The Garden of the Finzi-Continis Literary Elements

Historical Fiction

Set in Italy before and during the beginning of the Second World War

First-person narration from the perspective of the unnamed narrator.

Mournful, Tragic, Heartbroken

The protagonist is the unnamed protagonist/narrator and the antagonist is the Italian Fascism and the Holocaust.

The narrative chronicles the political dynamic in Italy during the rise of fascism with a focus on the Finzi-Continis family through the eyes of the unnamed narrator. The protagonist charts his relationship with the family from childhood into adulthood until the start of World War II. As part of the Italian Jewish community the narrator harbor survivor guilt following the persecution of the Finzi-Continis in the regime.

The climax occurs when Micòl rejects the narrator’s romantic advances after returning from Venice.

The first encounter between Micòl and the narrator in the Finzi-Continis garden foreshadows the unrequited love in their future relationship.

Dr. Fadigati’s suicide is understated by most of the townspeople because of their opinions on suicide and homosexuality.

The novel alludes to the rise of fascism that spread through Europe followed by the persecution of Jewish people in World War II.

“It was a long low building of dark brick, with two side windows, strongly barred, an overhanging tile roof, and its walls almost completely hidden by ivy. Not far from Perotti’s barn and the squarish glass of a greenhouse, you approached it through a wide, carefully painted green gate that faced in the direction of the big house, away from the Wall of the Angels.”

The paradox of political affliction and ethnic background arise following the Italian racial laws in the Fascist era.

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“…two white china cups with gold rims, and a white copper thermos flask”

“…comes a violent gust of wind, a hurricane, out of the night. It hurtles into the portico, crosses it, goes whistling out through the gates that separate the portico from the garden”