Calvino's Cosmicomics
In Calvino’s Cosmicomics he manages to merge both the cosmic and comical world throughout his stories, especially “The Distance of the Moon.” Referring to his childhood adventures on the moon, protagonist Qfwfq says, “How well I know!...the rest of you cannot remember, but I can. We had her on top of us all the time, that enormous Moon; when she was full, it looked as if she were going to crush us; when she was new, she rolled around the sky like a black umbrella by the wind.” Qfwfq’s story is one filled with adventure, love, science, and the distances people will go to get what they want. He begins to explain how the moon was once close to the earth and due to their adventures it was gradually pushed away. Qfwfq, the Captain and his wife,
his deaf cousin, among others would take trips to the moon to collect the special moon-milk and throw it down to earth. He explains that in order to reach the moon they go out on small boats and lay a ladder on the surface of the moon. Qfwfq’s deaf cousin is particularly good at reaching the moon, he is very agile. The deaf one is good at everything related to the moon, he is very in tune with it. This is the source of some of the jealousy the protagonist holds for his cousin. Qfwfq is madly in love with the Captain’s wife who only has eyes for the deaf cousin who is deeply in love with the moon.
Jealousy flows throughout, just as Qfwfq is jealous of the Captain’s wife’s love his cousin; the Captain’s wife is jealous of the deaf one’s love for the moon. After following the deaf cousin to the moon, the Captain’s wife finds herself trapped floating in the air near the moon. Qfwfq tries to reach her, but their combined weight pulls them toward the moon. Initially Qfwfq is extremely excited about being alone with the Captain’s Wife, however, in the end he finds himself homesick for Earth. In hopes of winning over the deaf cousin affection she ignores Qfwfq and becomes obsessed with trying to become part of the moon, the real object of the deaf one’s affection. When the moon is again reachable from Earth, Qfwfq crawls down and the Captain’s wife stays on the moon, she is lost forever, part of the moon. Despite of his experience with her alone on the moon Qfwfq finds himself almost howling at the moon like a wolf, caught in the attraction of the Captain’s wife who is now a part of the moon.
his deaf cousin, among others would take trips to the moon to collect the special moon-milk and throw it down to earth. He explains that in order to reach the moon they go out on small boats and lay a ladder on the surface of the moon. Qfwfq’s deaf cousin is particularly good at reaching the moon, he is very agile. The deaf one is good at everything related to the moon, he is very in tune with it. This is the source of some of the jealousy the protagonist holds for his cousin. Qfwfq is madly in love with the Captain’s wife who only has eyes for the deaf cousin who is deeply in love with the moon.
Jealousy flows throughout, just as Qfwfq is jealous of the Captain’s wife’s love his cousin; the Captain’s wife is jealous of the deaf one’s love for the moon. After following the deaf cousin to the moon, the Captain’s wife finds herself trapped floating in the air near the moon. Qfwfq tries to reach her, but their combined weight pulls them toward the moon. Initially Qfwfq is extremely excited about being alone with the Captain’s Wife, however, in the end he finds himself homesick for Earth. In hopes of winning over the deaf cousin affection she ignores Qfwfq and becomes obsessed with trying to become part of the moon, the real object of the deaf one’s affection. When the moon is again reachable from Earth, Qfwfq crawls down and the Captain’s wife stays on the moon, she is lost forever, part of the moon. Despite of his experience with her alone on the moon Qfwfq finds himself almost howling at the moon like a wolf, caught in the attraction of the Captain’s wife who is now a part of the moon.