Author Carlo Collodi’s magical novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio can be viewed as a simple read to most readers, but throughout the novel’s context there are deeper meanings at play. Pinocchio continuously finds himself in the midst of debauchery that was both seldom sweet and encouraging, geared toward becoming a coming-of-age tale. Pinocchio at times seemed to play the more “naïve” role in order to get his way, and wasn’t concerned on doing what was right for others and himself. Although it seemed at first glance that Pinocchio was “innocent” and had to learn the differences from right from wrong, he actually knew from the beginning what’s right, and had to learn which to choose. It might seemed like he was a young boy who needed to be taught the differences of right from wrong, but this paper will argue that he already knows what’s the right choice to make, but chooses to do wrong.
One situation that set the stage for the young marionette choosing to do wrong was during his defiant-altercation with the Talking Cricket. One could argue that during the altercation Pinocchio was a child who lacked the foresight on how to be a “good boy”, since he had no real supervision. However, Pinocchio’s defiant ways was him choosing not to listen to The Talking Cricket’s advice, and continued living a life with zero responsibility. Pinocchio pays no attention to the Talking Crickets advice telling him:
Sing all you want, my dear Cricket; but I know that I’m going away tomorrow at dawn, because if I stay here, what happens to all the other kids will happen to me. I mean to say that they’ll send me to school, and whether I like it or not I’ll have to study; but confidentially, I don’t have the slightest desire to study, and I get more pleasure from chasing butterflies and climbing trees to get baby birds, (Collodi, 109).
Pinocchio clearly acknowledged that he knew children were sent off to school, but showed no desire to get an education. His decision was to choose a life that he wanted for himself: One that showed no concerns for what was expected from him. Pinocchio would rather live a life of pleasure rather than go to school and be like all the other good boys in the town. He knew that going to school and getting an education was the right thing to do, but had to choose to go on the right path, rather than down the wrong one.
Not only did Pinocchio show he knew right from wrong, but he also continually chose wrong, even after The Talking Cricket informed him what would happen to him. The Talking Cricket told Pinocchio, “Woe to those children who disobey their parents and wilfully leave home. They will never come to any good in this world, and sooner or later they’ll be bitterly sorry for it,” (Collodi, 109). The Talking Cricket was trying to inform his young companion that the road he’s leading down would bring nothing but sorrow and disappointment. Pinocchio would rather choose to live against the grain than to choose what was looked as “acceptable” for him to do. He was stuck in his own ways of what he expected out of his life, wanting to roam around without a care in the world for maturity, and chose to disregard any advise given to him.
Pinocchio also showed his bad choice for decision making while traveling to the Field of Miracles to increase his riches. While venturing to the Field of Miracles, the ghost of the Talking Cricket appeared, warning the young puppet the journey he's on would lead him to misfortune. At the end of chapter 13, the Talking Cricket tried to persuade Pinocchio to return to his father telling him, “my boy, don’t trust people who promise to make you rich overnight. Usually they are either madmen or swindlers. Listen to me; go back” (Collodi, 173). Pinocchio is being fully explained the severity on the choices he’s making to continue on to the Field of Miracles, but didn’t care. All he cared about was increasing his riches and choosing to continue forward despite what lied ahead. Pinocchio replied to the Talking Cricket by saying,” Tomorrow my father will be a wealthy man, because these four gold pieces are going to become two thousand” (Collodi, 173). Pinocchio already knew that the four gold pieces were enough for his father because when presented with the gold he was already heading back to his home, until the Fox and the Cat swayed him to go to the Field of Miracles. He understood that going back home was the right choice, but chose to let his greed make his decision for him. He’s only interested in making his riches multiple, and doesn’t see he’s making the wrong decision on not going back home. The Talking Cricket’s advice to his young companion fell upon deaf ears because Pinocchio would rather choose to do what he felt was in the best interest for him, rather than to do what he knew would be right to do. It’s this choice making that continually landed Pinocchio into predicaments that could have been avoided if he’d chosen the right decision.
Pinocchio continually showed knowing what’s the right choice to choose but chose to do wrong, and was reflected when he refused to take medicine when becoming gravely sick. Some excuses Pinocchio chose to make consist of, “It’s too too bitter” and “That cushion there on my feet bothers me,” (Collodi, 203). Pinocchio chose to make excuse after excuse on why he didn’t want to take the medicine because he couldn't stomach the thought of drinking it and would rather die. He realized that the medicine would bring him to full health because the Fairy was explaining to him about the situation, yet he chose to find any and every excuse possible to not drunk the medicine. Pinocchio told the Fairy, “The fact is, I don’t want to drink that awful bitter stuff. I won’t, I won’t, I won’t,” (Collodi, 203). His reply to the Fairy showed that Pinocchio real reason for not taking the medicine was because how the poor taste. He knew that taking the medicine was the right decision to make, but chose to make the wrong decision because the medicine did not seem appealing. Although he tried to play off a childish-like persona, Pinocchio was well-aware that he was able to talk his way out of certain situations by playing his “naïve” role. He understood that by giving excuses on why not to take the medicine, it could potentially get him out of a situation he didn't want to be in. Being a child allowed Pinocchio to be viewed as a “naïve” character, but he used that toward his advantage because he knew that people would look at him as if he didn’t know any better. When Pinocchio was presented with the notion of dying he quickly took the medicine despite the taste, which showed he knew it would make him feel better.
Although Pinocchio, given his youthful status, could be viewed as an innocent character and has to learn right from wrong, from the beginning he knew how to differentiate the two and continued to make the wrong choice. Pinocchio was set in his own ways from the beginning of the story, and wasn’t interested in making to the right decision unless it could benefit him in a particular way. He continually showed “selective innocent” when he didn’t want to do something that did not seem appealing. Pinocchio is a character that knew what was going on around him, and it’s not correct to simply categorize him as an “innocent character”, despite his young age. He’s highly intelligent on talking himself out of certain situation and knew how to use being “naïve” to his advantage. His young age gave the essence of “innocence” and not knowing right from wrong, but through his dialogue he showed he chose what was right for himself. Choosing the decision to fit his wants was Pinocchio’s ultimate goal throughout the book, and he knew what was right from wrong from the start from not listening to the Talking Crickets advice to almost dying because he refused to drink the medicine given to him by the Fairy.
One situation that set the stage for the young marionette choosing to do wrong was during his defiant-altercation with the Talking Cricket. One could argue that during the altercation Pinocchio was a child who lacked the foresight on how to be a “good boy”, since he had no real supervision. However, Pinocchio’s defiant ways was him choosing not to listen to The Talking Cricket’s advice, and continued living a life with zero responsibility. Pinocchio pays no attention to the Talking Crickets advice telling him:
Sing all you want, my dear Cricket; but I know that I’m going away tomorrow at dawn, because if I stay here, what happens to all the other kids will happen to me. I mean to say that they’ll send me to school, and whether I like it or not I’ll have to study; but confidentially, I don’t have the slightest desire to study, and I get more pleasure from chasing butterflies and climbing trees to get baby birds, (Collodi, 109).
Pinocchio clearly acknowledged that he knew children were sent off to school, but showed no desire to get an education. His decision was to choose a life that he wanted for himself: One that showed no concerns for what was expected from him. Pinocchio would rather live a life of pleasure rather than go to school and be like all the other good boys in the town. He knew that going to school and getting an education was the right thing to do, but had to choose to go on the right path, rather than down the wrong one.
Not only did Pinocchio show he knew right from wrong, but he also continually chose wrong, even after The Talking Cricket informed him what would happen to him. The Talking Cricket told Pinocchio, “Woe to those children who disobey their parents and wilfully leave home. They will never come to any good in this world, and sooner or later they’ll be bitterly sorry for it,” (Collodi, 109). The Talking Cricket was trying to inform his young companion that the road he’s leading down would bring nothing but sorrow and disappointment. Pinocchio would rather choose to live against the grain than to choose what was looked as “acceptable” for him to do. He was stuck in his own ways of what he expected out of his life, wanting to roam around without a care in the world for maturity, and chose to disregard any advise given to him.
Pinocchio also showed his bad choice for decision making while traveling to the Field of Miracles to increase his riches. While venturing to the Field of Miracles, the ghost of the Talking Cricket appeared, warning the young puppet the journey he's on would lead him to misfortune. At the end of chapter 13, the Talking Cricket tried to persuade Pinocchio to return to his father telling him, “my boy, don’t trust people who promise to make you rich overnight. Usually they are either madmen or swindlers. Listen to me; go back” (Collodi, 173). Pinocchio is being fully explained the severity on the choices he’s making to continue on to the Field of Miracles, but didn’t care. All he cared about was increasing his riches and choosing to continue forward despite what lied ahead. Pinocchio replied to the Talking Cricket by saying,” Tomorrow my father will be a wealthy man, because these four gold pieces are going to become two thousand” (Collodi, 173). Pinocchio already knew that the four gold pieces were enough for his father because when presented with the gold he was already heading back to his home, until the Fox and the Cat swayed him to go to the Field of Miracles. He understood that going back home was the right choice, but chose to let his greed make his decision for him. He’s only interested in making his riches multiple, and doesn’t see he’s making the wrong decision on not going back home. The Talking Cricket’s advice to his young companion fell upon deaf ears because Pinocchio would rather choose to do what he felt was in the best interest for him, rather than to do what he knew would be right to do. It’s this choice making that continually landed Pinocchio into predicaments that could have been avoided if he’d chosen the right decision.
Pinocchio continually showed knowing what’s the right choice to choose but chose to do wrong, and was reflected when he refused to take medicine when becoming gravely sick. Some excuses Pinocchio chose to make consist of, “It’s too too bitter” and “That cushion there on my feet bothers me,” (Collodi, 203). Pinocchio chose to make excuse after excuse on why he didn’t want to take the medicine because he couldn't stomach the thought of drinking it and would rather die. He realized that the medicine would bring him to full health because the Fairy was explaining to him about the situation, yet he chose to find any and every excuse possible to not drunk the medicine. Pinocchio told the Fairy, “The fact is, I don’t want to drink that awful bitter stuff. I won’t, I won’t, I won’t,” (Collodi, 203). His reply to the Fairy showed that Pinocchio real reason for not taking the medicine was because how the poor taste. He knew that taking the medicine was the right decision to make, but chose to make the wrong decision because the medicine did not seem appealing. Although he tried to play off a childish-like persona, Pinocchio was well-aware that he was able to talk his way out of certain situations by playing his “naïve” role. He understood that by giving excuses on why not to take the medicine, it could potentially get him out of a situation he didn't want to be in. Being a child allowed Pinocchio to be viewed as a “naïve” character, but he used that toward his advantage because he knew that people would look at him as if he didn’t know any better. When Pinocchio was presented with the notion of dying he quickly took the medicine despite the taste, which showed he knew it would make him feel better.
Although Pinocchio, given his youthful status, could be viewed as an innocent character and has to learn right from wrong, from the beginning he knew how to differentiate the two and continued to make the wrong choice. Pinocchio was set in his own ways from the beginning of the story, and wasn’t interested in making to the right decision unless it could benefit him in a particular way. He continually showed “selective innocent” when he didn’t want to do something that did not seem appealing. Pinocchio is a character that knew what was going on around him, and it’s not correct to simply categorize him as an “innocent character”, despite his young age. He’s highly intelligent on talking himself out of certain situation and knew how to use being “naïve” to his advantage. His young age gave the essence of “innocence” and not knowing right from wrong, but through his dialogue he showed he chose what was right for himself. Choosing the decision to fit his wants was Pinocchio’s ultimate goal throughout the book, and he knew what was right from wrong from the start from not listening to the Talking Crickets advice to almost dying because he refused to drink the medicine given to him by the Fairy.