Call Me By Your Name Lesson Plan

Why do you think Elio wanted to show Oliver “where it started”? To what does "it" refer?

The place where Elio tells Oliver that “it” started is where a man on a bicycle chatted Elio up a few years earlier. The man touched Elio’s hand and put his arm around Elio. He asked Elio if he wanted to go to a movie or to the store where he worked, and Elio said no. He asked if Elio was shy, and Elio nodded. Elio told Oliver he turned down so many men after this and never chased after anyone until Oliver. Just as Elio felt his private area of Monet’s berm would help Oliver understand him, it’s reasonable to guess that showing Oliver the place where another man first recognized him...