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Essay / Exploring character development through music in La Strada
She plays Il Matto in front of the nuns, before she and Zampanò fall asleep, and after Zampanò leaves her. By playing the song diegetically through her trumpet, Fellini indicates to the audience that she has learned what Le Fou told her. The diegetic aspect of the sound underlines this message because it shows how the song has become a part of her and forces the other characters to interact with her and savor her beauty. The only character who doesn't appreciate this is Zampanò. By not responding to Il Matto, or by responding negatively, Zampanò establishes himself as another incomplete character. His general ambivalence towards the song makes him another character who misjudges his values in society because he overestimates his importance in society. Although he is too confident that his life has meaning, he does not understand the importance of others, their feelings, nor does he know how to empathize with people, and instead he focuses on his singular objective of performing for