Nino Ricci's version of a childhood trauma : an interpretation of In a glass house

Abstract

In In A Glass House Nino Ricci explores a boy's efforts to adjust himself to a new reality (Canada) immediately after his dramatic arrival from another country (Italy). In fact, this article focuses on the tortuous journey on which Vittorio embarks as he gradually conquers over time the alien landscape. In addition, from a narratological angle, particular attention is paid to the limited point of view that characterizes this novel. Indeed, the reader is directly involved in Vittorio's consciousness because every action and every mental response is filtered through the protagonist's eyes. This technique endows the novelistic text with an air of reality while the reader feels that every word and phrase is deeply ingrained in Vittorio's reliable mind. Ultimately, the novel may be regarded as a successful representation of a cultural transition whose results lead to a positive dialogism between the age-old Italian culture and the formative multicultural Canadian nationhood