Leonardo Sciascia and the Mafia

Writing what he knew, Leonardo Sciascia fascinated readers with his knowledge of Mafia and unusual manner of writing. His youth and professional background allowed him to gain a comprehensive knowledge of Mafia, including its rationale and necessity to some extent. He wrote of his beloved Sicily, in a way that highlighted both its positive and negative aspects. Sciascia's detective novels included an in-depth exploration of the Mafia not only as a concrete entity but also as an image of corruption applicable everywhere. He used it as a cornerstone in writing about ethical and moral concerns in society. Later in life, he eventually chose to write only of contemporary issues, such as the assassination of Aldo Moro. For his work he was proclaimed a great critic of Italy and modern society; "the entire inefficient, corrupt system of Italian justice found one of its most lethal critics in Leonardo Sciascia, from whom there could be no defense, only retreat" (Salerno).

Sciascia's unique peek into the world of the Mafia is a fantastic journey into the human psyche. His works are a great depiction of the inner workings of a secret society, its influence and flagrant abuse of power through psychological manipulation. They are a great tool for political science, psychology, history and law classes; in that they portray the realities of the so-called Mafia mind-set.

Leonardo Sciascia was born in Racalmuto, near Agrigento, Sicily on 08 January 1921 (Sciascia Handout). Mafia was all around Sciascia as a child; growing up in Sicily it was a part of life, and he came to know it well. He became more politically involved after studying to become an educator under a teacher with Communist ideals at the Istituto Magistrale. Until he retired from teaching in 1970, he held various administrative and teaching positions. At one point, he moved to Rome to work at Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione, where he remained for a year.