The main goal of an agrarian society is to survive: the natural cycle of birth-reproduction-death is the example of a universal law, valid for every living being, and ruling over every aspect of human existence. The cycle’s rhythms are fixed and cannot be altered: every element of it has to bear its fruits, for the cycle to go on. Besides this, there is a symbolic system which includes family, land ownership, saving, solidarity and resilience, amongst its positive values. This strong relationship of biological and vital dependency of human beings and plants permeate also religion, for which woman and earth, childbearing and harvest, are connected and considered as a whole.
‘Earthly’ writers do not like any kind of abstract knowledge, they prefer something entwined with everyday life and food holds a great importance for them, because of its great and clear symbolic value. The essay examines the relationship between food and the agrarian culture in the works "I Promessi Sposi" by Manzoni, "Confessioni di un Italiano" by Nievo, "Piccolo mondo antico" by Fogazzaro, "Lemmonio Boreo" by Soffici, Bacchelli’s trilogy of "Mulino del Po", Tozzi’s "Con gli occhi chiusi" and "Cognizione del dolore" by Gadda. The essay then briefly considers the different predispositions to be found in those cultures whose economy revolves around the sea.
