Having Italian parents who immigrated to Canada, Nino Ricci was born on August 23, 1959 and raised in Leamington, Ontario. Nino Ricci studied at York University, Concordia University in Montreal and the University of Florence in Italy. He has also been cited as being "a former president of PEN Canada, a writers' human rights organization that works for freedom of expression." He won an award for English-language fiction and wrote many novels such as “The Lives of the Saints,” “In a Glass House,” “Where She Went,” and “The Origin of Species.” Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Overall, “The Lives of the Saints” by Nino Ricci is about a mother and her son and their lives in Valle de Sole, Italy. Set in the 1960s, it was a very closed village, very religious and traditional. The novel begins with Vittorio and his mother currently living with their grandfather. Vittorio's father, Mario, moved to Canada years ago to earn money and support his family. One day, Vittorio sees his mother doing something strange with a blue-eyed man in the barn. For the reader, we understand that Cristina cheated on her husband with the man with blue eyes. During her so-called "meeting", she is bitten by a snake. The village learns that Cristina is having an affair and was bitten by a snake symbolizing evil. Additionally, the villagers try to convince Cristina to confess in church and/or sacrifice a chicken. As the villager believes that a curse has been placed on her, the villagers also try to prevent them from being cursed. Later in the novel, everyone learns that Cristina is pregnant with this blue-eyed man's child. Throughout the village, rumors circulate about Cristina and her entire family. Furthermore, throughout this story Vittorio has seen and heard everything, he is known to readers as a very observant child. Through the text, it mainly focuses on Cristina and her self-confidence but also on her struggle with her society. Cristina finally has a way to leave Valle de Sole and start a new and better life. However, throughout the journey to Canada, Cristina gives birth to his baby but leads to his downfall... his death. The man with blue eyes and his husband Mario come to see Cristina and Vittorio. Finally, it is revealed to the reader that Cristina was not going to see her husband but to find the man with blue eyes. There are different ways in which a society can influence change in an individual. These influences are different depending on the country, culture, etc. Social pressure is one of the most powerful effects because it obeys certain rules. So if you want to fit in, you have to follow these rules. The pressure from society ultimately leads to fear of being judged or feeling insecure about oneself and having to meet certain expectations. The novel "The Lives of the Saints" by author Nino Ricci presents the connection between the text and the reader by showing the impact of society on an individual through the use of the theme of the destructive power of superstition, comparison between the characters and the development of the characters' confidence throughout. the novel. The text suggests that societal influence can ultimately change an individual's perspective in order to meet their societal expectations. In the village of Valle de Sole, religion and tradition play an important role, especially because this village is located on the top of an isolated mountain. from the rest of society. The snake superstition plays the main role in.