In Italo Svevo's 'Zeno's Conscience', Zeno Cosini's endless, failed attempts to smoke his 'Last Cigarette' ('ultima sigaretta') serve as a symbol for:
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Correct answer: Chronic weak willpower, self-deception, and the habit of using resolutions to delay living
Zeno's constant declaration of the 'last cigarette' is a quintessential symbol of passive procrastination and psychological displacement. By continually scheduling his change for the future, he allows himself to enjoy the vice in the present, revealing the irony of human self-sabotage.
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