Essay Questions

How does religious discrimination depict itself in The Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani?

When the narrator joins college, there is a sharp division between the Christians and the Jews. The author is a Jew, and while growing up he has to learn in an institution dominated by the Jewish children, implying that they are not allowed to mix with Christians. When the narrator grows older, stiffer legislation is passed which outlines that the Jews are not supposed to interrelate with the Christians. Christians simply believe that the Jews killed Jesus and they have carried this hatred to all Jews. The Jewish people, therefore, decide to have their facilities such as the Tennis club in which they congregate and have fun.

What is the impact of parental pressure on children according to Giorgio Bassani?

Some parents set specific standards for their children. For instance, children are expected by their parents to score particular grades in academic studies. Failure to attain specific grades puts the children in danger. For instance, when the narrator fails his mathematics exam, he runs away from home because he knows that his father will get very angry at him. The narrator is trying to illustrate that parents can be the reason why some children run away from home because they set very high standards. Parents are supposed to humbly inquire why their children are not performing well in school instead of getting mad. For instance, the narrator is performing poorly because of emotional trauma of the holocaust.

What is the impact of the holocaust on the reader on a personal level?

The narrator faults the holocaust for most of the challenges he is going through. Firstly, he remembers how the holocaust snatched some of his friends and family members that he loved most. He regrets not having a good time with Micol who died during the holocaust. He also blames the holocaust for his poor performance in school because most of the time he is thinking about his deceased relatives and friends.