: They meet Il Matto (The Fool), a gentle tightrope walker played by Richard Basehart, who gives Gelsomina a sense of self-worth by telling her that "even a pebble" has a purpose .

Fellini used the three central characters to represent elemental forces:

: Symbolizes brutality, physical dominance , and a lack of self-awareness .

The film follows the tragic journey of (Giulietta Masina), a simple-minded young woman sold by her mother to Zampanò (Anthony Quinn), a brutish traveling strongman . As they wander the Italian countryside:

: Represents purity, spirituality, and innocence .