Although I did not get a chance to write a post this week since I was behind on reading, I would still like to contribute to the posts. I find it appalling that at the beginning of The Story of the Lost Child, Elena makes a comparison between her and Lila’s style of parenting. She goes on to criticize, “Had Lila worried about Gennaro when she left Stefano, when she abandoned the child to the neighbor because of her work in the factory, when she sent him to me as if to get him out of the way? Ah, I had my faults, but I was certainly more a mother than she was.” (Ferrante 24) Although Elena goes on to explain herself, revealing that such sentiments were the result of bitterness and confusion, seeing as how Lila paid little attention to Elena’s children before, it seems as though Elena is attempting to lessen her own feelings of guilt. She knows perfectly well that the circumstances in which Lila committed each of those actions were done out of necessity and desperation rather than in carelessness and neglectfulness towards Gennaro. The abuse, rape and violence that Gennaro witnessed at home with Stefano towards his mother, the necessity to provide for her child and the desire to keep him out of harm’s way due to Naples’ political catastrophes were all motherly and shrewd decisions on Lila’s part. Although Elena should be given the benefit of the doubt in the sense that she’s aware of these facts, it seems as though Elena lacks any pride on her part knowing that her children do not have to fear the same things that Gennaro does. This, in itself, is definitely one of her successes as a mother and grants her the ability to escape the neighborhood, at least physically. However, having known Lila all her life in the context of the neighborhood, she should have realized that what constitutes a “good mother” in Naples is a spark contrast to this concept in Florence. Even so, Elena is in denial, choosing to put off the idea that her children will be harmed mentally by her running off with Nino, and that, in doing so, she is inevitably bringing herself back to the neighborhood where, until that point, she had managed to avoid almost wholly. She is reversing her life by giving in to old desires and forgetting that the future demands her moving on from her past insecurities and pettiness towards Lila.
The vacation on the island of Ischia marks many transitional moments for both Elena and Lila. From the beginning, the beauty of their friendship would emit from the stark contrast they expressed between the two of them: Elena, the timid and thoughtful one. Lila, the bold and fearless one. They have both evolved immensely and at a certain point, it now seems as if Elena has come to yet another realization about Lila. Elena’s boundless love for both Nino and Lila make her suffer, without a doubt, in a self-contradictory manner. She cherishes being their confidantes, desperately trying to ignore the pain of not being Nino’s object of love. However, she now comprehends, or at least, suspects, what had been the root cause of hindering a real relationship. Elena boldly proclaims, “I didn’t possess that emotional power that had driven Lila to do all she could to enjoy that day and that night. I stayed behind, waiting. She, on the other hand, seized things, truly wanted them, was passionate about them, played for all or nothing, and wasn’t afraid of contempt, mockery, spitting, beatings. She deserved Nino, in other words, because she thought that to love him meant to try to have him, not to hope that he would want her.” Elena is often deep in her thoughts, keeping them to herself, never truly revealing their real nature to anyone, not even Lila. One could pinpoint this moment as Elena being envious of Lila’s intense sensitivities and her ability to make everyone fall head over heels for her dangerous and intellectual beauty. However, Elena’s admiration for Lila seems to have grown and matured. She has gained valuable wisdom from this passionate affair between Lila and Nino. She now understands that there is a hidden beauty behind the mask of scandal that uncovers the fear of being found out, punished severely and banished for their adulterous crimes. Unless one takes a dive into their emotions once a while, there is no way to truly understand why a certain person, place or even idea can tug at one’s heartstrings and pushes them to act upon it in a ‘perilous’ manner. Lila understands this and, refusing to consider the reality of the consequences, instead chooses the passion of the moments she spends with Nino, pure happiness, security and newfound respect for life. Elena feels that Lila, unlike her, is able to grasp at opportunity when it comes, while Elena is more cautious. Perhaps, one can say that Elena is Lila’s safety net, protecting her at all costs, even when they’re separated. Verbal defense and emotional connection are part of the knot that ties them together. By involving Elena in the affair, Lila proves that even her boldest adventures cannot be accomplished without her most brilliant friend’s help. Even if it turns out that Nino’s love for her wanes, it will not matter because she has seized him at the most crucial moments in her life and pushing her love past the limits that nature allows.
What’s important to remember, however, is the deeper insight the reader is given into Lila’s mind from, yet again, her notebooks and how it plays into Elena’s new perception of her. Prior to meeting Nino, Lila had felt that her life had been simply a slow but sure marathon towards the finish line of death. Mentally, physically and spiritually, the burning flame that once blazed inside her was slowly being blown out. She had felt as if things were moving at a quick pace that she could not keep up with. Lila, having been surrounded by disturbing events such as family corruption, constant discussions on money, the miscarriage, the beatings from Stefano and her loneliness, had been slowly reaching her boiling point. She had felt trapped, unable to escape from an abyss that captured her independent spirit and placed it far from her own grasp. It is inevitable that, for anyone, when things move at a blinding pace, bringing stress and misfortune one after the other, especially after a change of environment, it can be quite shocking. This makes it plausible that Lila had been experiencing a kind of culture shock, despite remaining in the same city. In Nino, she had found a genuine escape, a real love, instead of a facade and perhaps, new meaning and purpose in her life. It is now clear to her why her own marriage is revolting to her and constantly seems to be falling apart at the seams. While the relationship between Lila and Nino is also tense, it is filled with tenderness and intimacy instead of resentment and hatred.
Based on these analyses, there seems to be a common denominator. Both Elena and Lila are searching for a means to escape in any manner they can the traumatizing stresses of their neighborhoods, new or old. Elena is beginning to find it in this newfound sense of what it means to live life passionately and bravely, while Lila is discovering it in the depths of Nino’s soul that has taken her own as refuge. Regardless of the ugly and dangerous elements of Elena’s and Lila’s adventures, there will always be an element that will tie the two young women together, making their friendship one that cannot be disturbed by the evil outside forces.
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