The Adventures of Pinocchio

“And growing angrier each moment, they went from words to blows, and finally began to scratch and bite and slap each other.”

Geppetto is initially characterized as violent and bad-tempered, for which he is condemned by Collodi. His early characterization serves to emphasize the change in his manner when he becomes a father to Pinocchio; after initially being harsh and disciplinarian, Geppetto—motivated by his adoration and love for the puppet— learns to treat Pinocchio with selfless and unconditional love in a thematic representation of Ideal Parenthood.

“The furniture could not have been much simpler: a very old chair, a rickety old bed, and a tumble-down table.”

Geppetto is characterized as a poor man engaged in a small wood-carving trade. Collodi celebrates simple, pastoral Italian life through characters like Geppetto and critiques Pinocchio’s gullible attempts to get rich in the city. Through this characterization, Collodi offers a critique of Italian industrialization. This description of Geppetto’s minimalistic lifestyle also invokes sympathy in the reader. Pinocchio’s later mishaps result in Geppetto’s love and resources being used in vain, and Geppetto’s financial limitations help the reader to identify the correct and incorrect decisions the puppet makes in spite of his father.

“Pinocchio’s legs were so stiff that he could not move them, and Geppetto held his hand and showed him how to put out one foot after the other.”

Through becoming a father to Pinocchio, Geppetto’s character changes; he becomes gentle, kind, and patient, as illustrated by Geppetto teaching Pinocchio how to walk. Through Geppetto’s characterization as a father, Collodi presents the pivotal theme of Ideal Parenthood. Geppetto repeatedly makes selfless choices for his son, which is depicted as correct in juxtapose to Pinocchio’s selfish decisions.

“He wept and wailed to himself: ‘The Talking Cricket was right. It was wrong of me to disobey Father and to run away from home. If he were here now, I wouldn’t be so hungry! Oh, how horrible it is to be hungry!’”

Collodi offers moral lessons through Pinocchio’s many mistakes; most importantly, Collodi suggests that children should listen to the advice of their elders. The Importance of Obedience and Temperance in Children is suggested through Pinocchio’s discomfort, in this case, through his hunger and unhappiness after he runs away from Geppetto.

“Geppetto, who had understood nothing of all that jumbled talk, except that the Marionette was hungry, felt sorry for him, and pulling three pears out of his pocket, offered them to him, saying: ‘These three pears were for my breakfast, but I give them to you gladly. Eat them and stop weeping.’”

Geppetto, who has previously been harsh and disciplinarian to his son, Pinocchio, begins to soften and change. He sacrifices his own breakfast so that Pinocchio won’t go hungry, illustrating his selflessness. Through Geppetto’s characterization as a father, Collodi again suggests the concept of Ideal Parenthood.

“After a while he returned. In his hands he had the A-B-C book for his son, but the old coat was gone. The poor fellow was in his shirt sleeves and the day was cold.”

Geppetto selflessly sells his winter coat in order to buy Pinocchio’s schoolbook, illustrating his love for his son and his desire for Pinocchio to succeed. Through Geppetto, Collodi continues to present his rendition of Ideal Parenthood. Each of the individual stories functions repetitiously as a moral that young readers can learn from.

“‘I’ll give you four pennies for your A-B-C book,’ said a ragpicker who stood by. Then and there, the book changed hands. And to think that poor old Geppetto sat at home in his shirt sleeves, shivering with cold, having sold his coat to buy that little book for his son!”

Pinocchio is established as an antihero through his self-centered choice to sell the book that Geppetto sold his only coat for in order to attend the puppet show. Geppetto’s suffering, as he shivers at home, is emphasized to draw attention to Pinocchio’s betrayal of his father’s kindness.

“At the cheerful tinkle of the gold, the Fox unconsciously held out his paw that was supposed to be lame, and the Cat opened wide his two eyes till they looked like live coals, but he closed them again so quickly that Pinocchio did not notice.”

The fox and the cat are the main antagonists of the story. They pretend to be helpful strangers who are merely invested in selflessly helping Pinocchio to increase his riches, but they are actually thieves and assassins. In a case of dramatic irony, the reader is made aware of the true nature of these villains when they inadvertently reveal that their disabilities are feigned.

“The Fairy clapped her hands twice. A magnificent Poodle appeared, walking on his hind legs just like a man. He was dressed in court livery. A tricorn trimmed with gold lace was set at a rakish angle over a wig of white curls that dropped down to his waist. He wore a jaunty coat of chocolate-colored velvet, with diamond buttons, and with two huge pockets which were always filled with bones, dropped there at dinner by his loving mistress.”

The fairy is associated with the pivotal theme of Magic in Children’s Literature through her extraordinary magical abilities. Collodi writes to awe and entertain an audience of children, and thus the fairy’s magic produces a comically dapper poodle sent to save Pinocchio. The fairy’s eventual granting of Pinocchio’s wish to be a real boy is alluded to in her powers.

“‘That Marionette is a disobedient son who is breaking his father’s heart!’ Long shuddering sobs were heard, cries, and deep sighs. Think how surprised everyone was when, on raising the sheets, they discovered Pinocchio half melted in tears!”

The Importance of Obedience and Temperance in Children is suggested through Pinocchio’s grief; he regrets the pain his bad behavior brings to his father, Geppetto. Although Pinocchio is characterized as an antihero for the majority of the story for his constant impulsive bad behavior, he is redeemed in the eyes of the reader through his contrition. The fact that Pinocchio wishes not to cause his father grief alludes to his later redemption; he finally becomes a heroic character and a good son in the book’s final chapter.

“What a shame! Boys ought to know, after all, that medicine, taken in time, can save them from much pain and even from death.”

As is typical of the fable’s purpose to provide moral truisms, Collodi uses Pinocchio’s adventures to make suggestions to his audience of children about how they should behave. In this case, Pinocchio will not drink the bitter medicine and almost dies. This can also be interpreted as a broader metaphor about the importance of tolerating unpleasant tasks that will benefit you in the long run.

“‘Where are the gold pieces now?’ the Fairy asked. ‘I lost them,’ answered Pinocchio, but he told a lie, for he had them in his pocket. As he spoke, his nose, long though it was, became at least two inches longer.”

Through the symbolism of Pinocchio’s growing nose, Collodi suggests to children that lies will be obvious to the listener and will only embarrass them. As is typical of the fable’s purpose to provide moral truisms, Collodi uses Pinocchio’s adventures to make suggestions to his audience of children.

“They walked and walked for a half a day at least and at last they came to the town called the City of Simple Simons. As soon as they entered the town, Pinocchio noticed that all the streets were filled with hairless dogs, yawning from hunger; with sheared sheep, trembling with cold; with combless chickens, begging for a grain of wheat; with large butterflies, unable to use their wings because they had sold all their lovely colors; with tailless peacocks, ashamed to show themselves; and with bedraggled pheasants, scuttling away hurriedly, grieving for their bright feathers of gold and silver, lost to them forever.”

The City of Simple Simons operates as an allegory for contemporaneous Italian industrialized cities. Collodi condemns these cities. The animals are ridiculed for their naivete in trading in their possessions and compromising their true selves, while Collodi suggests that factory owners, and other owners of capitalist ventures, are metaphorical vultures who prey on the less fortunate and steal their money and well-being.

“I deserve it! Yes, I deserve it! I have been nothing but a truant and a vagabond. I have never obeyed anyone and I have always done as I pleased. If I were only like so many others and had studied and worked and stayed with my poor old father, I should not find myself here now, in this field and in the darkness, taking the place of a farmer’s watchdog. Oh, if I could start all over again! But what is done can’t be undone, and I must be patient!”

Despite Pinocchio’s constant missteps and misjudgments, which bring pain and suffering to himself as well as to his parents, Pinocchio is somewhat redeemed by his regret and contrition. Pinocchio’s eventual development from an antihero to a hero in the book’s final chapter is alluded to in his desire to return to his father and work hard; this is what Pinocchio will eventually do after he saves Geppetto from the stomach of the Terrible Shark.

“HERE LIES THE LOVELY FAIRY WITH AZURE HAIR WHO DIED OF GRIEF WHEN ABANDONED BY HER LITTLE BROTHER PINOCCHIO.”

Collodi reminds his readers that disobedience affects a person’s parents, not merely themselves, alluding to The Importance of Obedience and Temperance in Children as an important theme. Pinocchio feels guilty and heartbroken that he caused the death of the fairy, further suggesting that he is a morally good character in spite of his constant errors.

“It looked as if Geppetto, though far away from the shore, recognized his son, for he took off his cap and waved also. He seemed to be trying to make everyone understand that he would come back if he were able, but the sea was so heavy that he could do nothing with his oars. Suddenly a huge wave came and the boat disappeared. They waited and waited for it, but it was gone.”

Collodi once again reminds his readers that disobedience affects a person’s parents, not merely themselves. Geppetto capsizes at sea while searching for Pinocchio, leaving Pinocchio guilty and heartbroken, alluding to The Importance of Obedience and Temperance in Children as a major theme.

“‘My dear boy,’ said the Fairy, ‘people who speak as you do usually end their days either in a prison or in a hospital. A man, remember, whether rich or poor, should do something in this world. No one can find happiness without work. Woe betide the lazy fellow! Laziness is a serious illness and one must cure it immediately; yes, even from early childhood. If not, it will kill you in the end.’”

Collodi’s didacticism, typical of the form of the fable, continues to feature, this time through the character of the fairy, who expounds to Pinocchio about the importance of hard work. Pinocchio’s decision to pursue a life of indolence in the Land of Toys, which brings him huge stress and heartache, is foreshadowed in the fairy’s warning.

 “‘In case you do disobey, you will be the one to suffer, not anyone else.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Because boys who do not listen to their elders always come to grief.’”

In an effort to encourage good behavior in his readers, Collodi suggests, through the character of the fairy, that children who behave badly will suffer ill consequences, alluding to The Importance of Obedience and Temperance in Children as an important theme. This also foreshadows Pinocchio’s traumatic time in the Land of Toys.

“The strangest thing of all was that those twenty-four donkeys, instead of being iron-shod like any other beast of burden, had on their feet laced shoes made of leather, just like the ones boys wear.”

The shoes of the donkeys are a hint to the reader about the true nature of the Land of Toys; the boys who choose to shirk work and study eventually turn into donkeys. This is an allegorical expression of Collodi’s belief that laziness makes people akin to foolish beasts of burden.

“I want to return home, as I prefer to study and to succeed in life.”

Although Pinocchio eventually follows Lamp-Wick and his friends to the Land of Toys, he vacillates for a time, expressing beliefs that the fairy and Geppetto taught him. This illustrates Pinocchio’s character development and the linear nature of the otherwise self-contained stories; he is gradually changing from an antihero to a hero.

“Fate has decreed that all lazy boys who come to hate books and schools and teachers and spend all their days with toys and games must sooner or later turn into donkeys.”

As is typical of the didactic nature of the fable, Collodi warns his readers not to pass their time idly, but rather, to work hard and study hard. He suggests that laziness makes people indolent and ignorant, like donkeys. The magical transformation of boys into donkeys is foreshadowed and then comes to fruition.

“And now do you understand what the Little Man’s profession was? This horrid little being, whose face shone with kindness, went about the world looking for boys. Lazy boys, boys who hated books, boys who wanted to run away from home, boys who were tired of school—all these were his joy and his fortune. He took them with him to the Land of Toys and let them enjoy themselves to their heart’s content. When, after months of all play and no work, they became little donkeys, he sold them on the market place. In a few years, he had become a millionaire.”

Collodi offers another critique of the capitalist system through the exploitative and duplicitous character of Little Man, who tricks lazy boys into coming with him to the Land of Toys and then sells them as donkeys. Little Man is akin to a capitalist boss who seems charismatic but is actually self-serving, and the boys/donkeys are the exploited masses; Collodi suggests that to avoid exploitation, young boys should work hard at their studies or learn a trade.

“From that day on, for more than five months, Pinocchio got up every morning just as dawn was breaking and went to the farm to draw water. And every day he was given a glass of warm milk for his poor old father, who grew stronger and better day by day. But he was not satisfied with this. He learned to make baskets of reeds and sold them. With the money he received, he and his father were able to keep from starving. Among other things, he built a rolling chair, strong and comfortable, to take his old father out for an airing on bright, sunny days. In the evening the Marionette studied by lamplight.”

Pinocchio finally becomes a heroic character, adhering to the advice told to him so many times by Geppetto, the fairy, the talking cricket, the snail, and the blackbird. Pinocchio finally internalizes and embodies the story’s pivotal theme of The Importance of Obedience and Temperance in Children.