Notes on The Long Crossing (Pages 12–17)
Setting and Context
Location and mood: dark and compact night, heavy breathing of the world, sound of the sea; pebble beach between Gela and Licata, at sunset, departure at dawn. The air is dense, almost like a breathing beast.
Page 12 describes a seemingly desired night, a long crossing initiated from internal Sicilian villages, far from the sea, now forced into the nocturnal journey towards America.
Objective of the crossing: to traverse the great dark sea to reach America and reunite with relatives, uncles, nephews, cousins; the dream of America is central.
Fundamental agreement: I will embark you at night and disembark you at night; the general logistics are fixed but no exact date is guaranteed: it depends on rough seas, the coast guard; the important thing is to disembark in America.
Destination: Nugioirsi beach and Nuovaiorche as extreme points of navigation, indicators for departure and arrival; the distance and times are uncertain, but the objective remains disembarkation.
Economic and social preparations: they sold everything to buy the money to take with them: ground-floor house, mule, donkey, provisions, blankets; they invested everything in the American dream.
Payment and trust: total of lire; payment divided into two installments: at the beginning and upon arrival; the cash is hidden on their bodies, between skin and shirt, like scapulars.
Social relations and tensions: description of uncouth peasants, villagers; a network of usury and blackmail; some even used loan sharks to get money, with the thought of taking revenge or freeing themselves from creditors.
Symbols of hope and fear: the money hidden on the body, the night, the sea, the boat; the “horrendous” promise of a better life contrasted with a risky and uncertain crossing.
Narrative device: recording of a night of waiting and preparation, with a penlight as a warning signal, and the fear that someone might be missing and the group managed ruthlessly by the entrepreneur Signor Melfa.
Description of the sea as real and menacing: initially seen as a green, wind-swept plain of crops, but immediately capable of terrifying the travelers: squeezed guts, blinding light, smell of fish and diesel, vomit, nocturnal promiscuity.
Journey structure: eleven nights of crossing including the night of departure; the idea of the sea is opposed to the real sea, which is frightening and lubricates the senses in an almost physical way.
Dialogues and tone: the figure of the entrepreneur Melfa is present, controlling cash and disciplining the group with contained threats; the travelers are reduced to an amorphous mass of luggage and people, with a permanent tension between trust and fear.
Importance of letters and communication: if relatives receive letters with confused addresses, there is hope that they will arrive, and with them the travelers might follow suit and arrive in America.
Scenes of waiting and silence: boarding is a moment of celebration, but it is immediately replaced by anxiety over procedures and the possibility of repatriation if there isn't sufficient cash.
Discovery at sea: the travelers begin to consider America not as a distant place but as a concrete reality; they rely on the hypothesis of arrival and the perception of a different horizon.
Main themes: American dream vs. reality of the crossing, economic power, exploitation, trust in the contract, social tensions between Sicilian peasants and the promise of American prosperity.
Key Concepts and Characters
Protagonists: a group of Sicilian peasants, uncouth peasants, villagers, with their cardboard suitcases and bundles.
Signor Melfa: the impresario of the crossing; he controls the sums, threatens punishments, demands order and pays for the crossing; he controls the cash and the departure; he is ready to send back anyone who does not respect the agreements and promises to act mercilessly.
Money as a scapular: the transferred sum is divided in two, hidden on the body; cash that serves to guarantee boarding and cover any problems.
Dynamics of contacts: the travelers took extreme risks (debts to loan sharks), and trust is fundamental to undertaking the crossing.
Escort and disembarkation: the organization is rigid, with a signaling and disembarkation procedure, and there is the threat of repatriation if someone tries to defraud or withhold cash.
Numerical Details and Formulas (LaTeX)
Total sum available for the crossing: lire.
Payment breakdown: lire at the beginning and lire upon arrival.
Nights of travel: nights including the night of departure.
In the final scene, the travelers discover Sicilian places once disembarked (Santa Croce Camarina, Scoglitti); the indication of distance and time is not numerically specified, but represents a local geographical reality.
Every numerical reference present in the original text has been reported here where pertinent: the relevant figures are listed above and in the descriptions of actions (p.12–p.17).
Scenes and Detailed Plot Progression (Pages 12–17)
P12: The beginning of the night; the travelers arrive on the stony beach between Gela and Licata, with luggage; the agreements foresee a nocturnal crossing to America. The contact person explains the general logistics: disembarkation at Nugioirsi and disembarkation at Nuovaiorche; indicative but not guaranteed time; the important thing is to reach America.
P12–P13: The importance of disembarking in America is central; communication with relatives in America is possible via letters; the travelers imagine a rich America: large houses, enormous cars, celebrating the aspiration for money. The economic management is described: hidden cash, forced sales of houses, livestock and provisions; some resort to loan sharks to obtain capital. Money is imagined as a source of power and freedom; thoughts of revenge towards those who profited from their state of need.
P13: The lit penlight marks the beginning of money collection and preparation for passage. Evidence accumulates of a community that trusts each other and the need to keep the secret until the very last moment. The boatman/impresario Melfa confirms the agreement: the reunification of the group on the boat; the urgency of distributing cash among those entitled to an inevitably equal share is recognized.
P13–P14: The boat trip lasts less than expected: eleven nights in total, including the night of departure. The smell of fish, diesel, and vomit is perceived; the environment is miserable but also deeply humanized by the smell and sounds. On the eleventh night, Melfa calls them on deck to show them the horizon: they are not builders of a new America, but they are faced with towns of rich America that shine like jewels in the night.
P15: America finally seems present: the horizon is different, the air has a different quality. The group asks if it's not another place; Melfa asks if they have ever seen a similar horizon. A speculation on the meaning of the horizon and the promise is requested. It concludes with instructions: settle the bill, prepare, and transfer their belongings so they can start their new life. It notes the refusal to wait for absentees: those not present are not entitled to full payment; those without cash risk being left ashore.
P15–P16: After collecting the money, the emigrants return to sit on the sand, undecided. The night, now perceived as protection, could become an ambush for them if they stray too far. Two of them decide to scout ahead: they discover a paved and well-maintained road, with modern cars (Cinquecento, Millecento) and two motorcycles (the police). It is understood that they are in America: the road is the element that could lead to the first contact; however, the group internally seems unwilling to risk it and wishes to remain hidden.
P16–P17: The two explorers read the road signs: SANTA CROCE CAMARINA – SCOLGITTI; an intuition that brings back family memories: perhaps some of their relatives lived there or had moved to other cities. The reading of the words as written by Italians contrasted with an American reading suggests a linguistic and cultural difference. The episode culminates with the evocation of the past: a “vintage” from Santa Croce Camarina led their father to seek work, and the protagonists react with an emotional breakdown and a decision not to make public to the others the news of having landed in Sicily.
Language, Style, and Imagery
Realistic and crude language: strong sensory descriptions (smell of fish, diesel, vomit), use of dialectal and popular terms (zaurri, villani, contadini), and a clear social hierarchy between the entrepreneur and the travelers.
Key symbols: the sea as the breath of the world and as a threat; the night as a frontier between hope and danger; the horizon as an uncertain promise of a new world; the money hidden on the body as a symbol of trust in the pact made and of vulnerability.
Times and rhythms: the use of consecutive nights, days, and nights to emphasize humiliation and tension; the contemplation of America as a mirage that slowly reveals itself.
Dialogues and power dynamics: Melfa is the arbiter of the crossing; the travelers rely on him but are often threatened with violence if they don't have cash; the tension between promises and the fear of repatriation is constant.
Geographical references: Gela, Licata (Sicily); Nugioirsi, Nuovaiorche (fictitious); Santa Croce Camarina, Scoglitti (Sicilian); the distance between Sicily and America is represented not only physically but also symbolically.
Ethical and moral issues: the payment agreement, the possibility of forced repatriation, usury as a means of survival, and the illusion of economic victory generated by the crossing.
Thematic Connections and Real-World Relevance
Immigration and the American dream: the story highlights how Italian families believed in the image of America as a place of wealth, prosperity, enormous cars, and large houses. The text illuminates the moral complexity of emigration: the search for a better life against the risks of deception, human trafficking, and lack of rights.
Sicilian identity and cosmopolitanism: the travelers reveal attachment to their roots and the rhetoric of common people; the discovery of Italian signs and names in America and simultaneously contact with a different culture (Italian vs. English languages) shows the tension between original identity and migrant identity.
Contractual ethics: the pact between the peasants and the entrepreneur is presented as a risky transaction that exemplifies a form of exploitation; the control of cash as a tool of power and social control.
Social realism: the crossing scene is not romantic; it is described with concrete brutality: smell, hunger, cold, danger, violence, but also the tenderness of a group of people united by stubbornness and hope.
Footnotes and Textual Cues
Note on the use of numerical references: the text contains footnotes (numbers like 4, 5, 6, etc.) that refer to elements or annotations of the original edition. The content of these notes is not provided in the transcript here, but they are present as editorial indications in the original pages.
Key quotes from the text (paraphrase):
I will embark you at night and disembark you at night: defines the logistics of the agreement between travelers and impresario.
Two hundred fifty thousand lire: the common investment of the travelers; half at the beginning, half upon arrival.
Let's settle the bill: the purpose of closing the agreement once in America.
Here is America: the exclamation of the change of horizon and perceived reality.
Santa Croce Camarina – Scoglitti: road signs read by Italians and interpreted by Sicilians differently from an American reader, symbolizing linguistic and cultural barriers.
Implications for Exam and Essay Questions
Explain how the economic pact and money management reflect power dynamics between peasants and impresario, and how these dynamics influence the group's decisions during the crossing.
Analyze the contrast between the American dream and the reality of the nocturnal crossing: how the collective imagination is fueled and how the precariousness of emigration gradually unfolds.
Discuss the symbolic role of the horizon and the sight of America as “jewels” in the night; how this image changes the travelers' perception during the journey.
Examine the use of language and toponyms: the Italian reading of words written in America and the difficulty of interpreting the signs of the new country as a reflection of cultural and linguistic barriers in emigration.
Reflect on the ethics of the crossing: what moral dilemmas emerge from the agreement between payments, threats, and the possibility of repatriation? What is the collective responsibility and how much of the sense of solidarity among travelers remains?
Summary Takeaways
The Long Crossing presents a morally gray, quasi-documentary portrayal of Sicilian peasants embarking on a desperate, night-time migration to America under a strict, coercive arrangement.
The journey is as much about navigating human greed and the illusion of wealth as it is about physical travel across the sea.
The narrative uses sensory detail, dialect, and imagery of light, darkness, and horizon to contrast the imagined abundance of the American dream with the harsh realities of the crossing.
Analysis of Key Passages and Quotes
"I will embark you at night and disembark you at night… the important thing is to disembark in America." (P12)
Commentary: This quote highlights the fundamental, almost secretive, nature of the crossing and underscores the singular, overriding objective: reaching America. The repetition of "at night" emphasizes the clandestine and perilous conditions under which these migrations occurred, suggesting a journey shrouded in darkness both literally and figuratively.
Reflection: It showcases the desperation of the travelers, willing to accept any terms, no matter how uncertain or risky, as long as the ultimate promise of America is kept. This stark agreement frames the entire narrative around the precarious balance of hope and danger.
"The travelers imagine a rich America: large houses, enormous cars, celebrating the aspiration for money." (P12–P13)
Commentary: This passage reveals the highly romanticized and idealistic view of America held by the Sicilian peasants. Their imagination is filled with material wealth, representing a stark contrast to their impoverished lives in Sicily.
Reflection: This idealized "American Dream" is a powerful motivator, driving them to sell everything they own and take extreme risks. It sets up the central thematic conflict between this dream and the harsh reality of their journey and eventual disembarkation.
"They sold everything to buy the money to take with them… some resort to loan sharks to obtain capital." (P12–P13)
Commentary: This detail illustrates the immense sacrifices and desperate measures taken by the emigrants. The phrase "sold everything to buy the money" emphasizes the paradoxical nature of their situation, liquidating all assets just to afford the passage and initial capital for their new life.
Reflection: It highlights the profound economic desperation and the exploitative system at play, where even loan sharks profit from their hope. This act signifies a complete break from their past and an unreserved investment in an uncertain future.
"The cash is hidden on their bodies, between skin and shirt, like scapulars." (Payment and Trust, General Context; P12-P13 explicitly discusses hidden cash, though this specific phrasing is from the 'Payment and Trust' section)
Commentary: Describing the hidden money "like scapulars" imbues the cash with a sacred, almost protective significance, mirroring religious artifacts. This metaphor suggests that the money is not just currency but a symbol of their faith in the journey and their hope for a better life.
Reflection: It underlines the profound trust (or desperate necessity) they place in this pact and the hidden money, which represents their entire future. It also signifies their vulnerability, as this 'sacred' resource is also a target for Melfa's control.
"On the eleventh night, Melfa calls them on deck to show them the horizon: they are not builders of a new America, but they are faced with towns of rich America that shine like jewels in the night." (P13–P14)
Commentary: This quote marks a pivotal moment where the abstract dream of America begins to materialize into a visible, tangible reality. The description of towns as "jewels in the night" reinforces the idea of wealth and allure, fulfilling some aspects of their imagined America.
Reflection: While seemingly a moment of triumph, the phrase "not builders of a new America" subtly foreshadows that their arrival might not be the glorious fresh start they envisioned, hinting at potential disenchantment or a limited role in this shining new world.
"Notes the refusal to wait for absentees: those not present are not entitled to full payment; those without cash risk being left ashore." (P15)
Commentary: This reveals Signor Melfa's ruthless and utilitarian approach. His primary concern is the financial contract, not the welfare of all travelers. The threat of being "left ashore" is a powerful display of his control and the severe consequences for non-compliance.
Reflection: It exposes the cold, transactional ethics of the crossing. Despite the shared journey and inherent dangers, individual security is entirely dependent on adhering to Melfa's rules and possessing the necessary cash, stripping away any sense of communal solidarity in critical moments.
"The two explorers read the road signs: SANTA CROCE CAMARINA – SCOLGITTI… a decision not to make public to the others the news of having landed in Sicily." (P16–P17)
Commentary: This is the most crucial plot twist, revealing the deception. The recognition of Sicilian place names shatters the illusion of America, replacing it with a painful realization of being back where they started.
Reflection: This passage profoundly comments on the themes of false hope, exploitation, and the cruel reality that often underlies the "American Dream" for many immigrants. The decision to hide the truth from others highlights their shame, fear, and the catastrophic psychological impact of the fraud, transforming their journey of hope into one of profound deceit and despair.