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Themes

Dark Side of Man

Zampano shows the dark side of mankind. He shows his selfishness and cruelty to everyone he meets. Zampano is harsh toward Gelsomina from the beginning of their partnership. He demands much of her and pushes her around. Even the one woman he is kind towards, the woman in the bar, is left alone before the night is over.

The film shows what happens when a man gets so caught up in his own survival that he forgets to care for those around him. Zampano leaves Gelsomina sleeping by the side of the road with no real protection. Although he leaves a few things for her, he does not even try to find her until he hears a woman singing her song many years later.

Destructive Power of Selfishness

Zampano seems to destroy everything he touches because of his selfishness. First, Rosa dies. Although we don't know that she died because of Zampano, given the...
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