;seePaoloLorenzini,quotedGiovanniGasperini the nineteenthcentury,however, it. WhenCollodidied,thefirsteditionofbook(3.000copies)wasstill onthemarket.Fromendof 1945 Palgrave, 2006). closely followedbyGemmaMongiardini’s In anewspaperarticle,ItaloCalvinodescribedPinocchioas‘ilprimolibroche Re-writings ofPinocchioduringtheyearsFascismdonotcomeasasurprise: The author,CarloLorenzini,betterknownunderthepen-nameofCollodi,wasa Editori epiccolilettoritraOttocento eNovecento – 18 1985 CATERINA SINIBALDI

(Milan:Mondadori,1995)vol.1,pp.801–07,(pp.803,804). (Bari: Dedalo,1985). 19 16 La veritàsuPinocchio ThesignificanceCollodi’snovelhasassumedinItaliancultureis Moreover,ifforsomecritics,Pinocchiorepresentsajourneytowards 22 Il burattinoeillabirinto 20

togetherwithitscomplexandmulti-dimensionalquality,asa p. 4. Italy intheAgeofPinocchio:ChildrenandDangerLiberalEra Pinocchio Pinocchio Il cuorediPinocchio (Rome: Avio,1954). La Repubblica, ’s successwasnotimmediate,anditsauthordidlivetowitness ’s risetosuccesswasrapidandspectacular.In1904,thebook Il segretodiPinocchio (Turin:Tirrenia-Stampatori,1980). 17 forotherstheprotagonistfollowsanopposite 24 Inthiscontext,intertemporaltranslation ed.byLuisaFinocchiandAdaG. Marchetti (Milan: 19–20April1981,reproducedinItaloCalvino, Il figliodiPinocchio (Florence:Bemborad,1917),writtenbyCollodi’s 15 , publishedbyBemporadoneyearlater. andadenunciationofbourgeois Collodi, DeAmicis,Rodari:treimmagini 21 Theyoftenappearedanony- , LacorsadiPinocchio , publishedbyBatteiin1893, 23 Theproject (New York: (Milano: Saggi Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies aimed ateffacingtheoriginalnovel,whosestatusasaclassicwasneverquestioned. as suchcontributingtothepatrioticcause. alike, buthewasalsoperceivedasthenationalheroofItalianchildren’sliterature, narration. Notonlywasthepuppetextremelypopularwithchildrenandadults rewritings, wastheperfectcandidateforsuchaprojectofrenovationthroughre- selectively appropriatedandpresentedinanew,fascistlight. represented apowerfultoolformanipulatingtheliterarytradition,whichcouldbe 29 28 27 26 25 protagonist isdefinedas‘unburattinoamodo’andnot asagoodboy.Wemay into arealboy,whichcameattheendofCollodi’snovel,isheredismissed,since .’. . pezzo chenonvedevoquelbricconediPinocchio. is presentedasasequeltotheoriginal,madeclearinopeninglines:‘Eraun change andrenovation,theimpositionofpowerthroughintimidation.Thestory mirrors thecorevaluesofearlyFascism,suchascultviolenceaforcefor and publishedin1923bythepopularchildren’spublisherNerbini. Avventure espedizionipunitivediPinocchioFascista Pinocchio, orhowtocreateayoungfascist example ofhowtheimageItalyasa‘colonialpower’wasconstructed. of fascistpolitics,thelattertwodealwithItaliancolonialism,offeringasignificant tion oftheyoungfascistwasconceivedatdifferentstagesindevelopment its twentyyearsofrule.Whilethefirsttwostoriesshowhowprocesssocializa- fact thattheyofferinsightsintothedifferentimagesofitselfFascismproducedduring between 1923and1939.Amajorconsiderationbehindtheselectionoftextswas “public domain”ofmyth’. by asingleauthor’thathad‘somehowbecomepartoftheoraltraditionand were expectedtobealreadyfamiliarwithPinocchio,asa‘fictionalcharactercreated ideological agenda.Theyaddressedamixedaudienceofchildrenandadultswho Collodi’s characterandthestatusofhisnovel,thoughthistimewithamoreexplicit Similarly totheearlier‘Pinocchiate’,fascistPinocchiosreliedoncelebrityof value ofthefascistrewritingsPinocchio. Thefourth‘pinocchiata’, published between1923and1944,along withafinalessaywheretheeditorcommentsondocumentary I considerhereisAnnaFranchi, included inmyanalysisasitisnotrelevant tothethemesdiscussedinpresentarticle.Theadditionaltext chio incamicia were reproduced,unabridged,andwiththeoriginalillustrations,inavolume editedbyLucianoCurreri, pp. 7–23(p.7). Giuseppe Petrai,‘Avventureespedizioni punitivediPinocchiofascista’inCurreri, Avventure espedizionipunitivediPinocchiofascista Forum Italicum Marco Arnaudo,‘AgainstChapterXXXVI:SequelsandRemakesofCollodi’s PinocchioinltalianLiterature’. d’Europa’ in copies, followedby In moderna. Guidabibliografica innamorato delsoleemare,artistapiùdeglialtribambini’;Vincenzina Battistelli, .]nelburattinosiriconosceilbambinoitaliano, . We readinahistoryofchildren’sliteraturethetime:‘[. Pinocchio, withitssymbolicandiconicsignificanceexistinghistoryof The fourrewritingsIconsiderbelowappearedoveraperiodofsixteenyears, La fieraletteraria Rassegna Europeadiletteraturaitaliana

nera 41.2 (2007),382–402(p.382). of5december1926,wereadthatPinocchiowasthebestselleryear, selling62.000 (Cuneo:Nerosubianco,2008).Thevolume containsfour‘pinocchiatefasciste’,originally I promessisposi (Florence: Vallecchi,1923),p.57. Pinocchio traiselvaggi. 27

. SeeCristinaBarbolani,‘AncorasulMarinoinSpagna:ilrapimento , , 2.4(1994),53–72(p.67). Pinocchio fraiBalilla 25 Interestingly,fascistrewritingswerenot (Firenze,Bompiani,1930). PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET was writtenbyGiuseppePetrai 29 Pinocchio’smetamorphosis Il viaggiodiPinocchio and Pinocchio istruttoredelNegus Pinocchio incamicianera 28 La letteraturainfantile Theshortstory (1944)isnot Pinoc- 337 26 ,

Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies novel, confronting hisenemy(Figure1): portrayed asanintimidatingweaponwherePinocchioisrepresentedintheactof nose thepuppetcouldperfectlyperformafascistsalute.Hiswoodenisindeed fascist weaponparexcellence,namelythetruncheon,whilewithhisstiffarmsand fascist message.Pinocchio’swoodenbodyseemstosuggestaresemblancewiththe his iconicpower.Ontheother,itsvisualrepresentationcontributedtoreinforce was widelypopularasapuppet,thereforeportrayinghimsuchcertainlyexploited keeps hiswoodenbody.Thereasoncouldbetwofold.Ontheonehand,Pinocchio wonder why,ifthemoralandspiritualtransformationhasoccurred,protagonist 31 30 ﬁ by PinocchioagainstthecommunistpuppetNicolaccio, Fascist. Theplot-lineisconstitutedbyanariddescriptionoftheactionstaken the protagonist’sfullrealizationasapuppetplayingpartofresoluteyoung of Pinocchio,asitisretoldbyPetrai,representsareversejourney,culminatingin as hisnaiveté,moralhesitation,andregretsarecompletelyleftout.Theexperience and exaggerated(especiallyhisimpulsivenessrisk-taking),whileothers,such Pinocchio, wecanseehowsomeofthetraitsCollodi’scharacteraremaintained selective appropriationofthepast.Ifwelookatcharacterizationthisfascist liminal conditionbeinghalf-puppetandhalf-human,alsoseemstomirrorFascism’s which exploitstheiconicpowerofPinocchio’snose. 338 gure Nicola Bombaccida MoscaaSalò founder memberoftheItalianCommunist PartywhohadlaterjoinedtheFascistParty.SeeGuglielmoSalotti, The pejorativenicknameof‘Nicolaccio’ mostprobablyreferstotherealhistoricalfigureofNicolaBombacci, Blood’, in a boyishadventure,i.e.physicallyand violentlydangerous.LoisRostowKuznets,‘ComingoutinFleshand This isargued,inparticular,byKuznets whenshedefinesthecharacterofPinocchioas‘arealboy’wholives The aggressiveboldnessofPinocchio,whichalreadyfeaturedintheoriginal The unfinishedmetamorphosischaracterizingtheprotagonist,whoisstuckina 30 CATERINA SINIBALDI Illus.byGioveToppi.Petrai,p.19. 1 isthereforeemphasizedandre-workedwithinthefascistmythofvirility, When ToysComeAlive (Rome: Bonacci,1986). (London: YaleUniversityPress,1994), pp.59–75(p.71). 31 portrayedasacowardly Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies ‘rivoluzione mancata’whichFascismonlycouldaccomplish. while alsoclaimingthelegacyofRomansplendourandRisorgimento,asa Fascism asarevolutionarymovementwhichsignalleddiscontinuitywiththepast, be conceivedof,asanepisode,onepartofalargerconfigurationevents’. ‘relationality’, describedbyBakerasthenecessityforaneventtobeinterpreted,‘to and thenaturaloutcomeofitshistory.Suchanarrativeisactivatedmainlythrough the text,‘èPinocchio’. country, andwhoisonlyinterestedinhischild’sfuture.‘Ilsuoorgoglio’weread portrayed asamanwhodoesnotexpectanythinginreturnforhavingservedhis nel 1886aCustoza.Nel1867fuconGaribaldiMentana’,ontheother,Geppettois since readersareinformedthat‘Dagiovinefeceilsuodoveredipatriota,battendosi displays throughoutthestory.If,ononehand,hismilitaryprowessiscelebrated, humility issignificantlyemphasized,aswecanseefromthesubmissivebehaviourhe is nowashoemaker.Theoldmanthereforedeniedhisroleascreator,and of all,heisdefinedas‘ilpadreadottivodiPinocchio’and,insteadacarpenter, ing aboutFascism’srelationshipwithmorerecentItalianhistoryandtradition.First to Fascism’sclaimspower.Inturn,thecharacterofGeppettoisparticularlyreveal- .eesercitatevialmanganello!”’. . .“Siatebuoni,lavorate . Cicerone, buon’anima. and resolutefascistmilitant.DescribingPinocchio,Geppettosays:‘Sembradisentire never resultinaction. political leader,whousesemptywordstoexpresssophisticatedideasthat 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 their ambitionstochildrenandmakewayforthe young,fascistmovement. movement, whereoldpeople,andbyextensionthe liberalItaly,shouldtransfer latter clearlyservesameta-narrativeofFascismasrevolutionary, forward-looking evident intherelationshipbetweenGeppettoandPinocchiodescribedabove.The as aforceofnationalrenovation,whichalsofoundlegitimacyinthepast,ismainly narrative activatedby Fascism, which, seenasa‘directandprivilegedheritageofItaly’, through violence. ganello’ becomesthesymbolofanationalandmoralregeneration,tobeachieved The exhortationhasthetypicalaggressivetoneoffascistslogans,where‘man- formations largerthan theindividual’.In‘Narrativesin andofTranslation’p.9. Public narrativesaredescribedbyBaker as‘elaboratedbyandcirculatingamongsocialinstitutional Historical Review, Risorgimento BetweenIdeologyand History: ThePoliticalMythofthe‘RivoluzioneMancata’.’in On howtheRisorgimentohasbeen ‘appropriated’bypoliticalforces,seeWilliamASalomone,‘The Baker, ‘NarrativesinandofTranslation’, p.8. are characterizedby‘asenseofinevitability orinescapability’.:‘NarrativesinandofTranslation’,p.9. Meta-narratives aredefinedbyBakerasthebroadernarrativesinforming thesocialcontextwelivein.They Petrai, p.8. (2007), 391–415(p.396). Jan Nelis,‘ConstructingFascistIdentity:BenitoMussoliniandtheMythof fascista (1918 sopravviveva ilnemicointerno,chenegavalapatriaedisprezzavavittoria’. In As GiovanniGentileclaimsindescribingtheviolentattitudeofFascism: ‘laguerranonerafinita,perché Petrai, p.8. Collodi’s naughty,butnonethelessgood-hearted,characterisreplacedbyaviolent It isthereforeclearhowPetrai’sstoryinformedbyanearlymeta-narrativeof 36 seekingtolegitimizeMussolini’sruleasthesolutionItaly’snationalills – 1925) 68 (1962),38–56. 33 (Bari: Laterza,1975),p.132. ThementionofCicerorepresentsareferencetotheRomanpast 35 Avventure espedizionipunitivediPinocchioFascista

PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET 34 servedasalegitimization Romanità 38 TheideaofFascism ’, Le originidell’ideologia Classical World presents American 37 , 100.4 The 339 32 39

Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies only todistortthemaccordinganewsystemofvalues. Contrarytotheprevious but ratherasafascistalternativetoit,thusappropriating elementsoftheoriginalplot chio isgoingtohave.Schizzo’sstorynotpresentedas asequelofCollodi’snovel, details ofwhicharegivenasiftoadvertizeit. 40 had nowgoneontobecomethedominantactor Italianpoliticalscene. of Fascism,whichfrompresentingitselfasadissidentandrevolutionaryorganization tone fromtheonediscussedabove,andseemstorelatealaterideologicalevolution appeared in1927,againwiththepublisherNerbini.Thistextisentirelydifferent in responsetotheinadequaciesofliberalItaly. with therough,untamedenergy,clearlyrepresentsFascismasanewmovement,born the protagonist,asasymboloflostyouth.Thespontaneitypuppet,combined educational contents;theyarealsoinvitedtosympathizewiththevitalisticvirtuesof implications. under review,addressinganambivalentaudiencecanbeseenashavingpolitical experience, isacommonstrategyinchildren’sliterature.However,thecontext the narratortosharesameadmirationforteenageprotagonist. the figureofPinocchioisalsomeanttoappealadultreaders,whoareinvitedby with thepresenceofillustrations.Atsametime,mythYouthembodiedby children asimpliedreaders,wecaninferfromtheflat,didactictone,combined ed andaddressed.Publishedinaseriesfortheyoung,bookisclearlytargetedat ‘temporality’ and‘relationality’alsocontributetothewayaudienceisconstruct- reading moreasapropagandisticleafletthanworkofliterature. point ofview,thetextisstronglylocalizedinfascistcontext,to of torture,tothementionregime’ssatiricalmagazine references tofascistculture,fromtheallusioncastoroilasacommoninstrument moment andphysicalsiteofthenarration’. ‘embedded intimeandspacederivemuchoftheirmeaningfromthetemporal Fascism asthe‘presentemaanchepromessadiun’Italianuova’. resolves thetensionbetweencontinuityandrenewal,bypresentinganimageof Pinocchio, asanincarnationofthemythYouthinformingfascistideology, 44 43 42 41 340 Literature Zohar Shavithaswrittenextensivelyonthe‘ambivalentstatus’oftextsfor childrenin during WorldWarI;itprogressivelybecameclosertotheregime. Quattrocentoventi Mona Baker,‘ReframingConflictinTranslation’,p.155. Zunino, p.241. Gino Schiattihadpublishedanearlier ‘Pinocchiata’, World WarI,glorifiedthemilitaryactions ofItalians.Thishypothesiswouldalsobesupportedbythefactthat comic stripcharactercreatedbycartoonist AttilioMussinowhich,publishedin contributor ofthejournal and then,inbrackets:‘ps.diSchiatti, Gino’.TherearereasonstobelievethatGinoSchiatti,awell-known On thefrontcover,afternameof CirilloSchizzoweread‘del420’,anameofFascistsatiricalmagazine, The title, The secondre-writingunderexaminationistheworkofCirilloSchizzo, Seeking theapprovalofadult,whoispresumedtocontrolchild’sreading Besides contributingtothepublicnarrativeofearlyFascism,dimensions Petrai’s storyalsorelieson‘temporality’,accordingtowhichnarrativesare CATERINA SINIBALDI (London:TheUniversityofGeorgia Press,1986). Pinocchio fraiBalilla 43 InPetrai’srewriting,notonlyareadultsexpectedtoapproveofthe wasaweeklysatiricalandhumourmagazinefoundedbyMarioNerbini firstpublished Quattrocentoventi, , immediatelyrevealsthekindofadventurePinoc- is therealpersonbehindpseudonym ofCirilloSchizzo,a Pinocchio nellaluna 41 Theauthorweavesadensewebof 42 Asaconsequence,fromstylistic (Florence:Nerbini,1911). Il giornaledeipiccoli 40 Quattrocentoventi Poetics ofChildren’s 44 which during , Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies eventually forcedtogiveuphischild-likespontaneityandconformsocialnorms. Collodi’s Pinocchio‘uncapovolgimentodell’Emilio’,insofarastheprotagonistis unruly puppet/son.Gagliardihasidentifiedinthepedagogicalmessageunderlying described inCollodi’sstory,wheretheoldmandesperatelytriestodisciplinehis padre’. ‘sopportato conpaternaedevangelicarassegnazionedalbuonMastroGeppettosuo rewriting, Pinocchioisheredepictedasanaughtyanddisobedientchild,who 48 47 46 45 of schoolas‘thesitewheregeographicalItalyistobe transformed intoanation’. Italy remainambiguous,andsoistheauthor’sattitudetowardspublicnarrative eventually becomearealboy.Collodi’sviewsonthepubliceducationprovidedin school forgood.However,thepuppetwillstillcompletehismoraleducationand like aperfectpupil,Pinocchioiscruellybetrayedbyhisschoolmatesandmustleave the previousguard-dog,whohadpassedawaythatsameday. corrupted, despitetheharshconditionsofhislife,whilealsodecidingnottoreport for lettingthemstealsomeanimalseveryweek.Thepuppetfirmlyrefusestobe him thattheguard-dogwhoprecededusedtoaccepttheirgiftsinexchange into thehouseandofferhimsomefoodinreturnforhissilence.Thethievesinform the former,onenightPinocchioisawokenbyfourthieveswhoaretryingtobreak moral dilemmas,towhichwefindnoreferenceinSchizzo’sversion.Forinstance, Stuck insuchanabsurdsituation,theprotagonistisconfrontedwithaseriesof a ferociousdog,andheislaterobligedtoactasguard-dogatpeasant’shouse. taken prisonerbyadog-catcher.InCollodi’sstory,thepuppetissimilarlychased being firstchasedbyadogandthen,havingmistakenforhimself, right andwrong,guiltpunishment. in Schizzo’sversion,presentedawaywhichsuggestsclear-cutdivisionbetween cantly simplified.Theepisodeswhichrevealamoralcomplexityintheoriginalare, rewriting haveincommonisthefactthatmoralaspectofstorysignifi- a strongleaderandperfectfascistboy.Anelementthatthistheprevious institutionalized when,attheendofstory,Pinocchiotrouble-makerbecomes happens toCollodi’scharacter,his‘diversitàdellegno’ Pinocchio Balillaseemstofollowasimilarpath,eventhough,contrarywhat line. Inthisregard,itisworth noticingthat and paralleltotheState,actasanormalizingforce, andbringthepuppetinto teacher andtheOperaNazionaleBalilla(ONB),anorganization atoncesubordinate by SchizzoasthecentralpivotofFascistsociety.Thecombined effortsoftheschool which wasundergoingamajorprocessofFascistization inthoseyears,isdescribed mony betweentheindividualandcommunity.The school system,inparticular, organization structuresprovidedbytheregime,andpresented asensuringthehar- socialization ofthepuppet/childisrealizedthroughhis integration withinthemass- light, asthebestdeterrenttoPinocchio’santi-social behaviour.Theprocessof On theotherhand,inrewritingbySchizzo,schoolis depictedinastrictlypositive Chicago Press,2007),p.17. Suzanne Stewart-Steinberg. Ibid. p.27. Gagliardi, Cirillo Schizzo,‘PinocchiofraiBalilla’ inLucianoCurrieri, In anotherepisodeoftheoriginalTuscannovel,justwhenhestartstobehave 45 Theson-fatherrelationshipthereforesharessomesimilaritieswiththeone Il Burattino, p. 24. The PinocchioEffect.OnMakingthe Italians(1860 Pinocchio fraiBalilla Pinocchio fraiBalilla Pinocchio incamicianera PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET 47 isnotrejectedbutrather openswiththepuppet – 1920) , pp.25–48(p.26). waspublishedin (Chicago: Universityof 341 46 48

Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies Evviva ilFascismo!l’Italia!lascuola!Maestro!’ he iscelebratedbyhisfriends,whoshout:‘BravoPinocchio!EvvivaPinocchioBalilla! mations ofPinocchio’sfriends.OncethepuppethasfinallyagreedtojoinBalilla, connection withthecrucialroleofstateaseducator,areevidentfromexcla- primary siteforinculcatingnationalvaluesandforgingaidentity,its their individualneedstothoseofthestate.Thecentralimportanceschoolasa paring childrentobecomegoodandobedientfascistcitizens,readysubordinate Schizzo’s rewritingreflectstheregime’seducationalagenda,whichwasaimedatpre- be modelled.Inthefirststatementof relations betweenunionsandemployersonwhichthe the sameyearasBottai’s 53 52 51 50 49 rispettato’. io nonsonovenutoquiperessereilvostrobuffone.Iorispetto glialtrievoglioessere tagonist isharassedbyagroupofschoolmates,hebursts outwith:‘Badateragazzi: ference withCollodi’snovelisstriking:inthecorresponding passage,whenthepro- bullying, butonlybypromisingtojointheBalillaandbecome agoodboy.Thedif- più, cominciòapiangeredirottamente’. d’ogni generemortificaronoilribelleburattino,quale allafine,nonpotendone social order: in Figure 2, whichdeliversathreateningmessageaboutthedangerofchallenging sequences facedbythosewhorefusetocomply.Aclearexampleofthiscanbefound story resemblesthatofacautionarytale,warningthereaderaboutdreadfulcon- persuaded toembraceFascism—atleastinitsrituals.Themoralstructureofthe where theprotagonist,definedas‘undemoniodilegno’,ishumiliatedandfinally we canseehowthisresultisobtainedthroughaviolentstrategyofindoctrination, at theserviceofitspoliticalproject,thusrestoringsocialorder. sented astheonlyforcewhichmanagestopositivelyemployhisdestructiveenergies rebel, aloosecannonwhoisnotintegratedintosociety.Fascism,inturn,pre- his fellowcountrymen.InSchizzo’srewriting,Pinocchioisportrayedasadangerous in thefirstpartofstory,describingallelaborateprankspuppetplayson mainly concernstheprotagonist,whosechildliketraitsareparticularlyemphasized egy, describedbyBakerasfundamentaltotheconstructionofacoherentnarrative, retelling enactsa‘selectiveappropriation’oftheoriginalstory.Suchtextualstrat- 342 nationalist, warmongeringpropaganda, findingitsfullestexpressioninfascistpropaganda. di stradaalgestocherisollevaladignità delpopolo’(p.25)hasfeaturedwidelybothinliteratureand a ‘potenzialitàdimetamorfosidaldisvalore alvalore,dallamonelleriapatriottismo,vitarandagia mondo degliadulti’isarecurrentfigure inItalianchildren’sliterature.FromtheRisorgimentoonwards,such Gibelli hasshownhowthe‘monello chedivieneeroebruciandoletappeedentrandorepentinamentenel Schizzo, p.42. Quoted inMarcoPalla, Carlo Collodi, Schizzo, p.38. economica, chesirealizzaintegramentenelloStatoFascista. degli individuidivisioraggruppatichelacompongono.Èun’unitàmorale,politicaed La NazioneItalianaèunorganismoaventefini,vita,mezzidiazionesuperioreaquelli The situationisdescribedasfollows:‘Risa,frizzi,motti salaci,scherziedileggi If welookatthewaySchizzoengageswithCollodi’snovel,noticehow CATERINA SINIBALDI 53 Pinocchio Mussolini eilFascismo (Milan: Feltrinelli,2004),p.178. Carta delLavoro (Bologna:Giunti,2006),p.54. 52 Pinocchioeventuallymanagestostopthe Carta delLavoro , animportantdocumentregulatingthe Carta dellaScuola 49 , weread: 51 Astheplotunfolds, 50 (myemphasis). wouldlater Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies 54 e, tuttavia,sempredisponibile sulpianodellamobilitazioneideologica’. the revolutionaryFascismof theoriginsappearstobe‘Politicamenteneutralizzato, not completelyrepudiated, but ratherchannelledintoanewpublicnarrativewhere distinctive traitsofearlyFascism,suchasunruliness,spontaneity, andpassion,are the regimeasanestablishedandinstitutionalizedpolitical entity.Nonetheless,the it asanoverwhelmingforceofrenovation,washere substituted byanimageof The narrativeoftheorigins,whichlegitimizedFascism’s seizureofpower,presenting revolutionary components;instead,itexpressesitself ininstitutionalstructures. by Fascism.Inthelatertext,however,Fascismisno longerrepresentedbyits individuals tosubordinatetheirpersonalintereststhe collectivegood,embodied ﬁ gure Scotto diLuzio,p.197. In bothPetrai’sandSchizzo’srewritings,thenarrative reaffirms thenecessityfor Illus.byCirilloSchizzo.Schizzo,p.39. 2 PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET 54 343 Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies of Italiancolonialism. from textbooksaswellotherpublicationsforchildrendevotedtothecelebration primary subjectofinterestinItalianelementaryandsecondaryschool,aswecansee 56 55 ofAfrica,withthedeclaredintentiontravellingamong‘selvaggi’. regions as arealboy,cannotresisttheurgeforadventureand setsofftothemostremote the relationshipbetweenAfricaandWest. analysis willshow,Franchi’snovelisinscribedwithinthemeta-narrativeinforming to beinformedbyanexplicitpurposeofideologicalindoctrination.However,asthe lectual whoneveropenlysupportedtheregime,thereforetextcannotbeassumed ined earlier,bothinformandcontent. ous expeditionofPinocchioinAfrica.Thetextsignificantlydiffersfromthoseexam- reflecting different(althoughnotunrelated)attitudestowardsAfrica. underlying bothtextshasbeenarticulatedintoverydifferentideologicalpositions, However, thatiswheretheirsimilaritiesend.AsIwillshow,theimperialiststance and thekeythemesunderpinningfascistpropagandaareintegratedintoplot. context. Inbothstoriesthecolonialenterpriseisportrayedasanexcitingadventure the supportofItalianpeople‘apartiredall’infanzia’. the ItalianempireinAfrica,generatedamassivepropagandaeffort,aimedatwinning direct connectionwiththefascistpresent. (1896), whilealsorestoringtheprestigeofRomanEmpireandestablishinga means toavengenationalhonour,especiallyafterthedisastrousdefeatatAdwa The myth-makingsurroundingcolonialenterprisepresentedItalianaggressionasa to consolidateitscontrolorexpandauthorityovertheindigenouspopulations. pos sessions inLibya,Somalia,andEritrea,buttheliberal Statehadnevermanaged political project.FascistItalyhadinheritedfromthepreviousperiodcolonial During thefascistregime,colonialismcametoacquireakeyroleinMussolini’s The AfricanadventuresofPinocchio 58 57 the verybeginning,Pinocchioisportrayedasanexplorer, ratherthanaconqueror, pages) anditsliterarystyle.Moreover,theauthor,AnnaFranchi, a novelratherthanshortstory,assignalledbothbyitslength(morehundred 344 Palumbo Bemporad, 1938)andArnaldoCipolla, discussed byPalumboinherinsightfulessay‘OrphansfortheEmpire’, for theyoung,itisworthmentioningEmittaNobile, the MilanesepublishinghouseCarroccio.Amongmanyinterestingexamples ofcolonialnovelsproduced Most colonialshortstoriesforchildrenwerepublishedintheseries‘Eroi d’Italia’and‘SerieAvventure’by Paolo BoeroandCarmineDeLuca, Pinocchio says,atthebeginningof tale:‘AndròinAffrica,traiselvaggi’,Franchi,p.4. Andrea CiccarelliandPeterBondanella Wood, ‘Feministwritinginthetwentieth century’,in anticipate theworksoflaterfeminist writers,aswellsomechildren’sstoriesandartcriticism.SeeSharon for womenrights,especiallytheright tovoteanddivorce.Shemainlywroteautobiographicalnovels,which A writerandjournalist,AnnaFranchi supportedtheSocialistPartyandwasactivelyengagedinsocialstruggles The storybeginswiththeprotagonistwho,despitenow livingacomfortablelife Pinocchio fraiselvaggi The lasttworewritingsofPinocchioIamgoingtoexamineshouldbereadinthis The Ethiopiancampaign(1935–1936),whichculminatedintheestablishmentof CATERINA SINIBALDI

(Berkeley: UniversityofCaliforniaPress, 2003),pp.225–52. 56 was publishedbySalaniin1930andnarratestheadventur- La letteraturaperl’infanzia

Balilla regale:romanzoafricanopergiovinetti. (Cambridge: CambidgeUniversityPress, 2003),pp.151–66. The CambridgeCompaniontotheItalian Novel, Pinocchio fraiselvaggi Il figliodell’impero:romanzoperiBalilla (Rome: Laterza,1995)p.186. 55 Colonialexpansionbecamea A PlaceintheSun, 57 wasaleftistintel- presentsitselfas (Milan: Est,1935)also ed.byPatrizia . (Florence: 58 From From ed. by Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies to restorethebraveandadventurousspiritthatanimatedoriginalcharacter. before settingofftoAfrica,theprotagonistwearshiswoodenpuppetcostume,asif diversity ofPinocchiohadsurvivedthemetamorphosis.In appropriated aspartoftheirenvironment. the traveller’sbodyrepresentedhiscountry,whilenativesweremappedand As PuccinihasconvincinglyarguedwithregardstoItaliannineteenth-centuryexplorers, deciphered andportrayedintravelwritingcontributedtolaterimperialistdiscourses. nial project,werenotideologicallyneutralactivities,andthewayexoticis assumptions. native populationwasessentiallyasymmetricalandmostofteninformedbyracist even inthattradition,therelationshipofpowerbetweenexplorerand in linewithapre-colonial,pre-Fascistliterarytraditionoftravelwriting.However, 63 62 61 60 59 compliment himonhisheroism,theAfricanfriendwhohasstoodbythroughout can seefromFigure 3, whenPinocchioisgreetedbyagroupofcompatriotswho Africans, whoseinferiorityanduncivilizedmannersaresimilarlyemphasised.Aswe consider thatthestorydevelopsaparallelbetweenanimalsandnative which joinhimastravelcompanions.Thisaspectisparticularlyinterestingifwe is abletocommunicatewiththem,andthroughouthisjourneyheencountersanimals chio’s relationshipwithanimals.Fromthemomenthewearshispuppetcostume, entering therealmofsupernatural. atmosphere isinfusedwithmagicelementsandthereadermadeawarethats/he moving beyondthethresholdofreality.Fromthatpointonwards,fairytale-like other thereappropriationofanold,mythicalappearancealsosignalsthatweare on theonehand,iconicpowerofwell-knowncharacterisexploited, in scena,testimonepericolosodiunaltromodoessere’, normalized. AsGagliardisayswithregardtotheoriginalending:‘Ilburattinorimane the liminalnatureoflivingpuppet,anelementdisorderwhichcannotbefully lives alonewithanimals.Ostracizedbyhumansociety,heseemstohavemaintained of thestrategiesfrequentlyusedbytranslators tomakecomplexworks,suchas We mightclaimthatFranchiadopts a‘fairytaleapproach’,toquoteEmerO’Sullivan’sdefinitionofone lives nowwithGeppetto’.in‘Against ChapterXXXVI’,p.383. jester-like puppetwelovedthroughthe novelhasn’tbeencancelledbyorsublimatedintothegoodboythat That deadpuppetlyingonthechair, indeed, remindsusthatthecrazy,unpredictable,energetic,anarchicand .]Collodialsoopened aseriesofnarrativeoptionsfortheauthorswhocameafterhim. . end ofthenovel[. In thisregard,MarcoArnaudoclaimedthat:‘Bydecidingtoleavethebody ofthepuppetonstageat Gagliardi, Sandra Puccini, marked thanfictionalnarratives.In‘BetweentheExoticandHeroic’, nineteenth century,is,withitssupposedlyobjectiveandinformativenature, perhapsevenmoreideologically Loredana Polezzipointsouthowtravelwriting,whichhaslinkedItaly andAfricafromtheendof Identity acceptable inthetargetcontext.See ‘Alice inDifferentWonderlands’, Dickinson UniversityPress,2007),pp.29–55. In Corpore.BodiesinPost-unificationItaly, Loredana Polezzi,‘White,MaleandItalian?PerformingMasculinityinItalian TravelWritingaboutAfrica’in (p. 9). Among thesupernaturalelementsinstory,acentralroleisplayedbyPinoc- In Franchi’srewriting,Pinocchioispresentedasarealboybut,interestingly,he , ed.byMargaretMeek(London:Trentham, 2001),pp.11–22(p.15). Il burattino 59 Andare lontano:ViaggiedetnografianelsecondoOttocento Explorationanddiscovery,evenwhennotinformedbyaclearcolo- , p.157. ed. byLoredanaPolezziandCharlotteRoss(Madison:Fairleigh 63 60 PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET Fogli dianglistica Children’s LiteratureandNational (Rome:Carocci,1999)quotedin Pinocchio fraiselvaggi 61 asiftheirreducible Alice inWonderland, , 1–2(2007),9–24 62 more 345 If, , Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies ﬁ animal kingdomandremainsinthebackground: his adventure,showingexceptionalloyaltyandbravery, isvisuallyassimilatedtothe mitezza diqueibuoniaffricani’ .poirise,pensandoallagrande . nessuna vogliadidiventareselvaggioperl’eternità!. where theprotagonistisplanninghisescapefromanAfrican village:‘maiononho appreciates theirgood-heartednature,aswecansee from thefollowingpassage, Although hedisplaysanattitudeofsuperioritytowards localpeople,Pinocchio pian warin1935.Thesetheoriesarguedforthepossibility of‘civilizing’thenatives. theories oftheearlynineteenthcentury,whichwerefinally discardedwiththeEthio- 346 66 65 64 gure Ibid. 84. riconoscimento delledifferenze Barbara Sòrgoni,‘Discorsiepratiche razzistenell’imperoitalianoduranteilFascismo’in dall’affiatamento cheavevacolsuonegro econlesuebestie’(myemphasis),Franchi,p.195. comes acrossateamofItalianexplorers, whoaresaidtobe‘sorpresidalcoraggiodiquelragazzoe The Africanboyisexplicitlyreferred toaspartoftheanimalworldalsoafewpageslater,whenPinocchio The relationshipbetweenPinocchioandthenativesisinformed byanthropological CATERINA SINIBALDI 3 Franchi, p. 187. , ed.byRalphGrilloandJeffPratt(Rome: Guaraldi,2006),pp.79–100. 66 (myemphasis).Pinocchioisverykeenoneducating 64

Le politichedel 65

Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies able andnoncontroversial’, a periodoftime,sothattheycometobeperceivedasself-evident,benign,incontest- consider Baker’sdefinitionofnarrativityasnormalizing‘theaccountsitprojectsover and developedinlatercolonialpropagandasupportingtheEthiopiancampaign.Ifwe within anideologicalframeworkthatforeshadowsmanyofthethemestouchedupon scrittore ilquale,poveretto,nonmihavedutocrescere’, through meta-literarystrategies.Pinocchiodescribeshimselfas‘ilfigliodiunnoto a patrioticnarrative.Thepuppet/boyispresentedbyFranchiassymbolofItaly, gente’. mission asatwo-waydeal,wellreinforcingthenationalmythof‘Italianibrava serves theimperialistrhetoricofpaternalism,whichwilllaterpresentcolonial tion ofAfricansasbarbarians,butalsochildishandnaïvepopulationsperfectly surprised toseethattheyareablelearnthisskill. the animalkingdom.Forinstance,heteachesthemhowtousecutlery,andismuch the nativeAfricansonbasicnotionsofcivilization,whichsethumansapartfrom 71 70 69 68 67 scope ofthiswork.However,itisworthemphasizing how ulation ontheauthor’spositionwithregardstofascist regimegoesbeyondthe a paternalistic,imperialistattitudetowardsAfrica.Engaging infurther,detailedspec- ci mangia’. i bambini.Giovannino!Felice!Berto!Via,prestovenite acasa:c’èunselvaggioche where heisareridiculedfortheirreactions,asoneofthem exclaims:‘Fatescappare he hasbroughtbacktoItalywithhimasatrophy,the women oftheItalianvillage considering thefinalsceneofnovel.WhenPinocchio showsofftheAfricanboy not correspondtoacriticalattitudetowardscolonialism. Inthisregard,itisworth positions. Oritmightalsobethatherrevolutionaryviewsonwomen’srightsdid supporting colonialismatthetime,andrestrainsfromrevealingherownideological in writingforchildren,theauthoradherestodominantdiscoursesonAfrica the country’sprestigeabroadwasaprimarypoliticalconcern. he alsogivesevidenceofitsrecognitionontheinternationalscene,atatimewhen way, notonlydoesthecharacterofPinocchiorepresentItalianliteraryidentity,but him: ‘Vidiiltuoritrattol’altrogiornoinunavetrinadilibrario,alCanadà’. a WesterntravellerinAfrica,whotreatshimlikeaninternationalcelebrity,telling identity onhis(andCollodi’s)literarystatus.Lateron,thepuppetisrecognizedby narratives, leadingtotheshapingofaculture,traditionorhistory’. Jerome Brunertodescribethe‘processofrepeatedexposureanarrativeorset a textualstrategyof‘narrativeaccrual’,termthatBakerborrowsfrompsychologist assumptions aboutAfricacirculatingatthetime.Thisisachievedespeciallythrough is situatedwithinanideologicalframeworkthatforeshadows manyofthethemes Franchi, Franchi, p.191. Franchi, p.90. Mona Baker,‘NarrativesinandofTranslation’, p.6. Mona Baker, Moreover, themetonymicandsymbolicqualityofPinocchioisexploitedtoserve Despite beingpresentedasanadventuroustale, The socialistleaningsofFranchicomplicatethepicture.Wemayhypothesizethat, Pinocchio 71 Translation andConflict Racismbasedonignoranceismockedandcondemned, infavourof , p.240. 67 wecanobservehowthisnovelreinforcesthedominant , p.11. PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET Pinocchio fraiselvaggi 69 Pinocchio fraiselvaggi thereforebuildinghis 68 Therepresenta- issituated 70 Inthis 347

Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies puppet andthenativepeopleappearsstrikinglyevident. TheexcitementPinocchio Significantly, assoonPinocchioarrivesinAfrica,thedifference betweentheItalian Africans, thusjustifyingthestrictersegregationistpolicies adoptedinthecolonies. sion. Thenewtheoriesplacedadditionalemphasison theirreduciblealterityof war, inordertoprovideastronger‘scientific’support to Italy’simperialistaggres- the officialanthropologicaltheorieshadchangedduringyearsofEthiopian feelings offearandprotectiveness.Inthisregard,itisimportanttobearinmindthat attitude, which emergesfromFranchi’sre-writingisherereplacedbyahostilenationalistic representation oftheEnglishman: with boyishfeatures,aswecanseefromFigure 4, whichalsooffersanunflattering the styleishumorousandplayful,Pinocchiorepresentedasayoungpuppet meet theAbyssinianleader,Negus.Thelanguageusedinstoryisverysimple, gentleman, mistakinghimforanAbyssinian,rescuesandtakestoAfrica soaked inchocolate,isbeingchasedbyacrowdoffuriouspeasants.ABritish ment forhismischievousconduct.Intheopeningscene,puppet,completely fascist colonyofAbyssinia.Pinocchioendsuptherewhiletryingtoescapepunish- with thatofthenativeAfricans, the peripheralpositionoccupiedbychildreninsocietyraisesaninterestingparallel childhood asaliminalandmorallyprecariousstate.Palumbohaspointedouthow A puppetinahumansociety,hecanbeseenasembodyingadultanxietiesabout reader, seemstoallowforanunrefinedhumour,whichstronglyreliesonstereotypes. infantilization oftheprotagonist,whichresultsinimplied makes bothagainsthisBritish‘saviour’andthenativepopulationofAfrica.The aggression towardsEthiopia,andthisisshownbytheracistremarksprotagonist tions hadbeenimposedonthecountrybyLeagueofNationsforitsunjustified shortly afterthepromulgationofraciallawsinItaly. 1939, acoupleofyearsaftertheestablishmentItalianempireinAfrica,and namely, acolonialPinocchiowhichwaspublishedanonymouslybyMarzoccoin campaign. SuchthemesarefullyarticulatedinthelastrewritingIwilldiscuss, touched uponanddevelopedinlatercolonialpropagandasupportingtheEthiopian 75 74 73 72 nationally specificagainsttheinternationalizingtendenciesofmassculture’. 348 ‘Colonialismo perragazzi’: European movementofexpansionin oneofthemainItalianchildren’sjournal‘LaDomenicadeiFanciulli. Rosalia Francoshowshow,atthe beginning ofthenineteenthcentury,colonialismwasportrayedasa ‘Leggi Razziali’. ‘Manifesto degliscienziatirazzisti’waspublished,followedinOctoberand Novemberbytheapprovalof tion hadbeenintroduced.Italianracialpolicybecamestricteroverthe courseof1938:onJuly14,the Already in1936,Italiancitizenshiphadbeendeniedtomulattoesand,one yearlater,alawagainstmiscegena- discourse oftenascribedtothecolonizer’ (p.231). children maybeseenasparticularly vulnerable totheformofmoralandphysicaldegenerationthatcolonial Palumbo arguesthat Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Compared tothefirstAfricanPinocchioanalysedabove,Europeandimension Imbued withimperialistideology, Pinocchio ispresentedasanoutsider,fearedbyandalienatedfromhiscommunity. Italy’s autarchicisolationwasglorifiedinthepropagandaoftime,aftersanc- CATERINA SINIBALDI 73 clearlyservingthemeta-narrativeofautarchy,aimedto‘valorize Fascist Modernities:Italy,1922

‘Occupying apositioninthisevolutionary schemathatequatesthemwiththecolonized, Studi Storici , 35.1(1994),129–51. 75 towardswhomFascistrhetoricshowedsimilar – Pinocchio istruttoredelNegus 1945 (Berkeley: UniversityofCaliforniaPress, 2001),p.136. 72

issetinthe 74 Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies 77 76 Italian self. in thecolonialcontext,where‘ne’er-do-well’comes intocontactwithhistrue, tion. Thepuppet’simpudenceandhisaggressivenessare turnedintopositivequalities ‘demonio’, whichalreadyfeaturedin velocità chenonglisivedevanolepuntedeipiedi’, African people,describedaslazyandidle.‘Queldemonio sgambettavaconunatale as fast,strongandwitty,allattributeswhichclearlystand outinoppositiontothe in Africa,Pinocchiofullyrealizeshisidentitythroughcontrast. Everyonepraiseshim characterized theItalianrelationshipwithAfrica. attraction giveswaytorepulsion,inaccordancewiththat mixtureoffeelingswhich played akeyroleintheItalianpublicimagination,immediately fadesaway,and had experiencedattheideaofvisitinga‘dark’andmysteriouscontinent,which ﬁ gure ‘Pinocchio istruttore delNegus’,inCurrieri,pp.50–60 (p. 59). fascista’ in of thetime,characterizedbyattraction andrepulsion:‘Esotismi-Eroismi:motivid’Africanell’immaginario Loredana PolezzispeaksaboutAfrica asplaying‘unruoloambiguamentespeculare’intheItalianimagination ‘Pinocchioistruttore delNegus’,p.53. 4 Immagini eretoricadiregime , ed.byAttilioBrilli(Milan:Motta,2001), pp.51–54. Pinocchio traiBalilla, 77 PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET 76 theauthornotes,whereword Duringthebrieftimehespends ishereusedwithadmira- 349 Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies imperialistic attitudesreflecttheprioritiesofforeign policyofthetime. establishes alinkwiththeItalianliteraryandculturaltradition, whilehisracistand again, totheconstructionofanarrativewhereiconic valueoftheprotagonist has attainedthestatusof‘classic’.‘Relationality’and‘temporality’contribute,once value ofCollodi’spuppetbothasacharacterandliterarycreationwhich how intralingualtranslationcanbeapowerfultool,asitexploitsthemetonymic .dallacioccolata?’. . un po’abbronzato. the narratorrhetoricallyasks:‘Chièl’italianochenonriconoscePinocchioanchese Italian militaryhelicopterwhosepilothadimmediatelyrecognizedhimbecause,as rejoining theItalianmilitaryforces.Whilewavinganflag,heisrescuedby modern statewasachievednotonlythroughcoercion butthroughitsabilityto Burdett claimsthat‘[t]hesuccessofFascisminextending theboundariesof Conclusion del Negus bianchi’, .Noinondiventiamomai . licked offbyaharmlesslion,saying:‘Nonaverepaura. Englishman. TheNegushimselfreassuresPinocchio,whosechocolatecoatingisbeing the irreducibledifferencewhichseparateshimfromAfricansand Pinocchio referstotheBritishIntelligenceas‘zucconi’, Moreover, heseemsnaïveinhisinabilitytounderstandfigurativelanguage;when when hemistakesPinocchioforanAfricanbecauseofhisapparentlydarkskin. sign oftheirintellectualinferiority.TheBritishmanispresentedaschildish,particularly awkward ItalianspokenbytheBritishmanaswellAbyssiniansbecomesa comes toconstituteanimportantindicatorofcivilization,andtheridiculing are alsodepictedaslazy,cowardly,andeasilyfooledbyPinocchio’swit.Language native AfricansspeakasimplifiedformofItalian,withallverbsintheinfinitive;they completely comfortableintheAbyssinianenvironment.BothEnglishmanand the eatinghabitsandlackofhygienelocalpeople,Britishgentlemanis 82 81 80 79 78 text andthesourceculture. translation, definedbyTymoczkoasthepowertocastacertainimageofsource how thisrewritingexploitstheideologicalimplicationsofmetonymicnature renovation, functional tothenarrativepresentingcolonialismasaprojectofexpansionand istic pride,which,inturn,makeshimbecomea‘betterperson’.Thestoryisthus 350 Ibid. p.59.TheanthropologistLidoCipriani,oneofthesignatories the Ibid. p.53. Maria Tymoczko, Franchi, p.60. uno vive,èimperialista.Cessadiesserlo conlamorte’.QuotedinEmilioLudwig, The needforconquestandexpansion aredefinedbyMussolinias‘sintomidellaforzavitaledell’uomo.Finché p. 86. appeared in1938,speaksaboutthe‘inferiorità mentaleirriducibileneisudditidicolore’.QuotedinSòrgoni, (Verona: Mondadori,1932),p.61. The indisputablesuperiorityofPinocchioismadeexplicitalsoinrelationto Whilst PinocchioisutterlydisgustedbytheAfricanwayoflife,especially Reconnecting withhisracialsuperiorityhelpsPinocchiogainasenseofnational- CATERINA SINIBALDI 79 , afterkickingtheNegusinface,Pinocchiorunsaway,hopeof thusreinforcingthenarrativeofculturalandbiologicalsuperiority. 80 beneficialtosocietyasawhole.Inthefinalsceneof Translation inaPostcolonialContext 82 Inthisrespect, 81 Theclosinglineisespeciallyrevealingof Pinocchio istruttoredelNegus (Manchester: StJerome,1999). 78 he takes this as a compliment. hetakesthisasacompliment. Manifesto dellaRazza Pinocchio istruttore Colloqui conMussolini hasshown which

Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies the publicwerepreparedtoappropriateandadapt’. encourage massconsensusbypropagatingavisionofsocietythatlargesections 85 84 83 jeopardized inallfourrewritings,whichareinformedby amoreclearlyeducational meanings werecondensedintotangiblecharactersand situations,isconsiderably visible underthenewmeaningssuperimposedbyfascist texts. ‘narrative ofrealization’.Asinapalimpsest,elements oftheoriginaltextremain as thepuppetdoesnotbecomearealboy,rewritings stillexploittheoriginal permette direalizzare’. ricongiunzione, laconquistadiunostatutopienodell’esistenza chesoloilfascismo his originaltraits,accumulatedinthepublicconsciousness. characteristics ofthepuppetareemphasized,throughafunctionalappropriation by thecommunistsornon-conformistrebels.Accordingtonarrativedifferent identity. Ontheotherhand,inearlierrewritings,‘enemy’isrepresentedeither inscribed withinthe‘us’versus‘them’rhetoric,centraltonarrativesofcolonial narratives. IntheAfricancontext,Pinocchioclearlyservesapatrioticpurpose, metaphor forItaly,iscentraltoallre-writingsbutitusedsupportheterogeneous therefore beusedasapowerfulideologicalweapon,whichcanservedifferentaims. once inscribedinadifferentnarrative.Intralingualandintratemporaladaptationcan has shownhowthesameelementscanacquirediversemeaningsandconnotations, the analysisofhowrewritingsengagewithnarrativescirculatedbyregime cism andinthepre-existingmeta-narrativesinformingItaliansociety.Inparticular, revealed thebreaksandcontinuitiesbothinpublicnarrativesdevelopedbyFas- new imagesofPinocchioinlinewithchangedpoliticalandsocialcircumstances,has imperialist discourses. structed byEuropeanwritersandethnographers,waslaterappropriatedfascist between colonialandpre-colonialperiods,showinghowtheimageofAfrica,con- legitimacy. Thelattertwohaveexposedideologicalconnectionsandcontinuities movement, thesecondreflectsitseffortstoachieveinstitutionalisationandpolitical particular, whilethefirsttextsupportsanarrativeofFascismasrevolutionary to servethepropagandapurposesofregimeatdifferentstagesitsevolution.In symbolic significancemakehimrecognizableinthemostdifferentcontexts. Pinocchio isaprotagonistwithoutpast,whileatthesametimehisiconicand eration. Collodi’scharacterwasparticularlysuitedtothisfunction:asapuppet, fascist projectofre-modellingandre-interpretingthepasttoattainnationalregen- ined howintralingual,intertemporaladaptationsofPinocchiocontributedtothe 2004), p.56. mentation fixesmeaning’: According toKristinLangellierandEric E.Peterson,‘Weshouldnotassumethattheprocessofcontentsedi- Scotto diLuzio,p.193. p. 1. Charles Burdett, However, wecanalsonotehowtherichnessofCollodi’s novel,inwhichuniversal Pinocchio’s journeyfromtoytoboycanthereforebe seenas‘lastoriadiuna For instance,themetonymicvalueofPinocchio,wherepuppet-boybecomesa Looking atthewaythesetextsengagewithoriginalnovel,whileportraying The firsttwore-writingshaveshownhowCollodi’stalewasexplicitlymanipulated JourneyThroughFascism.ItalianTravel WritingBetweentheWars Storytelling indailylife:performingnarrative 84 Evenif,inthenewtexts,journeyisnotaccomplished, PINOCCHIO, APOLITICALPUPPET 83 Thepresentarticlehasexam- (Philadelphia: TempleUniversityPress, (Oxford: Berghahn,2010), 85 351 Published by Maney Publishing (c) The Society for Italian Studies propaganda, bothpartandprototypeofanationtobeeducatedseduced. framework, childrencometorepresenttheinstrumentaswelltargetoffascist which appealstochildrenandadultsalike.Insuchanideologicalpolitical ed throughpropagandaandculturalproductionpresentsFascismasagreatadventure .serveadavvicinarliatuttociòchedi . interessano allavitadeigrandi. by themodesofpropagandaemployedregime. nel fortheindoctrinationofwhatGibellidefinesa‘popolobambino’, their primaryaudience.Children’sliterature,inturn,isexploitedasaprivilegedchan- only asapretexttoproduceephemeral,disposablestories,meantreachbeyond ety) holdhisstrings,denyinghimtruemoralgrowth.Childhoodseemstobeused as aFascistinminiature)orexteriorones(whentheprotagonistisrejectedbysoci- the ambiguousnatureoffreedom.Eitherinnerconstraints(incasePinocchio through experience,inthefascistnarrativespuppet-childisneverconfrontedwith moral development.Whileintheoriginalnovelprotagonistlearnshislessons Pinocchio notablydiffersfromitstreatmentbyCollodi,asafundamentalprocessof stance. Inparticular,thewaychildhoodisportrayedinfascistrewritingsof meraviglioso 352 88 87 86 Gibelli, p.3. (p. 187). W. Padovano,‘Libriperragazzi’,in Gibelli Significantly, wereadinamagazineofthetimethat‘ancheipiùpiccinioggisi CATERINA SINIBALDI , Ilpopolobambino. avvieneainostrigiorni’(myemphasis). Almanacco delladonnaitaliana 87 Themeta-narrativeconstruct- (Firenze:Bemporad,1928),185–90 86 infantilized eroico 88 e