Post War Rome

The entirety of Forbidden Notebook is set in Rome, Italy following the Second World War. Within the Italian capitol, the adult generation clings to bourgeois ideals of propriety and morality that they were taught while the youth culture interrogates these same ideals. Michele rebukes his son for being soft and not wanting to fight for his country when another war is discussed in the media. Similarly, Valeria rebukes her daughter for acting shamefully when she is sleeping with Cantoni. The struggle between tradition and progresses within the larger culture mirrors Valeria’s internal struggle to explore her autonomy when she was taught to be submissive.

The House

The Cossati family lives in a modest apartment in Rome. At the outset of the novel, Valeria rushes home from work to complete her domestic duties. However, as she writes more and begins questioning her family’s attitude toward...