These are selected pages of the diary of Marianne Castelli Perrotta, Mattea Perrotta’s grandmother who immigrated to the United States from the South of Italy in the 1964. Transcriptions are available below.
Opportunity
“One word to those who may think my observations are wrong. Think twice before you comment. Years spent in the old country and find out for yourself if my observations are right or wrong. If some of you say I’m wrong I think you are proud to admit it. I myself think that America is a special country and so are the people in it. I’ll repeat they are open minded, humble, they don’t look down to their fellowman they (except) accept one as he is regardless of religion, creed or race giving everyone equal opportunity.”
American Women
“American women hold all kinds of positions. Only two decades ago whoever heard of a woman senator or a woman president of the firm and so on and so forth. They are not the inferior sex anymore in my opinion, they never were, they may be the frail sex, yes, but never inferior. If they are given a chance of a good education or a good – to expand themselves.
“… The little’s woman’s help means a lot to him as the saying goes, ‘Behind every successful man there is a woman.’ In my opinion that is very true.”
Love
(my Nonna had an arranged marriage, I don’t think she ever loved him).
“First young people in America marry for love. For Americans there are no match makers, they pick out their own mates. To make my point is that the girl doesn’t have to be a heiress or have a degree to be a doctor’s daughter, no far from it. What a boy looks for in a girl are good qualities to suit him.“
American Men
“The way I have observed it American men are sincere, tactful and kind. They are not only kind to the women during the courtship, but they continue to do so even after they get married. What I mean is that don’t taken women for granted, knowing that women’s responsibilities are many, like being home maker, and raising child, inquire lots of skill. Patience, assurance, self control and judgment and so on and so forth. They know how to compliment a woman and by doing so women feel appreciated.”
European Women
“I hope someday the European woman can be just as advanced and fulfilled as her contemporary sister is. I don’t agree with those who say that women by working out of their home and holding positions have lost their feminity. On the other hand they have gained it. Because they are well groomed, well fed, better educated and more sure of themselves and naturally they are more attractive and appealing to men.”
Money and Power
“I want to tell you about another interesting story. When I was a young girl I remember that in my home town our customs was that almost every holiday they used send gifts to the mayor of our town, which he was loaded with money and property. I think this wasn’t fair on his part to accept all these gifts from people of modest means who had to deprive themselves of their goodies.”
Mussolini
“All of this occurred during the dictatorship of Mussolini. There was a dictator in every town. I must say that these dictators ended shamefully, they all paid for their rudeness. I may sound pleased about them and well a little yes, I would be a lie if I said no. Because all of the suffering and injustice done to the average people. In a way I feel sorry for them I pity them who were rudeness men without compassion towards their fellowman.”
Conclusion
“I hope no one misunderstand about my writing these are merely observations as I see them. I know people in each and different country have rules set by their parents such as traditions to observe customs to follow passed from generation to generation. In old country even f these traditions and customs don’t appeal to the new generation they are not likely to change them.”
CLOSE DISTANCE 