Pinocchio. Philosophical Analysis

A multifaceted analysis of the classical plot by a leading European philosopher, complemented by canonical illustrations. The famous work of Carlo Collodi has undergone various interpretations: from Masonic and esoteric to theological and philosophical. For under the liveliness of the language and the cheerful plot, one can discover a wealth, complexity, and multiplicity of meanings. Giorgio Agamben turns his sharp philosophical gaze to the story of the famous puppet and offers his own subtle interpretation. “As in the Eleusinian mysteries, the essence in the story of Pinocchio is not to convey to the reader something secretive, which is forbidden to tell outsiders. The wooden little man undergoes this rite by experiencing a series of events <…> like Apuleius' Lucius, he undergoes an initiation, and he is initiated, first of all, into his own life.”