The contemporary literary landscape has welcomed a vibrant addition with the publication of “Ant,” a playful yet deeply philosophical short story by acclaimed Italian writer Giacomo Sartori. Translated expertly from the Italian by the collaborative duo Michela Martini and Elizabeth McKenzie, the piece explores the tension between collective survival and the magnetic, sometimes perilous pull of unfettered individuality. Featured in The Missouri Review’s online-only biweekly prose series, BLAST—a digital platform dedicated to showcasing dynamic prose too boundless for a standard print journal—the piece has drawn immediate critical and readerly acclaim.
Accompanied historically by Robert Hooke’s iconic 1665 microscopic rendering, Microscopic view of an ant or pismire, Sartori’s narrative positions itself at the intersection of fable, environmental observation, and psychological exploration. The story follows an anonymous, introspective worker ant who dares to step off the meticulously organized assembly line of the anthill. In doing so, she discovers a world of sensory richness, stray from dogma, and emotional awakening.
This comprehensive report examines the narrative mechanics of Sartori’s “Ant,” contextualizes its thematic weight within the author’s broader bibliography, and profiles the distinguished translators whose collaborative efforts brought this piece to English-language readers.
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Detailed Chronology & Narrative Arc
The Mechanized Harmony of the Anthill
Sartori opens the narrative by establishing the foundational philosophy of the ant colony: a harmonious, highly regimented existence where individual identity is subsumed by the collective good. The protagonist describes her daily routine with a mixture of comfort and conditioned acceptance. Tasks are assigned before dawn breaks, ranging from expanding pantries and cleaning up crumb supplies to maintaining the graveyard and tending to eggs.
For the colony, communication is constant. The ants chatter incessantly, masking their physical exhaustion through endless dialogue or cheerful marching chants designed to lift communal spirits. In stark contrast to the chaotic, ego-driven "law of the jungle" practiced by other creatures—where individuals horde food, guard resources jealously, and engage in constant turf disputes—the ant colony operates on a sacrosanct communist ethic: what’s mine is yours, and the good of the anthill comes before everything else.
The First Deviation: A Whim of the Imagination
Despite the comforting monotony of colony life, the protagonist confesses to harbouring an inner life characterized by introversion, occasional scatterbrained tendencies, and secret daydreams. Her closest friend—described humorously as a political extremist or "Maoist" due to her unwavering categorical opinions on every trivial matter—constantly polices her behavior, arguing that hard labor is the only reliable cure for whims and neuroses.
During a routine straw-transporting mission, the protagonist experiences a sudden, uncharacteristic urge. Instead of following the precise trajectory of the marching line ahead of her, she feels a vague, magnetic attraction to step off the path entirely.
“‘Come here, you’re making a mistake!’ the others would’ve immediately shouted… And yet, the more time that passed, the more that urge took on the characteristics of an uncontrollable itch.”
The Encounter Beyond the Path
Yielding to her imagination, she drifts into an unfamiliar meadow, finding herself entirely alone amidst a thrilling, unnerving silence. Abandoning her marching duties, she encounters two crickets interacting at the entrance of their den. Unlike the frantic, rushed interactions of her own species, the crickets are exchanging tender words, caressing each other, and revelling in affection.
The protagonist is struck by a profound inner turmoil—a whirlpool of emotional emptiness and inebriated dizziness sparked by the warmth of the setting sun and the fragrance of jasmine flowers. When she eventually returns to the anthill without her straw, her absence creates a minor scandal. Labeled a "poetess," a "dunce," and a "public menace," she is fiercely reprimanded by her closest friend, who prescribes double workloads as a remedy. Yet, despite her outward capitulation, the seed of individuality has been planted.
The Poppy Petal and the Incorrigible Mind
In the narrative’s closing sequence, the protagonist engages in another quiet act of psychological rebellion. While helping pile seeds for transport, her gaze wanders to a nearby poppy petal. She imagines slipping underneath it in secret, listening to her comrades panic over her disappearance, wondering whether she has turned anarchist or run off with a romantic partner. Overcome by a sudden, irrepressible fit of laughter, she struggles to maintain her composure when confronted by her friend, ultimately deflecting with a surreal remark about "the crickets’ sighs."
Supporting Context & Metrics
The Publication Vehicle: BLAST
“Ant” finds its natural home in BLAST, The Missouri Review’s specialized online-only series. Designed specifically to curate and distribute high-energy, formally adventurous prose that defies the physical constraints of traditional print publishing, BLAST has emerged as a vital digital incubator for international literature in translation. By partnering with translators of the caliber of Martini and McKenzie, the series consistently bridges the gap between avant-garde European fiction and American literary readership.
Authorial Background: Giacomo Sartori
Born in Trento, Italy, in 1958, Giacomo Sartori brings a unique scientific lens to his creative writing. By profession an agronomist and soil scientist living and working between France and Italy, Sartori’s deep familiarity with the subterranean world, plant biology, and ecosystems directly informs his allegorical fiction.
Sartori’s impressive literary portfolio includes:
- Novels: 8 published novels, including the critically acclaimed I am God (2018), which was named a Financial Times Best Book of 2019, won the 2019 Foreword INDIE Gold Award for Literary Fiction, and won the 2020 Italian Prose in Translation Award. His novels Baco [Bug] (2020) and Fisica delle separazioni (2024) achieved finalist status for multiple prestigious Italian literary prizes, including the Premio Procida and the Premio Chianti.
- Short Fiction & Poetry: 4 short story collections, 4 picture books, and a dedicated collection of poetry.
- Non-Fiction & Essays: Groundbreaking 2023 essays on environmental issues and agriculture, followed in 2025 by a definitive collection of writings focused on soil ecology.
- Editorial Leadership: Sartori serves as an active editor for the prominent Italian online literary collective Nazione Indiana (nazioneindiana.com).
Official Statements & Translator Profiles
The translation of “Ant” is part of an ongoing, highly decorated collaborative partnership between Michela Martini and Elizabeth McKenzie, whose work has been formally recognized by major national funding bodies. Notably, Martini and McKenzie were awarded a 2023 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Translation Grant to support their translation of Sartori’s upcoming novel, Anatomy of the Battle, slated for publication in 2027 by McNally Editions.
Michela Martini
Michela Martini brings an extensive academic and literary pedigree to her translation work. Having taught Italian language and culture at prestigious institutions including Suffolk University, Indiana University, Cabrillo College, and the University of California, Santa Cruz, she also co-founded and directed the Dante Alighieri Society of Santa Cruz.
Her translation credits span poetry and prose from foundational Italian modernists to contemporary voices, including Edoardo Sanguineti, Giorgio Caproni, Patrizia Valduga, Rossana Campo, Emanuele Trevi, and Ellen Bass. Her translated works have appeared in The Literary Review, Poetry International, Chicago Quarterly Review, and The FSG Book of 20th-Century Italian Poetry. In a testament to her standing in the global literary community, Martini was selected in 2025 as a juror for the Premio Strega, Italy’s most prestigious literary prize for contemporary fiction.
Elizabeth McKenzie
Elizabeth McKenzie is an internationally celebrated American novelist and short story writer. Her novel The Dog of the North earned selection as a New York Times Editors’ Choice and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Fiction. Her critically acclaimed novel The Portable Veblen achieved even wider recognition, being longlisted for the National Book Award, shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and awarded the California Book Award, alongside being named a Book of the Year by NPR, The Guardian, Kirkus Reviews, and the San Francisco Chronicle.
McKenzie’s bibliography also includes MacGregor Tells the World and Stop That Girl (shortlisted for The Story Prize). Her short fiction appears regularly in premier literary outlets such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Best American Nonrequired Reading.
Future Outlook
The publication of “Ant” in The Missouri Review’s BLAST series serves as a vital literary bridge, previewing the sophisticated thematic concerns that define Giacomo Sartori’s oeuvre. As readers await the 2027 release of Sartori’s translated novel Anatomy of the Battle—brought to life by the award-winning synergy of Michela Martini and Elizabeth McKenzie—short-form digital publications like “Ant” underscore the enduring power of translated fiction to challenge human self-perception through unexpected, non-human lenses.
By subverting the traditional fable—where insects invariably serve as moral lessons in diligent conformity—Sartori invites audiences to question the invisible paths they walk, the societal dogmas they unquestioningly march toward, and the liberating, albeit terrifying, beauty of stepping off the line.
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