Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Beneath a Scarlet Sky, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
War and Morality
Coming of Age
The Power of Music
Love and Death
Summary
Analysis
While waiting for Brenner Pass to be cleared, Leyers spends time burning Nazi documents. This annoys Pino who wants the world to know the full extent of what the Nazis have done. Several days later, Leyers checks up on Brenner Pass to find that it is almost cleared. After spending the day with Leyers, Pino returns home to find his second cousin, Mario. Mario is a fighter pilot who was recently shot down and is hiding out with the Lellas.
Document burning was a common practice among Nazis near the end of the war. Although there is plenty of evidence still in existence to catalog the list of atrocities committed by the Nazis, much evidence was burned. The higher-ups in the Nazi party knew they would be punished and wanted to get rid of as much evidence of wrongdoing as possible.
Themes
After briefly speaking to Mario, Pino goes to see Anna. As he enters his vehicle, a gun is placed on the back of his head. Almost immediately, Pino realizes that the gunman is Mimo. Mimo tells Pino that he’s learned the truth about his resistance efforts and apologizes for the way he’s treated him. Pino accepts the apology but asks why Mimo is pointing a gun at his head. Mimo tells him that he was worried Pino might try to kill him if he saw him. Pino tells Mimo that he would never hurt him. Additionally, Mimo tells Pino that partisan leaders want Pino to arrest Leyers on the 25th. Pino is excited by the opportunity.
Finally, Pino can tell Mimo the truth. Obviously, Mimo is ashamed of his actions, and he worries that what he’s done is unforgivable. However, demonstrating the maturity that is now a key trait of his character, Pino immediately forgives his brother. Not only can Pino now tell the truth to his brother, but he will also soon do the same with Leyers, an opportunity that is equally exciting for him.
Themes
Pino drives to Dolly’s place to find Dolly upset because Leyers hasn’t been around lately. Pino tells Dolly about the plan to move her to Innsbruck and that calms her down. That night, Pino stays with Anna and the two of them sleep together. The following day, Pino asks Anna to marry him after the war is over. Anna says she will.
Leyers isn’t around because he’s trying to get all his plans in order before the end of the war. Although he plans to move Dolly, it is unclear whether he plans to continue seeing her after the war. Meanwhile, Pino and Anna’s love reaches new heights, as they are now engaged.
Themes
Later in the day, Pino is tasked with driving Leyers to the soccer stadium. Leyers uses Pino as a translator to speak with Max Corvo, who is there to negotiate the terms of the Nazi surrender. Corvo tells Leyers that everything will go smoothly as long as the Nazis offer no resistance. Leyers agrees to his terms. Without Leyers’s permission, Pino adds that Leyers has spent the last few weeks burning as many Nazi documents as he can get his hands on.
Max Corvo is another real historical figure who became the leader of the Italian Secret Intelligence during the war. Unsurprisingly, Leyers immediately agrees to Corvo’s conditions. Despite his shortcomings, Leyers is never in favor of more violence, so Corvo’s demands are not a hard pill for him to swallow.
Themes
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Leyers and Pino return to Milan where they meet with a number of important figures including Cardinal Schuster, Mussolini, higher-ups in the SS, and resistance leaders. Cardinal Schuster calls the meeting to strategize the most peaceful transition of power. Everyone is on board with the plan except Mussolini, who is in denial about the state of the war and his country. After listening to his complaints and childish rhetoric, Cardinal Schuster dismisses Mussolini from the meeting. The cardinal also tells Wolff, a high-ranking member of the SS, to make sure all Nazi soldiers stand down to prevent further bloodshed.
Apparently, neither the Nazis or the Italian fascists came for Cardinal Schuster, who is still alive, well, and very much in control. Like Leyers, the Cardinal wishes for a peaceful transition of power and though everyone (expect Mussolini) agrees, such a transition is much easier said than done.
Themes
