A Journey of Valuable Lesson in Niccolo Ammaniti s Im...

The novel, I’m Not Scared, by Niccolo Ammaniti takes you on a memorable journey with Michele Amitrano, a nine year old boy, who learns valuable lessons on how trust and loyalty gives you more than greed and money-oriented acts. The journey arises in 1978 in Aqua Traverse during the time when the small, isolated town of Southern Italy suffered from a major heat wave. Around this time is when Michele makes a tragic discovery of a young, kidnapped Filippo who is chained up in a hole and made to live in the most inhumane conditions. Through the finding of Filippo Michele’s innocence becomes a thing of the past as it uncovers the truth about the real monsters in Aqua Traverse. Although, Michele never loses sight of his strong belief in the values of trust and loyalty even with his regretful selling out of Filippo to Salvatore Scardiccione and Pino’s (Papa’s) to deter him from knowing the truth but then his materialistic ways of winning him back after the truth is discovered. Michele’s first experience with the acts of betrayal is when he discovers the villager’s involvement in the kidnapping of Filippo. From this he realizes the value of trust and loyalty is far more important than money. Prior to his discovery of the kidnapping, Michele admired and looked up to all the adults in Aqua Traverse, especially his parents, Pino and Teresa. Throughout the novel we see Michele’s views and opinions of his father change dramatically with hints Ammaniti provides. Such as, at the