“Enza prayed to stay near her mother and father. She wanted to live with them always, and never marry or become a mother herself. She couldn’t imagine ever being that brave, courageous enough to stand away from all she knew to choose something different.”

The third-person narrator inhabits Enza’s consciousness to reveal her heart’s desires. Although she’s a spirited and determined young girl, Enza has no desire to leave her parents and siblings and create a life for herself beyond her family home. She understands herself according to this domestic domain, believing that she’s destined for a life of predictability on the mountain. The moment foreshadows the unexpected circumstantial changes that Enza faces in the coming chapters. She’ll ultimately leave home for the US, which will challenge her and prove her courage.

“Mama always said a good family has one heartbeat. No one knows you like the people you live with, and no one will take up your cause to the outside world quite like your blood relatives. […] When one laughed, eventually they all did. When one was afraid, they did whatever they could do to shore up the other’s courage. When one was sick, soon they all felt the pain.”

The narrator’s description of Enza’s family introduces the theme of Love Enduring Through Hardship. Enza’s definition of love originates from her family life and thus from how her mother taught her to relate to her loved ones. For the rest of her life, Enza will live by these principles. Her love will be indelible and enduring. She’ll laugh, cry, celebrate, and mourn alongside those she loves.

“Ciro’s heart began to race. A white lace mantilla was draped over her hair. She wore a long gray serge skirt and a white blouse, the palette of an innocent dove. Ciro looked down at his work clothes, taking in the wet hems of his pants, the shadows of soot along the seams, his ill-fitting boots and filthy work shirt, which looked like a handyman’s paint palette-smears of clay putty, brass polish, and black streaks of smudges from charred candlewicks.”

This passage depicts how Ciro contrasts his appearance with Concetta’s in this scene at the convent chapel. Ciro thinks he’s in love with the young girl, but in this moment, he’s overcome by how silly and ragged he looks in her presence. Concetta wears a piece of “white lace over her hair,” a white shirt, and her complexion resembles a dove—details that conjure notions of purity and holiness. In comparison, Ciro’s pants are wet, sooty, dirty, and stained. Concetta represents “ideal beauty” and the church, while Ciro represents the working class, hardship, and secularity. The passage conveys how little Ciro feels like he belongs, despite his efforts to be good and dutiful.

“Life, Enza decided, is not about what you get, but what is taken from you. It’s in the things we lose that we discover what we most treasure. Enza’s most profound wish was that she might have kept Stella safe, that she had not failed her baby sister, that they would not have to face the years ahead without her. Enza vowed never to forget Stella, not for a day.”

The death of Enza’s sister Stella complicates her understanding of the world and herself. This passage thus introduces the theme of The Journey Toward Self-Discovery, Meaning, and Purpose. Losing her sister causes Enza to despair. Life suddenly feels void of meaning, as Stella once offered her purpose and fulfillment. Although she’s still young when Stella passes, Enza is learning a mature and hardened regard for life that dictates much of her character arc in the coming chapters.

“In all these years, Ciro had never thought about his mother’s feelings. Enza’s observation opened up his heart to think about what his mother had gone through. Maybe she missed her sons as much as they longed for her.”

Ciro and Enza’s first meeting alters how Ciro sees himself and his reality. Their surprising encounter and uncanny connection fuel the theme of The Journey Toward Self-Discovery, Meaning, and Purpose. Before meeting Enza, Ciro had a one-dimensional regard for his mother and her decision to leave him and Eduardo Lazzari. Enza helps him reframe this perspective and empathize with his mother’s experience. Enza’s effect on Ciro is new and foreshadows how she influences him throughout his life.

“Ciro felt the sudden sting of regret for all that he had missed in his own home, with family and friends filling rooms and making a life. The simply furnished house was clean and welcoming, and the friends seemed devoted. What more does a man need to be happy? Ciro wondered.”

Ciro’s visit to the Ravanelli house ignites his longing for home, love, family, and belonging. The house (though simple and sparse) symbolizes connection, warmth, and security. Being in this space helps Ciro understand what is meaningful to him and the sort of life he would like to pursue in the future. Years later, he has this sort of life when he makes a home with Enza in Minnesota.

“Eduardo sized up Ciro and was reassured that his younger brother could take care of himself physically. But he worried that Ciro was too trusting and could be taken advantage of by people less honorable than he. It was always the young men of gentle natures who acknowledged the worst in the world; strong boys like Ciro never did.”

The narrator inhabits Eduardo’s psyche to offer another perspective on Ciro’s character. This narrative shift presents Ciro from his brother’s vantage point. Eduardo deeply loves Ciro, admires him, and believes in him. However, he fears for his brother’s safety. His internal monologue underscores his abiding love for Ciro and his hopes that his brother can make a life for himself while staying safe and wise.

“These fleeting memories soothed him, but lately, as he drifted into sleep, his thoughts had gone to Enza Ravanelli, whose kiss he remembered with particular delight. When he thought of Enza, he didn’t imagine her lips, her eyes, or her hands. Rather, he saw her in full, standing before him in the blue night air, every aspect of her beauty revealed in the light.”

Ciro’s private meditations on Enza underscore the significance of their meeting and their connection. Ciro isn’t lusting after Enza, as he doesn’t obsess over her physical features. Rather, he imagines “her in full,” deriving peace from the mere image of her standing “in the blue light.” This detailed description conjures an ethereal mood, likening Enza to an angel. Ciro’s memory of her offers him comfort through hardship.

“The cobblestone streets were crowded with people, and when Ciro looked up, the windows were also filled with faces. Women leaned out of second-story windows […] Stoops spilled over with southern Italians gathered in small groups. It was as if the belly of the ship had been sliced open and docked on the streets of Little Italy. […] the sounds of city life were a deafening mix of whistles, horns, arguments, and music.”

This detailed description of Little Italy enacts the bustle of the setting. Ciro, just arriving in New York City, is overwhelmed by the new and unfamiliar surroundings. Evocative images and sensory detail saturate the description, creating an exciting narrative mood. Ciro is trying to take in everything around him: His eyes move from the crowded streets up to the windows and down to the small groups on the walks. The text follows his gaze, describing each image he notices.

“In the years to come, when she yearned for the comfort of her family, she would conjure this day and try to recall omens and clues. Enza would have done everything differently. She would have taken her time to acknowledge that one part of her life was ending and a new era had begun. […] Maybe if she knew what lay ahead, she would never have made the decision to leave Schilpario in the first place.”

This passage foreshadows Enza’s fate as she departs from her home on the mountain for the US. The retrospective narrative voice implies that Enza is about to face challenging circumstances and experiences that the naive version of her could never imagine. She’s leaving Schilpario to support her family, but doesn’t know she’ll never see them again. This moment possesses a bittersweet mood, as Enza says goodbye to one way of life while embarking on another.

“Ciro was more of everything than she remembered; taller for sure, seemingly stronger, and his eyes a more vivid color, reminding her of the cliffs above Schilpario, where the branches of the deep green juniper trees met the bright blue sky. She noticed that Ciro carried himself differently. He possessed a particular swagger, an upright posture and a deliberate carriage, which Enza eventually, when she looked back on this moment, would identify as American.”

Enza and Ciro’s chance reunion at the New York hospital reignites their original connection. This passage describes Enza’s impressions of Ciro and the differences from the boy she remembers. What Enza observes about Ciro conveys her abiding attraction to him through descriptive detail, color imagery, and metaphor. His eyes are like “the cliffs above Schilpario,” and he walks with an American swagger. Ciro thus at once embodies the connection to her home country and the future in her new country.

“Remo stood in the doorway to the garden and watched as Ciro wiped his eyes, carefully folded the letter, and placed it back in the envelope. He remembered the day Ciro had come off the ferry from Ellis Island. Despite his size and abundance of energy, Ciro had been an innocent boy. As Remo observed Ciro now, he saw a man in the wicker chair, a man any father would be proud to call his son.”

Remo Zanetti’s perspective provides further insight into Ciro’s character evolution. Years have passed since Ciro arrived in the US. He has been working under Remo the entire time, so Remo has observed Ciro’s changes firsthand. His quasi-paternal gaze has a reflective and loving tone, as Remo silently remarks on how much life in the US has matured his apprentice. This moment reflects the theme of Immigrant Resilience and the Pursuit of the American Dream.

“Whenever she heard Laura describe New York City and all it had to offer, it made Enza want to be a part of it too. No matter what happened at work, Laura was upbeat and positive; she lifted Enza’s spirits, bolstered her courage, and looked out for her in every way. Laura was a shot of emerald green in a gray world.”

Enza’s friendship with Laura Heery helps her believe in herself and fight for the life she wants. Whereas Enza is subdued and hesitant, Laura is “upbeat” and outspoken. Her energetic character reminds Enza of what is possible in the US and of what she’s capable of. Their relationship is an essential part of Enza’s survival when she first arrives in the US. This passage subtly contributes to the theme of Immigrant Resilience and the Pursuit of the American Dream, as Enza starts to formulate and pursue dreams of her own with Laura’s help.

“The girls joined the throngs in the crowded streets, who came for the food, to celebrate their ties to home, and to revel in the camaraderie of being with their own people. Vendors set up simple stands along the avenue, tall whitewashed poles suspending canvas awnings over slim plan counters notched to the poles.”

Enza and Laura’s venture into Little Italy immerses them in the spirit and vibrancy of Enza’s cultural heritage. Again, descriptive detail enacts the setting’s energy and excitement. In turn, the place energizes Enza, as she can reconnect with her homeland through these Italian American celebrations.

“‘Sometimes I’d like to be young too.’ Enza spoke without thinking. She was surprised to realize that she felt this way. She never thought about what she wanted, only what was best for those she loved. And as far as her own heart was concerned, she hoped she would do the choosing.”

Enza and Ciro’s reconnection on the Zanettis’ roof inspires Enza to express her true feelings to Ciro for the first time. With Ciro, she feels comfortable enough to be vulnerable. She makes a connection she doesn’t realize until she articulates it. This moment underscores the significance of the characters’ bond while contributing to the theme of The Journey Toward Self-Discovery, Meaning, and Purpose. Life in the US is challenging Enza to see and express herself in new ways.

“Ciro was gratified that the army had accepted him, knowing that it was the fastest route to earning his citizenship. But there was also a sadness, a gnawing anxiety that he was running from something he couldn’t name. It was in moments like this that he thought of Enza and wondered about the different path his life might have taken had she been waiting for him on Adams Street.”

Ciro’s decision to enlist in the army further develops the theme of Immigrant Resilience and the Pursuit of the American Dream. Ciro makes this decision because he wants to earn his citizenship and publicly display his loyalty to his new country. This is a part of his immigrant experience and the way he understands his place in US culture. At the same time, his desire to be a US citizen coincides with his longing for Enza, whose character represents home and the past.

“Enza could not believe the places Vito had taken her. She’d had no idea such fun existed when she was indentured to the Buffas in Hoboken. There was nothing like this on the mountain. It was all new; at long last Enza could be young, on the arm of a gentleman who knew how to live. He relished showing her his world, and it delighted him to know she enjoyed it.”

Enza’s relationship with Vito opens her to a new way of life and nuances her growth, illuminating the theme of The Journey Toward Self-Discovery, Meaning, and Purpose. With Vito, she experiences the world in a new way. She no longer feels like a lowly girl from the mountains when she’s touring the city “on the arm of a gentleman.” She’s inhabiting an alternate identity and trying out a new way of life—experiments that US culture affords her.

“‘I wish this night would never end.’ Enza sighed. Sometimes she was so deeply in the moment of the present, Enza forgot the pain of the past and was free to enjoy herself without guilt. The scaffolding of her new life was sturdy, but she wanted the contents to be light, just like the colors of Dawn Gepfert’s apartment.”

Enza’s engagement with her life conveys her openness to beauty and sensitivity to life’s fragility. She revels in an evening out with her friends because she feels temporarily liberated from life’s pain, guilt, and sorrow. This scene presents Enza in a moment of vulnerability, as she tries to balance her past and present lives.

“Ciro mourned Eduardo’s new life, because it meant that he had lost his brother for good. Perhaps they would see each other a few times in the decades to come. There would be letters, but they would be infrequent. For two boys who had been inseparable, two brothers who were completely simpatico, to lead such separate lives was a terrible sacrifice.”

Ciro’s internal monologue about his brother, Eduardo, reiterates the theme of Love Enduring Through Hardship. Although years have passed since Ciro moved away from Italy and Eduardo, he still can’t fathom that they’re no longer active participants in one another’s lives. He’s trying to reconcile with their estrangement while holding onto the love they’ve shared since they were boys.

“He promised to love me. And for once in my life, I’m going to do the impractical, unwise, ill-advised thing. I’m going to make a decision based upon the feeling I have in my heart, and not what looks good on paper or makes anyone else happy. I’m going to do something for me, and I’ll live with whatever Ciro brings into my life and be happy that I did.”

Enza boldly claims her love for Ciro when Laura questions her decision to call off her and Vito’s wedding. This is one of the first times that Enza neatly articulates her feelings for Ciro to another person. She’s claiming what she wants in her own words. She’s also claiming her identity and autonomy, refusing to let others’ impressions of her keep her from what she wants and the love and happiness she feels with Ciro. This moment thematically reveals her determination in The Journey Toward Self-Discovery, Meaning, and Purpose.

“Enza’s practical nature was a tonic for the emotions that had controlled him all of his life. In her presence, Ciro forgot the isolation he’d felt as a child, and the injustice he’d endured when he was exiled from his mountain. He even put the anguish of war behind him. Ciro was in love with a good woman who had become his full partner, and they were going to build a life together.”

Ciro’s internal monologue about Enza reiterates the characters’ deep and abiding love. Ciro doesn’t simply care for Enza because she’s beautiful and consistent, but because she helps assuage his sorrow and isolation. She always makes him feel strong and has helped him survive virtually impossible things. He feels confident in her presence and thus assured of their future together. Their love is the foundation for their contentment.

“The stories broke Antonio’s heart, and they also made him realize that the last thing his father needed was a rebellious son. Enza was the disciplinarian, leaving Ciro free to love his son and coddle him in a way Ciro himself had never known. Antonio had always known he had a happy home. What would become of them now?”

The narrator shifts into Antonio Lazzari’s consciousness to offer further perspective on Ciro’s character at the end of his life. Antonio’s internal monologue reveals his connection to and sympathy for his father. He’s familiar with Ciro’s sorrow and suffering and has tried to be a good son to prevent his father from experiencing any more hurt. This intimate moment underscores the enduring love among Ciro, Antonio, and Enza—even as they anticipate Ciro’s imminent death, foregrounding the theme of Love Enduring Through Hardship.

“Ciro thought it was he who had won his true love’s heart. Now he knew that her heart was there for the taking all along. […] He knew that if anything would heal him, it would be the mountain. As he turned over in the bed, he felt no pain in his body. As always, Enza knew best.”

By traveling back to the mountain and reading Enza’s old notebook, Ciro gains insight into his wife, his past, and his home. Because he’s nearing the end of his life, he often reflects on his experiences and relationships. This private moment in bed reminds him of how deep and beautiful his and Enza’s love has always been. The contentment of their love comforts him.