From a Tiny Town to a Whale's Belly

Taking place in a small, presumably Italian village, Pinocchio features a magical setting befitting its fairy tale-inspired plot. Despite this, we don't learn anything in particular about Geppetto's hometown. We don't get a tour or travel brochure or anything.

Island Life

Pleasure Island is different story. Disobedient young men are drawn to this island by stories of it as an anarchistic paradise.

Just look at how Lampwick describes it:

LAMPWICK: Ever been to Pleasure Island? [...] They say it's a swell joint. No school, no cops. You can tear the joint apart and nobody says a word.

And it's true. Pleasure Island has a carnival-like atmosphere, replete with booths to indulge in specific vices, like fighting, smoking, and breaking stuff.

Of course, what the boys don't know is that their trip ends with them being transformed into donkeys and sold. That's a big downside. What's more, the juxtaposition between the fun the boys have on Pleasure Island and their ultimate donkey-fied transformation shows us the potential consequences of Pinocchio's immorality.

A Whale of a Setting

Even Pleasure Island doesn't compare to Monstro's belly, however. This is a dark, dank, and terrifying place, providing another cautionary tale for Pinocchio's moral growth.

Plus, there's no Wi-Fi. Could you think of anything more horrifying?

Through these distinct settings, Pinocchio illustrates its titular character's moral growth over the course of the film. It might not always be pretty but, well, that's exactly the point.