Figurations of the Sea and the Gendered Experience of Love in Valeria Parrella's Troppa importanza all’amore Restricted; Files Only
Porcelli, Francesca (Spring 2026)
Abstract
Troppa importanza all’amore (2015) marks Valeria Parrella’s return to writing short stories. Most existing criticism of Parrella’s work discusses her exploration of motherhood. In Troppa importanza all’amore, Parrella goes beyond this topic to explore various forms of love. She investigates romantic, maternal, filial, and even self-love during the eight short stories of Troppa importanza all’amore. Each story offers a novel discussion of the dangers of giving too much importance to love, and each form of love is in some way represented by the sea. This thesis begins by outlining past literature on Valeria Parrella and her literary influences. Next, the stories of Troppa importanza all’amore are categorized to demonstrate how the sea manifests as a representation of love. In the first four stories, “Il giorno dopo la festa,” “Gli esposti,” “Rispetto per chi sa,” and “Il castello,” the sea is a place of self-discovery and acceptance. Later, in “99/99/9999” and “L’ultima vita,” the sea becomes a symbol of freedom and a catalyst for epiphany. Finally, in “Behave” and “Troppa importanza all’amore,” the sea comes to represent the dangers of giving too much importance to love. This thesis employs a method of close reading to discuss the figurations of the sea and the gendered experience of love in Troppa importanza all’amore. Different elements of the sea are found to represent different elements of love. Additionally, it is concluded that it is most often women who are bound to assign too much importance to love.
Table of Contents
Introduction……………….…………………………………………………………………………1
Chapter 1: Background and Methods……………….……………………………………7
Chapter 2: The sea as self-discovery and fulfillment………..…………….………14
Chapter 3: The sea as salvation and enlightenment………..…….…………….…32
Chapter 4: The sea as danger and loss…………….………..…….………………..……42
Conclusion……………………………………………...………………………………………..……49
Bibliography………………………….….……..….….………..….….….…………..……………51
Appendix.……..…………………………………..………………...………………………..………54
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File download under embargo until 28 November 2026 | 2026-04-14 14:09:15 -0400 | File download under embargo until 28 November 2026 |
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