Cristina Innocente In Nino Ricci's Lives Of The Saints

One must take careful consideration before acting because the aftermath can lead to a chain of events whose consequences can be disastrous. Nino Ricci’s Lives of the Saints is an excellent example of how the consequences of a persons actions can affect everyone around them, including themselves. First, Cristina makes several choices throughout the novel that not only reflect her thoughtlessness, but her inability to see that it affects people beyond herself. The repercussions of Cristina’s actions demonstrates that she does not take notice that her actions are affecting others. Cristina’s value system is distorted as she is not looking at what is best for her child but rather what is feeling good to her right now. Cristina Innocente is a selfish,

Firstly, Cristina has an abundance of pride. She allows it to get in the way of her actions. Her pride leads to her choices and never in the right direction. Also, Crisitina’s pride causes her to believe that she is better than the villagers of Valle del Sole. The villagers notice this and dislike her even more. When Cristina is talking to her father he says, “You carry your shame on the streets, you force people to point a finger at you. What you’ve done, you’ve done and may God forgive you for it; but that’s not the way to be with people” (Ricci 164). It is seen that the villagers have noticed her attitude in relation to them. The inhabitants of Valle del Sole make Cristina’s life for more difficult because her pride is getting in the way of her feeling repentant over her mistakes. The villagers judge her so harshly because she refuses to make a gesture. Her pride will not allow her to feel repentant and in the process she makes Vitto’s life more difficult. Next, Cristina is impractical, as seen when she forcefully rips up the money sent to her by Mario. Lastly, Cristina is selfish and inconsiderate. She only thinks of herself when she acts and not how her actions will affect her son. Vitto is an innocent child who depends on his mother for his well being and Cristina has brought to him many difficulties in his already difficult situation of being born into an abusive household. This value system that Cristina carries with her is detrimental to Vitto, because every action and choice she makes affects him directly. All the instances, such as when she rips up the money, runs off with the German soldier, travelling too late in her pregnancy and relying too much on Vitto, all have harmful affects on him. Her value system has lead to Vitto’s physical, psychological and sexual abuse throughout the novel. Vitto is only six years old and he does not deserve the treatment he is getting just because his mother