[quote]I loved it I just don’t get the sore Armie had on his side. What was the point of having that in the story ?
Vulnerability. Like Elio's nosebleeds.
[quote]I don't remember anything in the book about future students.
When Oliver comes to visit at Christmas (he just calls in the movie), they all sit around and discuss who will be the next student, as it is a tradition that the previous student gets to give their input about the candidates, but we never learn anything further about who was chosen.
We do learn that the student before Oliver, named Pavel, was pushing a friend of his for the position the year before - but Mrs. Perlman didn't like Pavel, she felt he was anti-Semitic and refused to have anything to do with his choice. Oliver was apparently not really a standout among the choices, but somehow it came up that he is Jewish - and Elio upon seeing his photo is secretly attracted to him, and pushes strongly for him to be the one. As he tells Oliver, 'I made sure they picked you.'
{quote]It is kind of superfluous in hindsight, but it does show this lovely and compassionate side to Oliver from the very beginning.
I also felt that it's a touch of foreshadowing about his paternal instincts/desire to be a father.
[quote]yeah i think the book makes it quite clear that the "does mom know?" question is about elio and oliver.
Yes, Elio's take on his father's answer makes it plain: "I don't think she does." [italic]His voice meant, "But even if she did, I am sure her attitude would be no different than mine."[/italic]
I totally get why people who have only seen the movie think Elio is asking whether Mrs P knows about Mr. P's past, though, because they played up considerably both Mrs. P's awareness of Elio and Oliver in the film AND made both she and her husband a bit more cheerleaderish about the relationship than they are in the book - so it seems less likely that Elio could even question whether she knows.