LEONARDO SCIASCIA AND THE UNPRONUNCEABLE TRUTH

Abstract

This study investigates the considerations from the Sicilian author Leonardo Sciascia regarding omertà, the “law of silence.” From its inception, the practice has been linked to the modus operandi of malavita in meridional Italy, although it is also considered a cultural standard in Sicilian society. We found criticism to omertà both on the author’s essays and in some of his novels, such as Il giorno della civetta (1961), A ciascuno il suo (1967) e Il contesto (1971). These criticism, which is presented latently in the literary texts , may indicate that this social convention was a relevant concern to Sciascia, despite rarely being addressed in studies about his work. The subtle focus on his oeuvre on this silence involving the mafia appears to have been diverted away. It is believed to be due to the intellectual being regarded as the first to narrate mafia in literature in a non-folkloric way, and the absence of any mention to the word omertà in his novels. To Sciascia, the practice of omertà, in addition to serving as a means to ensure that the mafia will enjoy impunity, also places Sicilians as mafia defenders, which is an uncomfortable position. Thus, we consider the silence about mafia (as opposed to the silence of mafia) to be the writer’s most significant accusation of Sicilian society.