... give Silvana the money to pay for an abortion? Not only could he have easily afforded it, but he knew what pregnancy meant for a single woman in Mongibello. I mean, Dickie could be a slime, but would he really have been that heartless? If nothing else, wouldn't he have worried she'd rat him out to Marge? After all, Marge made it clear to Dickie she questioned his whereabouts at times.
Good point. Although Dickie had money, he didn't have a lot, as he couldn't buy a much-wanted refrigerator without Tom's contribution. An abortion in 1950s small-town southern Italy would have been a gruesome back alley affair, and may well have been expensive.
shareHe was selfish, careless and irresponsible, if not heartless. Although it's the same thing in the end. And yes, he was. That's why he was drowning in guilt, at least at that moment, after her suicide. Then, he quickly moved onto his other selfish, irresponsible endeavors. I believe that Dikkie was one of those people who, when visited by the troubled, pregnant Silvana, quickly forgot about it or rather didn't even think through what she was saying or the possible consequences. Dikkie was someone who ignored bad news, a spoiled brat who wasn't raised by hearing anything negative about himself and his precious lifestyle. By ignoring it, it's as though it's never happening. And when he is made to hear it, he runs. As two people attested: hates being confronted. The moment someone confronts him, he lashes out.
A safe abortion in a Catholic country in the 1950's would have been impossible. Look how difficult it still is in the U.S. even with Roe vs Wade?
I agree that Dickie had the ability to get over things fast and move on. Silvana couldn't and Tom wouldn't.
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Hmm. Maybe most of you people are wrong. I don't think she wanted an abortion (it's never even mentioned that she wanted one), I think she wanted money to raise a child.
It would also make a lot to sense, as to why Dickie decided not to give her any:
- If she had asked him about money for raising a child, he would probably freak. I mean, a female in a Catholic country in the 1950's, having a child outside marriage... How fast do you think that would be "traced" back to him? And not only would he loose Marge, people would also loose their respect for him (maybe even despise him) etc. His life in most of the city, would be ruined.
- If she had asked him about money for an abortion on the other hand, why wouldn't he pay her? Get the baby out of the way, don't have to think about anything, just continuing living the life he did and enjoyed.
I think this explanation makes a lot more sense. But, who knows. Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe it was just a way of showing that Dickie was irresponsible and didn't give a *beep* about other people, when something was serious and didn't go his way.
All these voices in my head, and not a single one I understand.
Raise a child out of wedlock in a small Italian town in the 1950s? I think that's out of the question, even for today. Sylvana's whole family was there as well as her fiancé. Suicide was her only option if an abortion was unobtainable.
What is mystifying is that Dickie didn't do all he could to help her obtain one. Had it become known that he was the father of Sylvana's illegitimate child, the entire town, led by her father, uncles and brothers, would have been united in their determination to kill him.
There is another possibility, though: being Catholic, Sylvana may have objected to abortion on moral grounds. She may have tried to convince Dickie to abandon Marge and marry her and raise the child together. When he refused, she felt she had no other option but suicide.
This is not a strong possibility, however. She had already seriously violated religious precepts by having premarital sex, especially with a foreigner. It is less likely she would be opposed to abortion.