Power in Eyes Shut

            In Tozzi’s novel, Eyes Shut, the protagonist, Pietro, is constantly dominated by his father and forced to submit to his whims and accept his insults. In a constant state of submission, Pietro is unable to form his own identity or acquire confidence. He desires self-assurance, and, observing his father’s success as a commanding figure, he perceives power to be the enabler of self-esteem. This perception causes him to strive to obtain his own authority. Even in regards to his mother, “Pietro always avoid(s) showing her he love(s) her in case he be(comes) too submissive” (50). Influenced by this insecurity and thirst for power, Pietro repeatedly injures and spites Ghisola, a young woman for whom Pietro develops an attraction. His affinity for Ghisola, which eventually develops into love, gives Ghisola control over Pietro. He resents this, hurting her to give him a sense of male superiority. Ghisola inspires confusing urges in Pietro, and “it was to her Pietro owe(s) his first strings of delicacy. He admire(s) a flower he’(s) picked for her on impulse but not daring to give it to her thr(ows) it away, still mistrustful of himself and feeling diminished in his own eyes” (24-25). His interest in her makes him doubt himself, and he becomes insignificant in her eyes and his own eyes. This makes him feel subservient, and his jealousy spurs his hurtful actions. In one instance, “(Ghisola) turn(s) her back on him . . . he open(s) a penknife he had in his pocket and stab(s) her in the thigh” (27). He feels inferior to her because she ignored him, and he is prompted to physically wound her to show his strength. On another occasion, “her silence baffled and embarrassed him, nothing would have enabled him to speak first. So he gave her a slight push” (38). Unsure of himself and without the courage to initiate conversation, he shows his dominance by pushing her to mask the subsidiarity he feels.  His love for Ghisola leaves him speechless, uncertain, and subordinate. After his father’s relentless ascendency over him, Pietro strives to find self-worth in gaining his own power. When Ghisola becomes the dominant figure in their relationship, Pietro responds with violence.