In Ammananti's 'I'm Not Scared' the human compassion shown towards the helpless and the vulnerable is frighteningly shallow. Discuss.
             Human compassion is only shown by the imaginative Michele. All the other characters of "I'm not scared" either show vulnerability or are devoid of compassion. Michele shows compassion towards several of the characters in the novel, and his compassion for Filippo is profound. The children especially Maria, Barbara and Salvatore are vulnerable but the adults, Felice, Sergio, even Pino think only of achieving their ends.
             We see Michele's compassion in his concern for his sister, Maria. He sacrifices his position in the race up the hill to make sure that she is all right. When Barbara is forced to carry out the forfeit, he volunteers to do it on his behalf. This act of gallantry stems from his compassion for Barbara, "the forfeit [is] too harsh". When Maria asks him if he would have done the same for her, he assures her that he would. However, the depth of his compassion is seen mainly in his dealing with Filippo, the kidnapped boy.
             The adults of Aqua Traverse form a group and then create a horrible kidnap plan, only selfishly thinking of themselves and their dream futures, never considering anyone in the process. Filippo is psychologically and emotionally damaged by the experience. The sight of the emaciated and filthy child whom he realizes is still alive, moves Michele, but it does not make any of the adult kidnappers sorry. Not only do they not give him enough food and drink to survive on, he is a pawn, in their heinous plot. When they see Filippo's mother pleading on television, asking the kidnappers to be "merciful", their reaction is to deride her. Pino even threatens to cut off both his ears. Michele cannot understand the lack of compassion in the adults. He is aware of how "distressed" Filippo's mother is and that "
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