Roles

In Catholic Italian families, even those who have grown up outside Italy, procreation in general and succession issues in particular are big things with the menfolk. Women’s roles are simple… sex, running a good home and producing and raising kids... and preferably boys. The men attend to the business and the womenfolk are expected to attend to the needs of the men, whatsoever they may be. An historic role, albeit completely blown apart by modern generations of women.

But it was a role frozen in time in the Monelli households. The honour and standing of the family depended upon it.