Heart by Edmondo De Amicis Book Summary and Information

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What is the book Heart by Edmondo De Amicis about? The summary, analysis and information about the book “Heart” by Edmondo De Amicis.

heart

Heart

Heart is the masterpiece of Edmondo de Amicis, one of the greatest writers and educators Italy has produced. Translated into all languages of the world and published hundreds of times in each language, this work is considered by educators as the most useful children’s book in the world. The work was published in 1886.

Heart, the school and community life of a student named Enrico is described in a warm and sincere language unique to children. Based on Enrico’s diaries, the work emphasizes the importance of virtues such as self-sacrifice, cooperation, honesty, kindness and patriotism.

In this delightful and thought-provoking novel, De Amicis aimed to help children become virtuous individuals and good citizens for their families and society. Heart, which has been adapted into countless films, radio plays and plays, is a good friend for children to learn all aspects of life with Enrico, and a golden guide for parents and teachers.

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The work is the diary of a boy named Enrico, who is studying the 3rd grade in a neighborhood school in Italy. Enrico, who has a new class and a new teacher, starts to keep a diary and writes about his memories and experiences at school throughout the year.

Enrico observes that each child in the class has a different story, some have very rich families, while others have very poor families. As Enrico writes down his observations in his notebook, he realizes that he is learning not only about school and school people, but also about life.

Summary

Enrico has moved from second to third grade. It is the first day of school. Enrico is very sad because he has to leave his second grade teacher. Enrico misses his old teacher and is constantly saddened by the memory of his old teacher and her smiling face. When he meets his new teacher, his sadness seems to lessen. Although his new teacher does not smile often and is even sullen, he sweetly warns his misbehaving students and does not yell or get angry at anyone. He turns out to be a very kind-hearted man, and all his students come to like him very much.

In Enrico’s new class there are rich, poor, polite, rude, shy, extroverted, introverted, sociable, all kinds of students. Enrico observes his classmates and writes down his impressions of them and the events he witnesses in his diary. Nely is a weak and very weak child. Votin and Franti treat him badly, but the kind-hearted Garrone looks after him.

On the first day, the school principal shows up with a boy. The new student is from Calabria, a different province in Italy. The headmaster advises them not to ostracize the new student because he is not from the same region as them, but to be friends with him too. No one in the class treats him badly and everyone even gives the Calabrian small gifts. Enrico is very happy.

One day, on his way to school, a boy named Robetti sees a child fall down on the horse-drawn tram, and while saving the child, his own foot is trapped under the tram. Seeing this, Enrico admired Robetti’s behavior and felt very sorry for him.

Enrico’s favorite classmate is Garrone. Garrone is a big boy who started school two years late. He always protects Nelli, who is ostracized by the others in the class because she is poor, and other children who need help, and prevents them from being made fun of. For this reason, Enrico feels a love mixed with admiration for him.

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Enrico’s father advises Enrico to invite a few friends over every month or spend time with his friends at their house. The kind-hearted Enrico loves to invite his favorite classmates, whom he knows are not well off, to his house. One day he invites Stardi, the most magnanimous volunteer in their class, to his home with a few of his friends. Stardi’s father is an alcoholic and useless man. He doesn’t get a job and doesn’t work, and beats Stardi when he drinks. In class, everyone makes fun of her for being beaten by her father. Despite the scars on his face, Stardi refuses to let his father get a word in edgewise, claiming that what happened was an accident. When Stardi works hard and comes second in the class after Derossi, his teacher praises Stardi to his drunken father, who is so touched that he decides to become a decent man.

When Stardi goes to Enrico’s house, he admires Enrico’s toy locomotive. His father had never bought him such a beautiful toy before. Enrico decides to give the toy as a gift to his friend, who he sees loves the locomotive very much. Stardi is very happy.

One day, Enrico is delivering laundry to a poor woman with his mother and sister when he opens the door and sees the woman and his classmate inside. When Enrico becomes interested in the life of this child, he realizes that Crossi has no father and is trying to study in a dark room despite all the difficulties, and he feels very sad. He cannot understand how Crossi can study in such a state while Votini and Franti are lazy, mischievous and self-righteous. He realizes that Votini, in particular, has been treated with undeserved respect and affection, and that he has been given many opportunities but has abused them all.

Enrico’s mother helped Crossi and his family with money, which Enrico liked very much. Enrico also makes predictions about what his friends might become in the future by looking at their behavior.

Enrico has proved time and time again that he is a good-hearted boy. His parents also love him very much and write him letters from time to time to warn him when they see him misbehaving. Enrico takes firm steps towards becoming a child who can be an example for all children. Towards the end of the book, Enrico disrespects his mother. His mother and father, who are upset about this incident, give advice to Enrico.

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