Flora Fauna in Captain Corelli s Mandolin

1. Flora & Fauna in Captain Corelli�s Mandolin Introduction This very small slide show gives you some information on the plants and animals that appear in Louis de Berni�re� s Captain Corelli�s Mandolin, as well as some guidance on their importance in the book. We hope you find this site useful. Thanks for your visit !

2. Psipsina, the pine marten Pine Marten is a carnivorous mammal widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere and valued for its thick fur. Martens are long and graceful animals, with short legs, and toes armed with sharp claws. Martens live in hollows of trees when they are not in search of the rodents, birds, and birds' eggs that constitute their food. The common American species is the American marten, which is about 60 to 90 cm (about 12 to 36 in) in total length, with a tail about 20 cm (about 8 in) long. The animal is yellowish-chestnut in general body color, with darker feet, and orange or white on the throat and chest. Psipsina is the animal that appears more often in the book. It is Pelagia�s most beloved pet. Pine martens are to the Greek villagers what cats are to us. Psipsina is there whenever its master wants. It is there when she is betrayed by Mandras, when she falls in love with the young Italian officer Antonio Corelli, when the German invaders attack the village, whenever she feels happy, sad, angry or joyful. It represents the companionship between owner and pet perfectly. The pine marten takes the role of the brother or sister, or even mother, Pelagia never had. That is why it is so important for the family�s stability. Psipsina cleans the house from undesirable rats and pests, and, in return, Dr. Iannis and his daughter feed and care for it. This shows how animals can become adapted to human circumstances and how they suffer from these (Psipsina dies by a crushing blow from a German soldier).