The fact is that progress never stops and certain lifestyles can not exist forever. Every subtle or substantial change in the people’s way of thinking and the system of their social relations has certain consequences that sooner or later lead to the crisis of the old system that is going to be substituted by a new one. In The Leopard by Giuseppe di, Lampedusa and Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous the periods of crises of the social structure or the social conscience are depicted. The state of narrow-mindedness as to the future changes, the situation leading to the changes in the social or ethnical prejudices, and the reaction to the changes are the three main crisis stages.
At the very beginning of the novels, the main characters’ views are narrowed by the accustomed state of affairs, while the changes are framed by the habitual scheme of the events. The changes in the ideas of the social structure or ethnical prejudices are not so substantial that they could influence the way of characters’ thinking. One of Lampedusa’s characters, Tancredi, notes: “If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change” (Lampedusa 127). This statement emphasizes the need for the changes that are not realized by the majority of the characters at this stage but that is obvious in the existing situation. Prince Salina, representing the old order, remains stable whatever happens in the surrounding, he lives in the world that he used to live in and that he thinks he will live forever. Concerning the issue of the ethical prejudices in the second novel, not aware of all the facts, Lakhous’s characters are faithful to their beliefs that the representatives of other nationalities, races, or even regions differ from Romans greatly and their attitude towards the disappeared neighbor changes after they get to know that he is an immigrant. Their prejudices are so strong that this separate fact can influence their opinion immensely. The existing way of thinking prevents the main characters from realizing the necessity of the changes, but this first stage prepares them for further shifts.
Being prepared for the transformation of the social structure or the way of thinking, the characters undergo the main changes in the second stage. The changes depicted in The Leopard though having substantial consequences make the things remain the same, while the characters change and adapt to the realities. In other words, the shifts resulting in instability of the situation may lead to the crisis as well. Asking for Prince’s advice as to the referendum vote and having misunderstood him, the peasants leave the social order the same, though having taken efforts to provide the changes. Lakhous’s characters, paying too much attention to the question of Amedeo’s ethnic origin, are astonished at the mismatch in their idea of immigrants and the man in question, which mastered the language and inspected the city better than some of the local residents. Amedeo himself hesitates of his own abilities and exclaims: “Am I a bastard like the twins Romulus and Remus or an adopted son?” (Lakhous 101). The noncoincidence of the past images with the new circumstances leads to the crisis of the current way of life and the character patterns.
The state of crisis can not last long, it is to result in the transformation of the system. Concerning The Leopard, the changes in the society led to the origination of the new bourgeois reality and relative stability of the situation and representatives of the new type of society. Every Lakhous’s character changed his views in his own way when it was explored that hardly of them had a Roman origin and most of them suffered from the others’ prejudices as well. Having started to realize the necessity of further changes, having found oneself in the critical situation when the consequences led to the crisis, every character and the system in which he/she is involved is induced to transform and adapt to the existing situation.
References
Lakhous, Amara. Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio.Europa Editions. 2008: 131.
Di Lampedusa, Giuseppe. The Leopard. Panteon. 2007: 294.