Should she have done this? Additionally, in each relationship that the children have, a certain amount of trust exists. Strega Nona trusted Big Anthony when she left her home in his care and demanded that he not touch her magic pasta pot. Trust is a more subtle theme found in the book but also warrants a good discussion. Many might be wondering, however, “what makes these people worthy of obeying?” This is a good concept to explore, and discussion leaders can begin by asking: why is Strega Nona the one to determine Big Anthony’s punishment? Is it good that he listened to her? Why? This sets up the question posed earlier in this paragraph: who should decide a punishment? The discussion of authority naturally follows the discussion of punishment because many children may be wondering, “Who should decide these punishments?” Younger students have already been exposed to the idea of authority and that they must respect and follow the orders of people, namely their parents, teachers, and babysitters. Following this, we can begin a deeper discussion of punishment and its merits and downfalls: when is it good to punish people? What good things come from punishment? When is punishment unfair? Discussion leaders can engage each individual student by asking them about their personal experiences with punishment. For young philosophers, discussion leaders could begin with a simple question: Why did Strega Nona punish Big Anthony, and was this punishment justified? Students’ answers can vary, touching on a variety of reasons for the validity of punishment perhaps the person has done something wrong, or they need to learn a lesson. Philosophers have cited a variety of reasons for the justification of punishment, such as retribution, rehabilitation, and deterrence. Punishment is a clear theme found within this book and a great place to begin the discussion. Read aloud video by StorylineOnline Guidelines for Philosophical Discussion Upon Strega Nona’s arrival, she blows three kisses and saves the town. Unfortunately, a great flood of pasta begins to overflow the entire town because Big Anthony doesn’t know how to stop the pot.

When Strega Nona leaves her house to visit a friend, Big Anthony uses the magic pasta pot to feed the villagers. One day, he observes her singing a spell to a magic pasta pot to produce large amounts of cooked pasta. She employs a young man named Big Anthony to help her with her chores. Strega Nona is a witch who helps villagers with their troubles. Questions for Philosophical Discussion » Summary Strega Nona is a story about punishment, authority, and trust.

Strega nona by tomie de paola