— Adel Alaiev
The importance of tolerance cannot be understated, especially in our world today. Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous doesn’t need intricate diction and clever literary language to effectively portray it’s message. What makes this novel a great work is its simple approach to unpacking the huge issue of intolerance and the inevitable miscommunication that occurs amongst different peoples- and thus the grave complications that can accompany such miscommunication.
Using different points of view to develop the plot is a genius choice by the author. Each chapter has a testimony from the different characters, and sandwiched in between we have the reflections of the (arguably) main character as center of reality which clears up the misinformation coming from the different perspectives of the other characters. Due to each character having their own biases and limitations, based mainly on language barriers and prejudices, there is a huge issue of misunderstandings which only continue to escalate throughout the story line. The different testimonials, followed by the main character’s “fact checks” show just how off the mark these characters are about each other. The themes of the novel are aided by the format of the novel- without this layout, the lesson from the book would not have the same effect.
This novel is truly a great work because of how relevant it is to today’s society. It highlights the ongoing issues of racism, xenophobia and the accompanying discrimination. I truly believe that everyone should read this text at least in college if not high school. The impact of the novel is invaluable- it can help everyone be more compassionate and patient when trying to understand someone who isn’t a native speaker. The novel is also a great work because its impact can have individuals reflect on their own biases and strive to be better, more tolerant people in general.
