He chooses to marry Giulia, an empty-headed woman because she is mediocre and he longs for formal acceptance into the leadership of the Party. As he explains, "I'm going to build a life that's normal. I'm marrying a petty bourgeoisie...Mediocre. A mound of petty ideas" (Bertolucci 1970).
Striving to become "normal," never venturing beyond the "average," and always doing his "duty" become the driving forces of Marcello's life because he thinks they will make him forget the past. Likewise, such a course of behavior permits him to absolve himself of any responsibility for his actions in conforming. He will ultimately trade-off his acquaintanceship with a former professor (a leader of the resistance) to win acceptance into the Party's higher ranks. When Giulia tells him to remain indoors, fearing for his safety, he replies, "I won't be in danger. After all, what have I done? My duty" (Bertolucci 1970).
By conformity driving his every action, Marcello must deny the impulses that might bring him greater happiness and fulfillment in the present. He betrays the professor who treats him well. He betrays the professor's wife who he hypocritically has a sexual encounter with in addition to her having sex with Giulia. The drive for sameness in order to forget the past not only creates an unhappy life for Marcello and those whose lives are impacted by his behavior, but it also seems to be the quality Bertolucci finds most dangerous when it comes to the emergence of fascism. Marcello maintains the following description of a "normal man" offered by Marcello is a "true fascist": "He likes people similar to himself and does not trust those who are different. That's why a normal man is a true brother, a true citizen, a true patriot" (Bertolucci 1970).
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