Corelli, stereotypical Italian.

In the novel, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, de Bernieres creates the character Corelli as a stereotypical Italian. It is shown through the way de Berneires describes Corelli’s characteristic through the eyes of the other people around him, as well as through Corelli own feeling and thoughts. De Bernieres uses the symbol of music, such as the mandolin, in Corelli’s life to emphasise the charismatic of an Italian in him. De Berneires creates such a character to questioning the stereotypical of nationalities that the society views on people during the time of war.

De Bernieres describes Corelli through the uses of vivid imagery from the point of view of people around him, such as Carlo to show that he is quite dramatic. In the chapter, A most ungracious surrender, through Carlo point of view “he was prone to dramatic in the telling of the story because everything about him was original, he was always larger than his circumstance, and he would say things for the sake of their value as amusement, with an ironic disregard for the truth.” this long and detailed sentence is clearly shown the characteristic, de Bernieres suggests to the reader that the image of Corelli is someone more carefree and quite charming in a way. De Bernieres seems to be attached to Corelli’s speaking and action the words “dramatic”, such as “the captain fell to his knee before her and exclaimed dramatically, ‘Please don’t kill me, I am innocent’” as though he wants to exaggerate the movement Corelli makes. This shows that the way he acts and speak is very exaggerate and bizarre which makes him quite charismatic.

De Bernieres shows that he is chivalrous, through the way he acts toward a situation. In the chapter, The Great Big Spiky Rustball, “‘It’s too close’ persisted the engineer, ‘the shock wave will pass straight through this hole and suck your eyes and brains out,… ‘it was a real sporcaccione of an explosion,’ said Carlo ‘absolutely better than anything I’ve ever seen.’” in this passage Corelli bravely discharge a mines by blowing it up, the danger of the situation can make the reader to see that Corelli is quite mad to do such a thing. However, this shows that he has bravery to spare. That he is not afraid to dead. Another example of chivalry is in the chapter, A Good Nazis (2), “‘Let’s sing boys,’ said Antonio Corelli as the truck they were in lurched from one rut to another… ‘Let’s sing, boys,’ he repeated, ‘Carlo, sing’” at this point every soldier are in sorrow as they where about to be sentence to dead, however Corelli in this sorrow he comforted the soldiers this can show that he is chivalrous in this kind of situation. In different kind of situation, Corelli shows the chivalrous face of an Italian.

De Bernieres uses the mandolin and music in general, as the symbol to show the charismatic in Corelli. In the chapter, La scala, “The man’s mad, and he’s a wop. But he’s got nightingales in his fingers.” this is the remarks from Kokolios as he heard Corelli’s mandolin, this shows that Corelli is quite a good musician and people admired him for that even though his action is strange to some people. The image of “nightingales” gives a smooth and relaxing picture of how Corelli’s fingers moved. furthermore, music can also shows his charismatic as music as what attract attention, Pelegia notice him for the first time was through his music. As well as, “My first experience of La Scala was hearing the Anvil Chorus…conducting the concert with the aid of a feather in his right hand” Carlo first meeting with Corelli was through the song he heard from the La Scala, which emphasise that music bring people together as it brought Carlo to Corelli.

De Bernieres create Corelli in such a way to question the people stereotypical view during the time of war. Corelli, an Italian captain, in the view of people in Cephallonia is a person they need to be detested and hated. However, through the way de Bernieres put the Italian in Corelli act toward the people in Cephallonia they begin to like him. Pelegia, who suppose to treat him like enemy had fall in love with him. Dr. Iannis detest every part of Corelli agreed for him and Pelegia to get married. Even Kokolios like the music Corelli makes.