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Contrast Between Arturo Bandini's Vulgarity And

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Despite all of this, it is appalling that very esteemed literary critics like Charles Bukowski praise the novel’s work and portrays Arturo Bandini as a hero and calls Fante a “god” (Fante 6). Bukowski considers the protagonist “a man who was not afraid of emotion” (Fante 6). Dunja Nedic counters Bukowski’s praise of the “substance” of “humor and the pain…intermixed with a superb simplicity” (Fante 6) by saying “Bandini’s vulgarity and bitterness…come across as simply unnecessary” (Nedic 2). It could be because back in that era of 1973 seeing this social treatment and discrimination to people of color was accepted, but this kind of literature would receive intense backlash from many different critics about the nature of the content today. …show more content…

For the most part, the main storyline was there with the major plot points and key symbols like the hotel room of the Alta Loma and the bar scenes with Arturo, Camilla, and Sammy. Towne has also depicted Camilla smoking marijuana with Arturo being heavily opposed to it, but Towne did not include any scenes of the actual marijuana house that was in the novel. At this point in the book, Camilla’s illness has progressed greatly and sought marijuana and the companions at the house as comfort with Arturo being uncomfortable with the whole situation. If we imagine Arturo in the movie reacting to Camila’s habit at the marijuana house in the book, it is likely that Arturo may not have the will to be with Camilla at this point since he has already lashed out at her from smoking the first time. He mentions that marijuana is the kind of stuff that will “get her deported” (Towne), but the viewers question if it is Arturo projecting his ideals on Camilla as a “Mexican princess” or is it out of actual concern for her deportation. It could be that being “aware of the color line” (Guglielmo and Salerno 8) answers this question for the

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