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Lives of the saints themes


            Nino Ricci's, Lives Of The Saints, is filled with tons of images and symbols but none of them standout like the snake. Since the beginning of creation the snake has symbolized evil and temptation. More importantly the snake symbolized sin, it symbolized the sin of pride. The snake tempted Adam and Eve not with merely just an apple, but a promise of Godly power, and pride caused them to bite into the forbidden apple. Nino Ricci uses the symbol of the snake to help us identify the theme of pride and envy and their consequences through Cristina Innocente.
             In the beginning of the novel we are introduced to the symbolic power the snake possess over the town, "But there was an old saying in Valle del Sole .Where pride is the snake goes - and there were few who doubted that snakes, whatever their other properties, were agents of the evil eye" (Ricci, 5-6). In this quote Vittorio explains to us the snakes involvement with pride and envy (the evil eye). The snake bit Cristina, and the snake goes where pride is, this gives us the first impression that Cristina has a lot of pride. This quote also foreshadows the envy that the town's people have for Cristina. It's mainly the women of the town who envy Cristina, "You"re too proud" (Ricci, 46), "As if everyone was blind. Walking around like a princess" (Ricci, 47). In the first quote Giuseppina points out Cristina's proud stature, she is judging her for not going to church and confession, "When's the last time you went to confession?". In the second quote we begin to see Maria's envy for Cristina seep out. She dislikes the fact the Cristina walks with her head up. This shows us the effects of too much pride, it causes people to raise an evil eye against you as Giuseppina warns Cristina, "You know I wouldn't wish you any harm. But other people aren't so kind, they like to see a person destroyed. You can't afford to walk around like a princess" (Ricci, 53).


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