The Apprentice by Pilar Molina Llorente

A. Molina-Llorente, Pilar. Illus. Juan Ramon Alonzo. 1989. The Appentice. Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux; New York. ISBN 0-374-30389-4.

B.Plot Summary:
The setting of this story is Florence, Italy, during the renaissance era, when art was greatly appreciated and valued. Arduino is the main character, a young boy of twelve years who is faced with many challenges throughout the story. The novel is told in first person, and the story begins with Arduino's observations of the world around him. Arduino's first challenge is confronting his father who is a tailor, whose father was a tailer, whose father's father was a tailor, and confessing that he does not want to be a tailor, that his heart yearns to be an artist. Arduino's father agrees to arrange a three year apprenticeship for Arduino with Maestro Cosimi di Forti, an established and well known artist. At once Arduino realizes that he will have to face many hardships to accomplish his dreams but his passion to be an artist pushes him forward. The next great challenge that Arduino is faced with is sacrificing his dream of becoming an artist to save Donato, a boy he discovered chained by Cosimi because he was envious of his talent. When the Noble Duke of Algora gives Cosimi a commission, but Cosimi cannot complete it because he falls ill, Donato jumps at the opportunity to offer Donato to come to their aid, and at the same time helping free Donato. Arduino's next challenge is dealing with the envy of another apprentice that betrayed him and caused him to lose the apprenticeship with Cosimi. To finalize the story it is discovered that Arduino is innocent and he continues his apprenticeship with Donato as his Maestro.

C. Critical Analysis:
Arduino's character is challenged several times thoughout the story. First when he must accommodate to the harsh living conditions as an apprentice, but he is determined to be an artist. Then when he discovers Donato and realizes that if he reveals anything to anyone he will loose his apprenticeship. At this point Adruino's courage falters because he allows Donatelo to remain incarcerated. He does however redeem himself when he reveals his knowledge of Donatelo's existence when the opportunity arises. His character is constantly developing. Throughout the story Arduino's talent is never really exemplified, which was anticipated since he is the main character, Molina only notes his talent when Cosimo is startled by his drawing of his grandfather's hands, and when Arduino notes that Marco is using the wrong shade of blue for the sky.
The role of the female characters are not developed, Molina only mentions briefly that they suffer because they are women. Melania because she is a servant and has to obey she claims silently, although she is always complaining, and the Dukes daughter Bianca because she claims to only be able to obey and only dream, although she lives lavishly. The main focus of the story is of everyone's wants and dreams. In the story Arduino takes notice of this trend, because he is a tailor who wants to be a painter, and when Baldo tells him that he wants to be a chef instead of a painter, and the women want to be men, and the sculpture at the end of the story wants to be young again.

E. Connections:
This story can be extended into a research project on women's roles during the renaissance era. Students would be provided with a pathfinder to locate initial resources, and they would be encouraged to search beyond those resources, along with a rubric. Then they would present their research through a powerpoint presention.