Elio is the narrator and central protagonist of this novel. At 17 years old, his narrative is a coming-of-age story in which his experiences with sex and love teach him about himself and the world around him. His narrative voice is that of the older Elio looking back on his youth. This voice reveals that though decades go by, there is still an air of mystery around Elio’s youthful summer of love.

Elio is a highly intellectual and sensitive young man. He is raised in Italy by his American father and his Italian mother. Elio spends his summer days transcribing music and reading. Though his parents worry that he doesn’t socialize with people his own age enough, Elio is happy to be immersed in deep and philosophical thinking. Because of his age, he is often self-conscious and doubts his mannerisms. He worries about being too vulnerable with people and characterizes himself as someone who prefers banter to open communication. This is because Elio is unsure of himself and easily intimidated by people he finds intelligent. Elio’s adolescent self-consciousness is typical of being a teenager, a stage in life when one is constantly second-guessing how they appear to others.