ABSTRACT
The narrative works, namely the novel Il garofano rosso, its unfinished sequel Giochi di ragazzi and the short novel Erica e i suoi fratelli, are an important trait d'union between Elio Vittorini's early production and the outstanding climax of Conversazione in Sicilia. Il garofano rosso was Vittorini's first successful attempt at a fully fledged novel. In parallel with its political content, Il garofano rosso retains much of the inclination towards the sensual, particularly with respect to the young protagonists, found in various short stories in Piccola borghesia. The flow of the novel, narrated in the first person, is interrupted by the introduction of passages from Alessio's diary and letters from his friend Tarquinio. Vittorini worked oil Erica e i suoifratelli during 1936, published some excerpts in two periodicals, after which he concentrated on other literary projects and let Erica disappear into oblivion.
