Question

Do you think the boys looked after Lucia willingly? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer 1

Undoubtedly the boys, Nicola and Jacopo, looked after Lucia willingly. We see them working very hard day and night. They were always willing to work. Whatever job came their way, they picked it up without hesitation. They sold strawberries, they shined shoes, they hawked newspapers, they acted as guides and they earned sufficient money. But we never see them spending that money on their personal pleasures. They spent only a meagre sum on black bread and figs. Even the writer made a guess that they must be saving money for migrating to America to have a better life. But no, later on, we come to know that they spent a major portion of their money on medical treatment of their sister, Lucia who was suffering from tuberculosis of the spine. The entire picture of the hospital and the information given by the nurse reveal the truth that they looked after their sister willingly. They paid hospital dues regularly without being a defaulter. They visited their sister at Poleta every Sunday. They covered the distance of 30 kilometres from Verona to Poleta on hired bicycles. They did not do all this under any compulsion or obligation. They loved their sister and cared for her. This emotional bond of love and mutual trust furnished them with a spirit of sacrifice and dedication to their noble cause. Thus, they looked after Lucia willingly.