The Conformist

SECRECYANDSILENCEaresecondnaturetoMarcelloClerici,theheroofTheConformist,abookwhichmadeAlbertoMoraviaoneoftheworld'smostreadpostwarwriters.Clericiisamanwitheverythingundercontrol-awifewholoveshim,colleagueswhorespecthim,thehiddenpowerthatcomeswithhissecretworkfortheItalianpoliticalpoliceduringtheMussoliniyears.Butthenheisassignedtokillhisformerprofessor,nowinexile,todemonstratehisloyaltytotheFasciststate,andfallsinlovewithastrange,compellingwoman;hislifeistornopen-andwithitthecorruptheartofFascism.MoraviaequatestheriseofItalianFascismwiththepsychologicalneedsofhisprotagonistforwhomconformitybecomesanobsessioninalifethathasincludedparentalneglect,anoddlyself-consciousdesiretoengageincruelacts,andatypeofmalebeautywhich,toClerici'sgreatdistress,othermenfindattractive."Moraviabringstolightthedevilinthefleshandinthepsyche."-"-TheAtlanticMonthly