War
Attitudes to war
There is a divide in the opinion about war between the older and younger generations.
- The older generation are more aware of the dangers of war and fear the destructive effects it brings.
- In contrast, the younger generation do not understand the true horrors of war because they have not experienced it.
This is evident when Massimo says Nobody really wants a war.
To which Franco replies:
A lot of the young guys that come into the shop. To hear them talk you鈥檇 think they cannie wait.
Franco seems na茂ve in his enthusiasm to sign up to the British army. He believes the army will give him freedom and independence. This is apparent when he says I don鈥檛 have to answer to anyone. No any more.
He believes himself to be invincible, while Rosinella worries that He could get blown to bits.
However, Rosinella also has her own denials about war.
She believes Scotland鈥檚 involvement in war does not concern her family. She says:
it鈥檚 got nothing to do with us, Massimo. We鈥檙e Italian, we just live here. It鈥檚 not our country.
Even when Italy enters the war against Scotland she does not believe there is a threat to her family.
Effects of war
The violent effects of war become real for the Pedreschis when their shop is attacked by an angry mob. Even though Massimo is well-liked in the community, they turn on him because ultimately he is Italian.
Because of their Italian heritage, Massimo and his father are arrested. Rosinella and Lucia are then left to fend for themselves.
We learn about the horrors of war through Massimo鈥檚 monologue. He describes the pain and suffering of Italians at the hands of the British army. Massimo is afraid to think about what might happen to his family should he not return. He says:
If I thought about what was going to happen to us 鈥 I just got scared. If I thought about Rosinella鈥
Massimo is also afraid for his father. He tells us I kept asking for news of ma faither but nobody would tell us anything.
Massimo鈥檚 father eventually turns up. Although he jokes with Massimo, it is clear he is fearful of the situation. Massimo tells us how the officers try:
to push ma faither into the line but ma faither is holding on to my arm. I can still feel his nails digging into me, he was holding on that tight.
Massimo pleads to the officers You cannie split us up. He鈥檚 ma faither. Let me go with him.
However, the officers split them up anyway.
War is responsible for the death of Massimo鈥檚 father, who dies as a war prisoner when the Arandora Star ship is attacked and sinks. Franco is also killed at war. This has devastating effects on Bridget who is left on the shelf
as she cannot get over the love she has lost.
Poverty is also a devastating effect of war. Italy has been obliterated. Luigi tells Massimo about the destruction of Monte Cassino and says What鈥檚 left of Cassino? You tell me that. Every single street 鈥 (Makes exploding noise)
His livelihood has also been destroyed and he tells Massimo I lost my olives, my pigs, my hens, my grapes鈥
The Pedreschi鈥檚 shop is affected by rationing as Hughie lists the items they can no longer obtain, he says:
No snowballs, no sponges, no flakes, no tick.