Viola Ardone's "The Children's Train" - Reading in Translation
: Unlike the stereotypical "master of the house," Oliva’s father is portrayed as a quiet, supportive figure who stands by her decision. Reader Reception La decision - Viola Ardone.epub
: Defying social pressure, the code of silence ( omertà ), and the law itself, Oliva chooses to press charges instead of marrying her aggressor. Viola Ardone's "The Children's Train" - Reading in
The story is inspired by the real-life case of , the first woman in Italy to refuse a "reparatory marriage" ( matrimonio riparatore ) after being kidnapped and raped. : Oliva Denaro lives in a small Sicilian
: Oliva Denaro lives in a small Sicilian village where women are expected to be submissive and "keep their eyes down". When she rejects the advances of the baker's son, he kidnaps and assaults her, expecting that the law—which wiped out the crime of rape if the victim married the perpetrator—would force her hand.