Italo Calvino Castle of Crossed Destines, Essay Example

Why does Calvino use Tarot Cards in his narrative?

The tarot cards become a way of narrative the way each people lived while the narrator can give the cards can suggest different meanings. In addition, Calvino lost the ability to talk while learning to use the cards as a voice of reason or the voice of discovery or the voice of personal analysis. Calvino used his cards like a blind person would use grail to read while the cards became his voice. The storytelling Calvino could have use writing to convent his message but why use the tarot cards. The tarot cards are a way to give a story parable or broader meanings that lead credibility to the narrative (Cornell.edu 3).

The use of the tarot cards by Calvino is a colorful way of telling a person’s life story or fortune. The major arcana are a great way for Calvino to tell a story with graphic pictures such as the Juggler, The Fool, or the Wheel Fortune (Tarot Cards 1). The narrative can have many different interpretations when a voice is narrating a story, however Calvino narrative with the tarot cards always have some truth. The tarot cards tell a story without the person getting angry with the narrator because they understand it is the tarot cards that tell the fortunes. This is similar to a puppet play where the puppeteer is saying the words but the children believe it is the puppets voice.

Calvino uses the tarot cards because they are a more accurate way for him to describe political changes, life adjustments, personality analysis, historical events, and different social interpretations. The tarot cards allow Calvino to create interconnection of pictures, meanings, and type of cards to explain the person’s fortune.

How do the Tarot Cards enhance the narrative?

The tarot cards allow the narrator to provide multiple suggestions or meanings without saying a word. The cards represent the character of a person or they can represent a mood of that person or the narrative can represent the telling of a prophecy. The tarot cards make the narrative exciting, witty, and interesting because the reader of the cards can interpret many different ways.

Use the 21 Major Arcana of any set of Tarot Cards

The family sent the boy the village for some groceries however, the grandmother gave the boy some warnings using the Tarot cards. The grandmother pulled the first tarot card of the “Fool.” According to Rioux (2000), the “Fool” tarot cards represent a new beginning or a person taking a new path or direction while making new choices (pg.1). The grandmother warn the boy to never take unnecessary risk such as crossing the bridge during high tide or trusting a stranger on the road or taking a risky route in the dark forest.

The grandmother told they boy to stay in lighted areas following the same path to the market. The Tarot card “Fool” means the beginning, recklessness, and risk taking. (Biddy Tarot 3). The grandmother want to make sure the boy was not careless, reckless or taking any unnecessary risk. The grandmother went on to explain that the tarot card means risk but also it means that the boy should be away of other risk such as bad weather and meeting strangers. The grandmother made sure that the boy understood all the risk involved with the market such as buying old fruit or being over charged for bread. The grandmother informed the boy that the merchants can be dishonest and reckless in providing food for people they think is naïve. The grandmother told the boy that the trip was like life that you never know what to expect and always be ready for surprises.

The second card flipped over by the grandmother was the “Strength” tarot card, which means someone that has courage and that is disciplined (Biddy Tarot 3). The grandmother told the boy to be brave when arriving at the city and hold his head up high. She indicated that the card indicated that the village thieves would test his courage. The final tarot carded flipped over by the grandmother was the tarot “Star” card. The grandmother told the boy to keep his faith that his journey will be protected and never lose faith as he travels to the market.  The grandmother told the boy that the sign of the devil with only free him of restrictions on the way to the market. The boy understand this to mean she wants him to have fun such as going swimming because he does not like the water and eat some apples because he only eats at night. The Devil card does not mean there is death it means stop the things in your life that is causing restrictions. The next card the grandmother flipped over was the High Priestess card. The grandmother informed the boy needs to avoid anyone and anything that is mysterious because they may try to rob or hurt him.

Short Video

What do you think the video is saying about the structure of the narrative?

The video is describe a way to describe words such as the word “Learn”. The word “Learn” was interpreted by circular loops, which means learning is continuous. The loop can indicate that the learning cycle is like a round circle with the foundation of knowledge in the middle. The Dream was describe by three white dots with an upward string with a kite at the end. The dream with the string means the dream has its own line that continues into the sky. The word “Wait” had a dotted line moving in swirls meaning that waiting is some that is continuous in life. The word “Enjoy” was a line with move like a roller coaster reflecting that the enjoyment in life constantly changes. The moving roller coaster could mean that you never know what to expect in life so enjoy every moment.

How effective is the narrative get the message to audience

The message was effective because the video clearly describe Learn, Wait, Respect, Trust, Pledge, Dream and Share. The film was very effective with no narrative just pictures to express feelings about words.

Use 10 random words in a similar story and use 7 diagrams to explain narrative

Love-Is something that cannot be defined but it is there

Hate- A way people feel about what they do not understand

Works Cited

Biddy Tarot. “Transform your life: Tarot Cards: “Fool”.2015. Web 1 May 2015

Bing.com.(2015). Bing Diagrams. 2015. Web 1 May 2015

Cornell.edu.”The Castle of Crossed Destines, By Italo Calvino. 19 May 2015. Web 1 May 2015.

Rioux.,James.”Tarot Cards: The Fool. 2000.Web 1 May 2015

Tarot Cards.” The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide. Abington: Helicon, 2014. Credo Reference. Web. 6 May 2015.