What is the importance of intellect in the novel, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay?

Intellect is the means by which Ferrante's characters have power over others. This has been true in all of her novels: the uneducated characters have very little power. Gigliola and Ada are examples of this; both young women married strong, boorish men to have some means of living, and both of them get bullied and are unhappy. Elena feels as if she has an edge over Nino Sarratore's wife, Eleanora, because she is uneducated and ignorant.