Christianity
Living in a time of Roman-Catholicism, the people of Italy have a very close relation with God. Pietro himself dresses up as an innocent priest to hide from the government police. However, as the fascist government rises to power, people begin to question what their faith really means. As the average peasant, it is hard to understand why God would let something bad happens, which leads them to put on a mask of ignorance to the problem, instead blindly following what they think is the path that God laid out for them.
Ignorance
Pietro states in the novel that he thinks the peasants are ignorant. He says that because many of them are just bystanders, unwilling to go against the growing and powerful fascist government. If they had tried, they could have stopped this before it even began. However, he is neglecting the fact that he, too, is only doing what is best for himself. He thinks that a revolution should take place, and this would bring him up in status in society. If the peasants risked their lives for a revolution, they would lose connection with their children and/or family, who would likely die of starvation while they were gone.
Going Undercover
It seems like something fun to do, maybe even something that should be on everyone's bucket list - go undercover. There's something eerily exciting about the threat of being caught - or, not caught. This is one of the main aspects that makes the book exciting, and it is because Pietro is in hiding that he can not unleash his true self upon the town he lives in. This creates both an internal and external struggle for Pietro.
