Umberto Eco (* January 5th, 1932 in Alessandria, Piemont) is a highly-gifted Italian Student. His father is a Bookkeeper, his Grandfather a printer.
In School, he has to memorize, like all Students in Italy, the important parts of the great speeches of Dictator Mussolini - in Practice, the whole speech, because supposedly, every sentence is an important part. Since it's compulsory, he also has to become a member of the Balilla, the fascist Organisation for boys.