22. As a reader, I don't think their dream will be forever existed in the world beyond the cellar. Olivia hopes that in the real world she can never ever take drugs, and there will be someone who cares her and stay with her in life; Lorenzo's dream is to became one of his friends group, because he doesn't want to be lonely any more and actually do what he wants to do. In the cellar, only Lorenzo and Olivia, who are really similar to each other. Both them are lonely, stuck in life. When these two people meet, they can creat a dream world they like. But the real life is more hard than their dream world; when they go out of the cellar, when they live in the real world, they may find more difficulties. Olivia can't control herself of taking drugs, she may can't find anyone who can understand and stay with her. Lorenzo many still have some problems on beliving and getting on with other people. When they realized the dream can't be accomplished, it will extinguish them. Olivia promised Lorenzo she won't take drug again; Lorenzo promised her they will meet each other again. Although this is a promise with a 14-year-old boy, I believed that this is important to Olivia and it can support Olivia for a long time to change her life--not taking drug and finding friends she loves and understand. Though at the ending, Oliva's hope was extinguished and she was dead because of over does; but during these long ten years, promise with Lorenzo is the only support and power to make her live in this world for longer time.
24. I think the reason of the author chose to sandwich Lorenzo's coming of the age between the bookends of the Cividale del Friuli chapters from ten years later is to attract readers and showed the closed relationship between Olivia and Lorenzo. Because in the very beginning part, author mentioned the name of sister, Olivia and the piece of paper folded in the wallet of Lorenzo which is written by her ten years later. This makes readers to think, who is Olivia and why Lorenzo saved the paper for that ten years. The last chapter changes the tone and the central message of this novel. Because it tells readers the ending, Olivia was dead because of over does. If writer doesn't write this part, readers may think Olivia and Lorenzo kept their words and had a better life. But actually the writer showed the truth, the real world is not same as they think it would be.
26. I would view this novel as a tragic story because of Olivia's death. Before I read the last ending part, I tried to believe that Lorenzo and Olivia will have a dream life in the future, they won't be lonely anymore, Olivia won't take drugs, they will see each other again. But the ending makes me feel that this story is tragic. I think Olivia's death means that at last she was disappointed about the life, she can't find anyone she loved and understand, she can't control herself of taking drugs. The real life is much harder, not as wonderful as her dream world. And the environmental description in he ending such like: pale sun, blowing cold wind gives me a sense that Lorenzo also didn't achieved his dream, maybe he was not as desperated as his sister, but he also can't keep that promise.
