Resumo de The Almond Picker - Simonetta Agnello Hornby

This is story of Mennulara, the almond picker otherwise known as Maria Rosalia Inzerillo, born in unfortunate circumstances. Her father died when she was young and with an ill mother and sister, she started to be the breadwinner at eight. She has become an almond picker until she was thirteen. That was when the son of Mafia Don

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vanni Ancona raped her. Her mother encouraged her to keep quiet about it because the Don was kind to their father when he was still alive and not quite well. After the incident she was brought into the house of Alfallife to be a maid. Dona Lilla, the matriarch of the family liked her and even had her taught how to read but she could not write although she was intelligent. Oratio alfallife, the son noticed her and they became lovers. She taught her how to read books and Greek pottery. Dona Lilla condoned it in the sense that it is better for the son to have a clean whore in the house than get venereal disease from a prostitute. People in the Alfallife household never knew about this until after Mennus death. She became pregnant and Dona Lilla gave her fifty gold coins to have it aborted. Meanwhile, the matriarch gave her more powers to supervise the running of the estate as the son showed no interest in it except spend money. she has encountered resentment from most of the workers but she was known to be generous and able to give money when needed although they are wondering where all the money is coming from. She has become efficient in running the estate and keeping it from being bankrupt. After Oratio died she was still running it too and decided to retire to her flat a month after. she died not long after. All the mystery unravelled with all sorts of gossips and innuendos. The family doctor confided unto the family priest the Mennu must have poisoned Oratio with herbs to stop his suffering. She killed herself too after learning she had cancer refused treatment by eating too many bitter almonds. Meanwhile the Alfallifes were bickering over Mennus wil if there was any and looking everywhere for it. They want to know where all the money she is giving as allowance is coming from. signora Adriana, Oratio;s wife actually went to live in her flat when she quit her job because she does not like to live alone at the Alfallife house. The Alfallife childre were anxious for money especially Carmela and her troublesome husband because they are in debt. They thought Mennu must have stolen from their estate. What actually happened was she encountered the don's men asking for handouts and she told them she will see the Don personally one day. She came to retrieve a debt of honour from the don for the rape. She asked the Don to invest her fifty gold coins. The Don in turn asked his son to add more money to atone for his sins. The other two wishes are for the Alfallifes to place an obituary notice in the papers to honour her and if anyone tries to speak ill of her, the Don makes sure something bad happens to them. In a way all she was doing was redeeming herself from all the indignities, suffering and insult the Alfallife family have done to her and for all the sacrifices and service she has done for them. Gianni the only son learned about her relationship with the father later.

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