This literary fiction work is the Italian translation of Le déserteur by Jean Giono, published in 1997 by Guanda and translated by P. Bocconi. Set in post-war rural France, the novel explores the moral and psychological dimensions of desertion, individual freedom, and resistance to institutional violence. Giono weaves lyrical prose with philosophical reflection, focusing on themes of conscience, nature, and human dignity. The narrative structure is introspective and fluid, characteristic of Giono’s style, and the work is relevant for readers interested in 20th-century French literature, pacifism, and existentialism.