'Non volevo arrendermi': Food, gender, and politics in Alba de Céspedes's Dalla parte di lei.

Dalla parte di lei by Alba de Céspedes explores the life of the protagonist, Alessandra, in Rome, from her childhood to the early years of her marriage, a period that spans the Fascist years through the Second World War and the Resistance, and ends shortly after the liberation. The narrative illustrates the painful effects of Mussolini's policy of autarky and food rationing and their burden on women. Food and food preparation constitute gendered signs that highlight the contrast between Alessandra's values and those of both Fascist and immediate post-Fascist society. Alessandra's resistance to gendered food labour carries political resonance. Food scarcity frames Alessandra's rejection of both male precedence and matriarchal authority, her critique of gender and class injustices, and her participation in the Italian Resistance. The food motif sheds light on Alessandra's gender performance and queer desires. This article focuses on three aspects of Alessandra's resistance: her resistance to traditional gender roles, her political awakening during the Second World War food shortages, and her sexual and emotional hungers and queer desire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]