Pinocchio e la fuga impossibile dal «legno storto dell’umanità»

Following a path of analysis stemming from the "law and literature" (more appropriately: "Justice and Literature")approach, the famous novel by Collodi, "Pinocchio" is considered in especially in its legally relevant aspects. Besides containing an accurate description of various crimes and victimizations, the book can be read as a great metaphor of the relationship of each human being with his/her ("woodden", namely material)body and especially with the limitations of the human condition. The main character of the novel is thus seen as intent on a ceaseless run away from such conditio and on the denial thereof. From the whole story a teaching can be drawn that individuals should accept the limitation of their nature as well as of social life and, similarly, governments and states should not pursue too paternalistic or "perfectionist" policies or regulations which ignore the "crooked timber of humanity" and the need that laws be made somewhat adaptive to the sheer reality of it and thus to the risks of liberty.