The Land of Cockayne: A Novel by Matilde Serao
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"The Land of Cockayne: A Novel" by Matilde Serao is a work of fiction written in the late 19th century. The narrative explores the lives of various characters from the lower social strata of Naples, particularly focusing on their aspirations and struggles, centered around themes of fortune and despair, often represented through the lottery. Key figures in the story include Carmela, a seamstress with a wearied yet hopeful demeanor, and other townsfolk
who are drawn into the world of gambling, revealing the underlying social tensions and dreams of a better life. The opening of the novel introduces the picturesque but melancholic setting of Naples, where the anticipation of a lottery drawing brings together a diverse group of people, united by their hopes for fortune. Through vivid descriptions, Serao paints a scene of a bustling street and an eager crowd, highlighting characters such as Michele, the shoeblack, and Carmela, who yearns for a small slice of hope amidst her struggles. As the crowd waits, their conversations reveal their intimate relationship with gambling and the lottery, which serves as both an escape from their harsh realities and a source of deep disappointment. The atmosphere shifts dramatically when the lottery drawing commences, eliciting emotional responses from the crowd and culminating in a strong sense of despair as hopes are dashed, setting the tone for the social commentary that unfolds throughout the novel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Serao, Matilde, 1856-1927 |
|---|---|
| Title | The Land of Cockayne: A Novel |
| Credits |
Produced by Andrés V. Galia, Charlie Howard, Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 78.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese |
| Subject | Italy -- Fiction |
| Subject | Italian fiction -- Translations into English |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 54614 |
| Release Date | Apr 26, 2017 |
| Last Update | Oct 23, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 449 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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