African Mythology, Femininity, and Maternity by Ismahan Soukeyna Diop

Author:Ismahan Soukeyna Diop
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9783030246624
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

4.2.3 The Quest for Redemption and the Intervention of Mother Nature

In the story of Pinocchio, the Fairy acts as a mother and cures him from his illness. She evolves through the story, starts as a child and ends up being a woman “old enough to be his mamma”. On the opposite of Gepetto, she has ways of making him do what he should, threatening him persuasively. She shows how a woman is a better parent than a man, and how foolish he was to think he could raise a son by himself. Pinocchio still tries to lie and fool her because it is in his nature to do so. When he gets better and leaves the Fairy, he goes back to his old habits of making bad choices, until he discovers that the Fairy has disappeared because of him. He feels guilty, realizes how sad his father should be to have lost him, so he decides to go back to him.

When explaining to Pinocchio why he could not grow up, the Fairy tells him that he has to learn to be a good boy if he wants to become a man. She forgives Pinocchio for his mistakes, when she sees his guilt and sorrow:– If you only knew the sorrow I felt and the tightening of my throat when I read, ‘Here lies…’

– I know it, and it is on that account that I have forgiven you. I saw from the sincerity of your grief that you had a good heart; and when boys have good hearts, even if they are scamps and have got bad habits, there is always something to hope for; that is, there is always hope that they will turn to better ways. That is why I came to look for you here. I will be your mamma.

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