Fontamara

by Secondo Tranquilli

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Summary

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In the remote hillside town of Fontamara, electricity is a distant dream. While a group of cafoni — southern Italian peasants — gather outside Marietta Sorcanera’s bar, a government official named Pelino arrives with papers demanding their signatures. Initially hesitant, the peasants eventually consent, reassured by claims that no new taxes are being imposed. The bureaucrat departs with both genuine and forged signatures, accusing the villagers of blaspheming against the Church and the state. Confounded, the people of Fontamara make their way home in darkness, passing Giovà, who spots Berardo intent on destroying the now useless electric lamps.

Disruption and Deception

The following day, road workers begin diverting the stream essential for irrigating the peasants' lands. Determined to voice their grievances, the women decide to confront the town's authorities. Upon reaching the town hall, they are informed that the mayor has been replaced by a podestà, a term used during the Fascist era. The police escort them to the podestà's residence, only to discover he is the affluent Contractor, a recent arrival who "discovered America" in southern Italy.

Hollow Promises

Attempts to talk to the Contractor prove futile, leaving the women desperate enough to seek help from Don Circonstanza, a self-proclaimed "Friend of the People" and lawyer dining with the Contractor. With seeming ease, Don Circonstanza suggests a compromise: the Contractor will take three-quarters of the stream’s water, leaving the Fontamarans with three-quarters of the remainder. Confused but reassured of no financial implications, the women reluctantly sign a hastily prepared document.

Growing Tensions

As the diversion work progresses, arguments among the peasants escalate. Don Abbacchio, the local priest, visits Fontamara to urge compliance with the Contractor, whom he dramatically labels as the devil. Observant peasants, however, notice his arrival in a carriage owned by the Contractor, sowing seeds of doubt about his impartiality.

A Perversion of Justice

Summoned to Avezzano, the Fontamarans anticipate learning about governmental plans to redistribute the fertile Fucino plain. Herded into a large square, they are forced to cheer as officials parade under ominous black flags adorned with skulls and crossbones. Despite the presence of a police informer aiming to provoke violence and arrests, the peasants wisely resist the bait.

Resistance Meets Brutality

Fontamara's communal grazing land soon falls victim to the Contractor's greed, enclosed by a wooden fence. Undeterred, the villagers burn it down twice, prompting a violent response. While the men toil in fields, trucks filled with armed men descend upon the village, shattering church windows with gunfire and wreaking havoc on homes, even assaulting the women. The cacophony ceases only with the tolling of church bells, and as the attackers flee, they overlook the barricades, resulting in injuries.

A Glimmer of Hope

Returning from the fields, Berardo learns that Elvira fainted atop the bell tower. He gently lifts her up and carries her to safety. Rumors swirl the next day of their impending marriage, but the landless Berardo needs work. Don Circonstanza cunningly exploits Berardo’s vulnerability, offering him a paltry wage and a letter of recommendation to a contact in Rome as consolation.

Betrayal and Naïveté

The Contractor, accompanied by a hundred policemen, returns to "settle" the water dispute. Don Circonstanza once again "assists" by suggesting the Contractor's water rights span only ten lusters rather than fifty years. The uneducated villagers, unaware that ten lusters is indeed fifty years, accept the proposal without question.

Desperate Measures

The resulting water shortage spells disaster for the crops, signaling a harsh winter ahead. Disillusioned with Don Circonstanza’s solutions, the men contemplate direct action, yet Berardo is steadfast in his refusal to revolt. Determined to...

(This entire section contains 859 words.)

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try his luck in Rome, Berardo banks on the lawyer's letter of reference to secure employment.

Trials in Rome

Early the next day, Berardo and Giovà’s son board a train to Rome. Staying at a modest inn, they encounter Don Achille Pazienza, a lawyer who fleeces them with empty promises of work. When they are ousted from the inn for non-payment, they cross paths with the stranger from Avezzano, who offers them a meal. Soon after, they are arrested, accused of leaving subversive newspapers in a café.

A Sacrifice and a Symbol

Sought by the police is the elusive Mystery Man, known for disseminating anti-Fascist literature. During interrogation, Berardo claims to be this man, allowing the real culprit to escape while he endures severe torture. Just as he is about to betray his friend, he reads of Elvira’s death, hardening his resolve. Berardo dies in prison, his death falsely reported as suicide.

Legacy of Defiance

After signing a statement on Berardo’s "suicidal tendencies," Giovà’s son is released, returning to Fontamara where the Mystery Man has already shared Berardo’s true fate and left a duplicating machine. The villagers, ignited by this revelation, begin to draft their own newspaper.

The Fight Endures

The first edition’s distribution triggers a violent backlash in Fontamara, resulting in the massacre of most peasants. Among the scant survivors are Giovà, Matalè, and their son, who manage to escape to Switzerland with the Mystery Man’s help, carrying with them the spirit of resistance and the hope of freedom.

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