Essay Writing (Il treno dei bambini) Notes | Leaving Cert Italian

Prescribed literary texts for Leaving Certificate Italian are set by Department circular and change periodically, so confirm with your teacher that Viola Ardone's 'Il treno dei bambini' is on the active list for your examination year. The literary question forms part of the Higher Level reading comprehension section and must be answered entirely in Italian. Achieving high marks requires addressing the prompt with distinct, evidence-backed points, writing in the historic present, and using accurate grammar rather than writing an unselected plot summary.

The Exam Paper: Format, Marks, and Timing

The prescribed literary essay sits inside the reading comprehension section of the Higher Level written paper, usually appearing as Section B, Question 3 (split into Option A and Option B by text). Reading comprehension accounts for 30% of your total Higher Level marks, so this question carries substantial weight.

Three Rules of the Exam Paper

It is an optional question: You answer on the text you have studied in class, and an unseen alternative option is usually available. Read every option in Section B before choosing.
You must write in Italian: Every point, link, and textual reference must be expressed in accurate Italian. Marks are divided between the transmission of meaning (content) and linguistic quality (grammar and vocabulary).
Follow the length instructions: If a word count is specified on the paper, adhere to it. A dependable working target is roughly 150 to 200 words in total: an introduction of 25 to 30 words, three body paragraphs of 40 to 50 words each, and a short conclusion of 20 to 25 words. The three body paragraphs carry the bulk of your content marks, so keep the opening and closing frames concise.

Most literary prompts specify the required number of points, commonly asking for at least three points or instructing you to give three reasons. If no number is printed, providing three well-developed points remains the safest exam standard.

The Five Core Question Types and Planning

The State Examinations Commission recycles a small set of question structures for prescribed texts. Whatever the phrasing, your goal is to present three distinct points, each tied to a concrete scene from the book.

The Five Question Shapes

Character qualities: Amerigo è un bambino osservatore e sensibile. Discutete.

Show three distinct facets of character supported by three different moments in the story.

Change and development: Come cambia il rapporto tra Amerigo e la madre nel corso del romanzo?

Structure your paragraphs chronologically: beginning (All'inizio del romanzo...), middle (In seguito...), and end (Soltanto alla fine...).

Reasons or motives: Spiegate i motivi della scelta di Antonietta. Date tre ragioni.

Present one reason per paragraph and signpost each clearly: In primo luogo... In secondo luogo... Infine...

Discussing a statement: «La scelta di Antonietta è un gesto di profondo amore, non un atto di abbandono». Discutete.

State your position immediately, present three supporting arguments with textual evidence, and include a measured concession (Sebbene sia vero che...).

Themes and symbols: Il significato del violino. / Il tema della povertà.

Define the theme in your opening sentence, then track its significance across three distinct episodes.

The Two-Minute Planning Routine

Before writing your essay in Italian, sketch a three-line outline on your rough work page:

Step 1: Underline the command words and note the required number of points.
Step 2: Jot down three thematic Italian keywords (for example: povertà – sradicamento – riconciliazione).
Step 3: Write one concrete episode next to each keyword (for example: la partenza alla stazione – la vendita del violino – gli articoli sui suoi concerti conservati da Antonietta).

Having three named episodes jotted down before drafting prevents your argument from drifting into a vague, chronological retelling of the plot.

Tense Consistency: Il Presente Storico

Italian literary analysis is written in the presente storico (historic present). You must discuss the events of the novel as though they are unfolding right now. Drifting unpredictably between the present, the perfect, and the imperfect within the same paragraph is a frequent grammatical error.

Correct: Amerigo parte da Napoli, arriva in Emilia e scopre una nuova realtà.
Incorrect: Amerigo è partito da Napoli, arrivava in Emilia e scopre una nuova realtà.

Two Permitted Exceptions

Prior actions: When describing an event that took place before the primary moment under discussion, use the passato prossimo or trapassato prossimo: Amerigo si sente tradito perché la madre ha venduto il violino.
Historical background: When establishing the post-war conditions of 1946, the imperfetto is natural: Nel dopoguerra molte famiglie a Napoli vivevano in condizioni di estrema povertà.

Textual Evidence: Phrases, Episodes, and Quotations

Marking schemes demand riferimenti precisi al testo (precise textual references). You do not need to memorise lengthy quotations. A clear reference to a specific event written in your own Italian receives full credit and eliminates the risk of misquoting.

Formulae for Introducing Textual Evidence

Lo si vede chiaramente quando... (This is clearly seen when...)
Basti pensare all'episodio in cui... (One need only think of the episode in which...)
Un momento decisivo è quello in cui... (A decisive moment is the one in which...)
Come emerge chiaramente dal testo... (As clearly emerges from the text...)
L'autrice mette in evidenza questo aspetto attraverso... (The author highlights this aspect through...)

Core Episodes to Reference by Name

La miseria nei vicoli di Napoli (The severe poverty in the Neapolitan alleys)
La partenza dalla stazione di Napoli (The departure from the station in Naples)
Il viaggio sui «treni della felicità» (The train journey north)
L'accoglienza di Derna a Modena (Derna's welcoming of Amerigo in Modena)
Il dono del violino da parte di Alcide (The gift of the violin from Alcide)
Il ritorno a Napoli e il senso di estraneità (The return to Naples and the feeling of alienation)
La vendita del violino per necessità (The sale of the violin out of economic necessity)
La fuga di Amerigo verso il Nord (Amerigo running away to the North)
Il ritorno per il funerale di Antonietta (Amerigo's return as an adult for Antonietta's funeral)

Quotations Worth Learning

Check each quotation against your own copy of the novel before committing it to memory. A misattributed or misremembered quotation weakens an answer. If you are uncertain of the exact words, explain the episode in your own Italian instead.

«A volte ti ama di più chi ti lascia andare.» (Sometimes the one who lets you go loves you more — spoken by the activist Maddalena, explaining the maternal sacrifice behind the trains).
«La fame non è una colpa, ma un'ingiustizia.» (Hunger is not a fault, but an injustice — addressing the socio-economic backdrop of post-war Italy).
«Non mi è mai piaciuta l'alba.» (I have never liked the dawn — reflective opening voice of adult Amerigo, setting a tone of unease and disruption).
«L'amore ha tante facce.» (Love has many faces — highlighting that maternal affection can express itself through tough decisions as well as warmth).

The Symbolic Value of the Violin (Il violino)

The violin represents three distinct ideas across the narrative arc:

Opportunity and artistic growth: In Emilia, the instrument unlocks Amerigo's musical talent, symbolising access to education and culture unavailable in post-war Naples.
The emotional fracture: When Antonietta sells the violin to pay for basic necessities, Amerigo interprets the act as a personal betrayal, prompting his flight north.
Posthumous understanding: In the closing section, adult Amerigo learns that his mother kept the newspaper articles about his concerts (gli articoli sui suoi concerti conservati da Antonietta), turning the memory of the instrument into an emblem of mutual love and reconciliation (confirm this specific detail in your own copy of the novel).

Avoiding Pure Plot: Analytical Balance

Content marks reward relevant points that directly answer the prompt. Pure, unselected narrative summary (la trama) scores poorly because it fails to link story events to the question asked. However, writing abstract commentary without anchoring it in specific scenes will also cost you marks. The ideal response balances analytical assertion with concrete textual evidence.

Weak (Mere Plot Summary)	Weak (Abstract, No Evidence)	Strong (Analytical Assertion + Evidence)
Antonietta mette Amerigo sul treno e lui va a Modena.	Il romanzo è molto profondo e fa riflettere sulla vita e sui sentimenti umani.	La scelta di Antonietta non costituisce un atto di abbandono, bensì un doloroso sacrificio materno per garantire la sopravvivenza del figlio, come dimostra l'episodio della partenza alla stazione.
Amerigo riceve un violino da Alcide e poi la madre lo vende a Napoli.	I simboli nel romanzo sono usati dall'autrice per spiegare la psicologia dei personaggi.	Il violino rappresenta l'emancipazione artistica di Amerigo; pertanto, la sua vendita da parte della madre sancisce una dolorosa frattura psicologica tra i due.

Essential Literary Grammar

To achieve marks in the highest bracket for linguistic quality, your Italian must demonstrate accurate syntax and varied sentence structures.

1. The Subjunctive (Il congiuntivo)

Verbs of opinion (ritenere, credere, pensare), hope (sperare), and emotion (temere, dispiacersi) followed by che require il congiuntivo in the subordinate clause when the subjects of the two clauses are different:

Ritengo che Antonietta non abbia altra scelta. (I believe Antonietta has no other choice.)
When the subjects are identical, Italian uses di + infinitive instead (Amerigo spera di trovare la propria strada).

By contrast, concessive conjunctions such as sebbene and benché always require the subjunctive, even when both clauses share the same subject:

Sebbene Amerigo provi rancore, da adulto comprende sua madre. (Although Amerigo feels resentment, as an adult he understands his mother.)

Two Critical Grammatical Traps

The same-subject rule with verbs introducing che (di + infinito): For verbs of opinion, hope, and emotion followed by che, do not use the subjunctive when the subject of the main clause and subordinate clause is identical. Use di + infinitive:
Correct: Amerigo spera di trovare la propria strada. (Amerigo hopes to find his own way.)
Incorrect: Amerigo spera che lui trovi la propria strada.
Expressions of certainty take the indicative: Affirmative expressions of fact or certainty (è chiaro che, è evidente che, è ovvio che, sappiamo che) are followed by the indicativo, not the subjunctive:
Correct: È evidente che Antonietta soffre per la separazione. (It is evident that Antonietta suffers from the separation.)
Incorrect: È evidente che Antonietta soffra...

2. Sequence of Tenses (La concordanza dei tempi)

Align subordinate verbs according to the syllabus sequence of tenses:

Main Clause Verb	Subordinate Verb	Example Sentence	English Translation
Present Indicative	Present Subjunctive	Temo che Amerigo non capisca il gesto materno.	I fear Amerigo does not understand his mother's gesture.
Present Indicative	Past Subjunctive	Credo che Antonietta abbia fatto una scelta dolorosa.	I believe Antonietta made a painful choice.
Imperfect Indicative	Imperfect Subjunctive	Amerigo temeva che Derna lo rimandasse a Napoli.	Amerigo feared that Derna would send him back to Naples.
Imperfect Indicative	Pluperfect Subjunctive	Amerigo riteneva che la madre lo avesse tradito.	Amerigo believed that his mother had betrayed him.

3. The Unreal Hypothetical (Il periodo ipotetico dell'irrealtà)

Use this advanced construction to evaluate alternative choices made by characters:

Se Antonietta non avesse fatto salire il figlio sul treno, Amerigo non avrebbe mai scoperto la sua passione per la musica. (If Antonietta had not put her son on the train, Amerigo would never have discovered his passion for music.)

4. Past Participle Agreement with Essere

When constructing subordinate clauses with dopo essere + past infinitive, ensure the past participle agrees with the subject of the main clause in gender and number:

Dopo essere tornato a Napoli, Amerigo si sente estraneo. (Tornato is masculine singular, agreeing with Amerigo.)
Dopo essere rimasta sola, Antonietta affronta enormi difficoltà. (Rimasta is feminine singular, agreeing with Antonietta.)

Vocabulary and Discourse Connectors

Incorporate precise literary terminology and varied linking words into your writing to present a coherent, fluent argument.

Parole utili per l'analisi letteraria

Sostantivi: il protagonista (main character), il personaggio (character), la vicenda (the events/story), l'ambientazione (setting), la voce narrante (narrative voice), il rapporto (relationship), il comportamento (behaviour), il distacco (separation), il riscatto (redemption), la miseria (extreme poverty), il divario Nord-Sud (North-South divide), lo sradicamento (cultural dislocation).
Verbi: si svolge (takes place), è ambientato (is set), simboleggia (symbolises), rappresenta (represents), mette in evidenza (highlights), sottolinea (underlines), dimostra (demonstrates), si rende conto di (realises), matura (matures), si sviluppa (develops).
Aggettivi per il tono: malinconico (melancholy), commovente (moving), amaro (bitter), tenero (tender), realistico (realistic).

Discourse Connectors Grouped by Function

Ordering points: In primo luogo (firstly), In secondo luogo (secondly), Inoltre (furthermore), Infine (finally).
Expressing viewpoints: A mio parere / A parere mio (in my view), Dal mio punto di vista (from my point of view).
Contrast and concession: Tuttavia (however), Ciononostante (nonetheless), Invece (instead / on the other hand), Da una parte... d'altra parte... (on the one hand... on the other hand...), Sebbene sia vero che... (although it is true that...).
Logical result and cause: Di conseguenza (consequently), Pertanto (therefore), Dunque (so / thus), Ne consegue che (it follows that).
Concluding: In conclusione (in conclusion), In definitiva (ultimately), Per concludere (to conclude).

Cultural Context, Comparisons, and the Oral Exam

Understanding the background of the novel equips you with material useful across multiple parts of the Leaving Certificate examination.

Why Historical Context Matters in the Essay

The treni della felicità were an organised, collective solidarity initiative led by the PCI (Italian Communist Party) and the UDI (Unione Donne Italiane) in 1946 to save children from famine and disease in war-ravaged southern cities. Highlighting this context shows the examiner that Antonietta's decision was not an isolated act of eccentricity, but part of a structured social movement born of post-war hardship.

Connecting Themes to Ireland

If an exam prompt invites a broader reflection or comparison with Ireland, use balanced comparative phrasing:

Anche l'Irlanda ha conosciuto la povertà e l'emigrazione: molte famiglie irlandesi hanno dovuto separarsi per motivi economici, proprio come quelle napoletane del dopoguerra. (Ireland too has known poverty and emigration: many Irish families had to separate for economic reasons, just like Neapolitan families after the war.)
Il romanzo affronta temi universali che vanno oltre le frontiere, come il divario tra ricchezza e povertà, il sacrificio genitoriale e il diritto all'istruzione. (The novel tackles universal themes that cross borders, such as the divide between wealth and poverty, parental sacrifice, and the right to education.)

Bonus: The Novel in the Oral Exam

In the fifteen-minute Leaving Certificate oral examination (which represents 25% of your Higher Level grade), you may choose to discuss a literary work during the general conversation. Prepare concise, spoken answers to common questions:

Di che cosa parla il libro? — Parla di un bambino napoletano, Amerigo, che nel 1946 sale sui «treni della felicità» verso il Nord per sfuggire alla miseria. (It is about a Neapolitan boy, Amerigo, who boards the solidarity trains in 1946 to escape destitution.)
Ti è piaciuto? Perché? — Mi è piaciuto molto perché fa riflettere sul significato del sacrificio materno e sul dolore del distacco. (I liked it very much because it makes you reflect on the meaning of maternal sacrifice and the pain of separation.)
Qual è il personaggio che preferisci? — Preferisco Amerigo, perché la sua voce narrante è sincera e osserva la realtà con gli occhi di un bambino. (I prefer Amerigo because his narrative voice is honest and observes reality through a child's eyes.)

End-of-Answer One-Minute Checklist

Before handing in your paper, run this rapid five-point inspection across your written response:

Are three points visible? Ensure your essay contains three distinct body paragraphs, each introducing a fresh point rather than rephrasing the same thought.
Is each point anchored in an episode? Verify that every body paragraph explicitly names a scene from the novel (la partenza, la vita a Modena, la vendita del violino).
Is the tense consistent? Check that your commentary remains in the historic present (il presente storico) without unintentional slips into past tenses.
Are the subjunctives accurate? Check subordinate clauses after verbs of opinion or concession, and verify that expressions of certainty (è evidente che) use the indicative.
Is the conclusion clean? Ensure your conclusion synthesises your argument without introducing any new plot details.

Key terms

Il romanzo di formazione: A coming-of-age novel tracing the moral, intellectual, and psychological development of a protagonist from childhood into adulthood.
I treni della felicità: The post-WWII solidarity initiative (1946) organised to relocate impoverished southern Italian children temporarily to host families in northern and central regions.
Lo sradicamento: Cultural dislocation or uprootedness; the emotional displacement experienced by an individual removed from their community of origin.
Il divario Nord-Sud: The socio-economic disparity between the industrialised North and the historically disadvantaged South of Italy.
La voce narrante: The narrative voice; in this novel, Amerigo's first-person perspective that matures from childlike observation to adult reflection.
Il presente storico: The historic present tense used standardly in Italian literary commentary to discuss narrative events as active realities.
Riferimenti precisi al testo: Precise references to the text; concrete episodes, scenes, or actions from the novel required by the marking scheme to support assertions.
Il sacrificio materno: Maternal sacrifice; the central theme wherein Antonietta accepts separation from her child to ensure his nutrition, education, and future.

Check yourself

Where does the prescribed literary essay question appear on the Leaving Certificate Higher Level paper, and what proportion of the marks does its wider section carry?
It appears as an option in Section B (Reading Comprehension) of the written paper, and the reading comprehension section accounts for 30% of total Higher Level marks.
Which tense is standardly used for writing literary commentary in Italian?
The historic present (il presente storico).
Correct this sentence: 'È evidente che Amerigo provi un grande dolore quando scopre la vendita del violino.'
'È evidente che Amerigo prova un grande dolore...' Impersonal expressions of certainty govern the indicative mood (prova), not the subjunctive (provi).
Correct this sentence: 'Amerigo spera che lui impari a suonare bene lo strumento.'
'Amerigo spera di imparare a suonare bene lo strumento.' When the subject of both clauses is identical, use 'di + infinitive' rather than 'che + subjunctive'.
What three chronological connectors should you use to signpost a character-development question across three body paragraphs?
'All'inizio del romanzo...', 'In seguito...', and 'Soltanto alla fine...'.
You are answering an essay that asks for 'at least three reasons'. You have written two detailed paragraphs but are running out of exam time. What should you do?
Write a concise third paragraph introducing a distinct third reason linked to a specific episode, because meeting the required number of distinct points is vital for full content marks.

Essay Writing (Il treno dei bambini)