Enza moves from institutional confinement and romantic idealization toward pregnancy and difficult responsibility.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Troubled Beginning
Enza is introduced as a sixteen-year-old dropout who is arrested for shoplifting with her older sister. She is sent to a reformatory run by strict nuns.
Key Events
Enza Leaves School — Enza is introduced as a sixteen-year-old dropout. Characters: EnzaLocation: Unspecified
Shoplifting Arrest — Enza is arrested for shoplifting with her older sister. Characters: EnzaLocation: Shop
Sent to Reformatory — Enza and her sister are sent to a reformatory. Characters: EnzaLocation: Reformatory
Nuns Enforce Discipline — The reformatory is run by hard-nosed nuns. Characters: EnzaLocation: Reformatory
Girls Tease Enza — The girls tease Enza because she is a virgin. Characters: EnzaLocation: Reformatory
The First Promise of Love
After receiving a Sunday pass, Enza meets Sebastiano, a young street vendor. She sleeps with him and mistakes the encounter for love.
Key Events
First Sunday Pass — Enza receives permission to leave on her first Sunday pass. Characters: EnzaLocation: Reformatory
Sebastiano Chats Her Up — Sebastiano, a young street vendor, chats with Enza. Characters: Enza, SebastianoLocation: Street
Enza Sleeps With Sebastiano — Enza goes to bed with Sebastiano during her Sunday pass. Characters: Enza, SebastianoLocation: Sebastiano's place
Enza Calls It Love — Enza interprets her encounter with Sebastiano as love. Characters: Enza, SebastianoLocation: Sebastiano's place
A Refused Future
The authorities test whether Sebastiano will accept Enza into his life. His refusal ends Enza's first romantic hope.
Key Events
Living Together Proposed — The authorities ask Sebastiano whether Enza should live with him. Characters: Enza, SebastianoLocation: Unspecified
Sebastiano Says No — Sebastiano refuses when asked whether Enza should live with him. Characters: Enza, SebastianoLocation: Unspecified
Franchino's Test
During a later visit home, Enza meets Franchino and sees him as kinder. His decision to sleep beside her without touching her convinces her that he loves her.
Key Events
Next Visit Home — On her next visit home, Enza meets Franchino. Characters: EnzaLocation: Home
Franchino Appears Kinder — Franchino seems nicer to Enza after her disappointment with Sebastiano. Characters: Enza, FranchinoLocation: Home
Franchino Takes Her Test — Franchino sleeps beside Enza but keeps his hands off. Characters: Enza, FranchinoLocation: Bedroom
Enza Believes Again — Enza believes Franchino's restraint proves that he loves her. Characters: Enza, FranchinoLocation: Bedroom
Pregnancy and Choice
Through her sister, Enza discovers another side of Franchino. Now pregnant, she must confront major long-term decisions.
Key Events
Rosaria Reveals Another Side — Through her sister, Enza sees another side of Franchino. Characters: Enza, FranchinoLocation: Home
Franchino's Image Breaks — Enza's idealized view of Franchino is challenged by what she learns. Characters: Enza, FranchinoLocation: Home
Pregnancy Discovered — Enza is now pregnant after her romantic experiences. Characters: EnzaLocation: Unspecified
Long-Term Choices Emerge — Pregnancy forces Enza to face major long-term decisions. Characters: EnzaLocation: Unspecified
Unresolved Future — The plot leaves Enza facing consequential decisions about her future. Characters: EnzaLocation: Unspecified
Story Breakdown
Enza's Troubled Start — Enza's dropout status and shoplifting arrest establish her unstable beginning.
School Withdrawal — Enza is sixteen and has dropped out of school.
Shoplifting Arrest — Enza is arrested with her older sister for shoplifting.
Reformatory Confinement — The arrest sends Enza into a reformatory controlled by strict nuns.
Institutional Transfer — Enza and her sister are sent to the reformatory.
Virginity Teasing — The girls tease Enza because she is a virgin.
Sebastiano's Romance — Enza's first romantic experience begins during her Sunday pass.
Street Vendor Encounter — Sebastiano chats Enza up while she is outside on her pass.
First Intimacy — Enza goes to bed with Sebastiano and believes it is love.
Rejected Domestic Future — Sebastiano's response destroys Enza's expectation of building a life with him.
Authorities Ask — The authorities ask Sebastiano whether he wants Enza to live with him.
Sebastiano Refuses — Sebastiano says no when asked about living with Enza.
Franchino's False Hope — Enza meets Franchino and interprets his restraint as proof of love.
Meeting At Home — Enza meets Franchino during her next visit home.
The Bedroom Test — Franchino sleeps beside Enza but keeps his hands off.
Pregnancy And Choice — New information about Franchino and Enza's pregnancy force a decisive confrontation with the future.
Another Side Revealed — Through her sister, Enza sees another side of Franchino.
Long Term Decisions — Pregnancy leaves Enza facing major long-term decisions.
Enza is a beautiful and lively Sicilian teenager who is starting out in life, but due to her naivety, she always ends up getting into trouble. She has no parents, but lives with her aunt and uncle together with her older sister who acts as her mother and tries to put her on the right path, even ending up in prison for some time. Enza, keeping faith with her rebellious nature, falls in love with Sebastiano, with whom she has her first sexual relations, but for him she also goes as far as stealing. All men are the same.
