The Wisdom of the heart: "These fragments have I stored..." (T. S. Eliot,The wasteland) - The power of storytelling in the growth of Italian-American women writers

Storytelling appears to have become a fundamental element in the personal and psychological growth of Italian American women writers for it has the power to enrich one's innermost being with the wisdom, the faith, and the tales their foremothers passed dawn to them. As Will Eisner states: "Storytelling lies deep in the social behaviour of human groups: ancient and modern. Stories are used to teach behaviour within the community, to discuss morals and values, or to satisfy curiosity". As such, it is a true and constant practice in the culture of Italian American women writes as well, and, in many of their works, it even serves as a healing and curative power.