In the realm of literary discoveries, unpublished manuscripts offer a unique window into the minds of authors and their intricate connections to the works that shape our understanding of literature. Recently unearthed, the writings of Professor Uzzi-Tuzii, a colleague of the celebrated Italo Calvino, provide a fascinating new lens through which to examine Calvino’s masterpiece, “If on a winter’s night a traveler”. These manuscripts, presented as personal reflections and narrative sketches, not only illuminate the enigmatic persona of Professor Uzzi-Tuzii but also cast a fresh light on the themes and narrative techniques that define “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, making them essential reading for enthusiasts and scholars alike.
Professor Uzzi-Tuzii’s Manuscript #1 opens with a series of introspective questions: “Who am I? Who is I? Who is the I?”. This immediately plunges the reader into a metafictional space, reminiscent of the self-aware narrative style that characterizes “If on a winter’s night a traveler”. Unlike his peers, Professors Calvino and Galligani, Uzzi-Tuzii declares his intention to reveal his name and modus operandi, directly engaging the reader and blurring the lines between author, narrator, and character – a hallmark of Calvino’s novel.
He identifies himself as Professor Uzzi-Tuzii, or Julian to his friends, emphasizing the distinction between his formal and informal identities. This act of naming, seemingly straightforward, echoes the identity play within “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, where characters and narratives constantly shift and redefine themselves. Uzzi-Tuzii asserts, “I is me. I am me. I could not be anyone else, could I?”. This statement, while seemingly obvious, delves into the philosophical core of identity and self-perception, themes central to the reader’s quest for narrative coherence in Calvino’s work.
The manuscript explicitly mentions “If on a winter’s night a traveler” in the context of potential reader frustration, stating the novel’s objective was, “which in a way was an objective of the novel ‘If on a winter’s night a traveler’. ” This direct reference positions Uzzi-Tuzii within the same literary sphere as Calvino, suggesting a shared understanding of narrative experimentation and reader engagement. He invites the reader to “see the real me,” promising to “heal your vision, so that you might see,” hinting at a deeper, perhaps metaphorical, understanding of narrative and perception, mirroring the layers of reality and fiction explored in “If on a winter’s night a traveler”.
The professor’s musings then turn to the concept of belief and reliability in narration. He laments the skepticism he faces: “Some believe I am unreliable. Some believe, without seeing me or knowing me, that I am an unreliable narrator.” This concern with narrative reliability is profoundly relevant to “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, a novel renowned for its shifting perspectives and unreliable narrative voices. Uzzi-Tuzii’s defensiveness about being perceived as unreliable further strengthens the connection to metafictional anxieties about storytelling and reader trust.
He distinguishes himself from William Weaver, the translator of “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, and Ermes Marana, the fictional translator within the novel. By clarifying who he is not, Uzzi-Tuzii reinforces the complex layers of authorship and translation that are playfully dismantled in Calvino’s narrative. This distinction highlights the self-referential nature of both manuscripts and “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, where the act of reading and interpreting texts becomes as crucial as the stories themselves.
Manuscript #1 concludes with a seemingly abrupt break, marked by an “[Editor’s Note]”. This interruption mirrors the fragmented and interrupted narratives within “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, further blurring the lines between the manuscript as a real document and a constructed literary piece. The invitation to “refill your glass of red or to make a cup of tea…” adds a conversational, almost performative dimension, drawing the reader deeper into Uzzi-Tuzii’s world and his literary preoccupations.
Moving into Manuscript #2, Professor Uzzi-Tuzii begins to narrate a personal story, drawing a direct comparison to Italo Calvino’s narrative approach: “Italo Calvino never had any such doubt. You should have seen him laugh when I told him about the line from Doctor Who, “First things first, but not necessarily in that order.” He enjoyed starting a story at the beginning so much, he couldn’t help doing it over and over.” This sets the stage for a narrative that, while seemingly personal, is deeply intertwined with Calvino’s literary ethos.
Uzzi-Tuzii recounts his time as an academic and author, his initial arrogance regarding relationships, and his marriage to Maria. He describes teaching a creative writing course comprised solely of female students, a scenario that becomes the catalyst for a narrative that mirrors the layered storytelling of “If on a winter’s night a traveler”. He details a writing exercise where students were to write the first chapter of a novel, each in the first person as Uzzi-Tuzii himself, featuring objects of significance. This premise itself is highly metafictional, a story within a story, reflecting the nested narratives within Calvino’s novel.
The list of students and their objects – Madame Marne: suitcase, Brigd: trunk, Zwida: pencil box, and so on – reads like a cast of characters in a fragmented novel, each with a potential story hinted at by their name and object. This echoes the way Calvino introduces and then abruptly shifts away from characters in “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, leaving the reader to imagine untold stories.
Uzzi-Tuzii’s intention was to be seduced by his students’ writing, a desire that backfired when his wife, Maria, discovered the manuscripts and, misinterpreting the situation, sought refuge with Italo Calvino. This plot twist introduces a layer of romantic entanglement and professional jealousy, adding another dimension to the narrative web being woven. The misunderstanding leads to Maria leaving and Calvino reading the student manuscripts before Uzzi-Tuzii, an act that the professor initially resents, feeling “cheated, as if I had bought a first edition, only to have a friend whisk it away and read it before I had opened it.” This analogy of the first edition book is particularly resonant for readers of “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, a novel that is itself about the anticipation and frustration of reading.
Calvino’s subsequent use of these manuscripts as inspiration for his own novel, obtaining consent from the students and offering to support their careers, becomes a pivotal point. This act of literary repurposing directly mirrors the themes of authorship, originality, and the collaborative nature of storytelling, which are central to “If on a winter’s night a traveler”. Calvino, in essence, becomes a metafictional editor, weaving together disparate narratives into a cohesive, albeit fragmented, whole, much like the structure of his famous novel.
The narrative reveals that Maria’s departure and Calvino’s intervention ultimately served to strengthen Maria and Uzzi-Tuzii’s relationship, ironically facilitated by Calvino’s literary and personal wisdom. Calvino’s advice to Maria and his subsequent book launch coinciding with her return home, pregnant, creates a narrative arc that is both personal and literary. Uzzi-Tuzii admits his initial failure to read Calvino’s book, which delayed his understanding of the events and the lessons embedded within.
The manuscripts culminate in the revelation that Calvino’s book, inspired by Uzzi-Tuzii’s students’ work, was not just metafiction but also “trying to teach me a lesson. He was trying to teach me to love your mother more, not to love her obsessively, but to love her as she deserved.” This interpretation frames “If on a winter’s night a traveler” as a novel with a moral and emotional core, beyond its formal experimentation, emphasizing love as “the driving force of life itself.”
The concluding act of gifting signed first editions of “If on a winter’s night a traveler” to his twin daughters, Ludmilla and Lotaria, inscribed by Calvino with a message about life as a story, underscores the enduring themes of narrative, life, and legacy. The Literary Executor’s Note at the end provides a frame for the manuscripts, grounding them in a semblance of reality while still maintaining the metafictional ambiguity.
In conclusion, Professor Uzzi-Tuzii’s unpublished manuscripts offer a compelling and insightful companion piece to “If on a winter’s night a traveler”. They not only provide a fictional backstory that enriches our understanding of Calvino’s literary world but also delve into the core themes of identity, narrative reliability, authorship, and the power of love and storytelling that resonate deeply within Calvino’s masterpiece. For readers seeking a deeper engagement with “If on a winter’s night a traveler”, these manuscripts serve as a valuable and illuminating discovery, enhancing the appreciation for the complexities and enduring appeal of Calvino’s work.
