Hannah answers “Why did Oliver get married? Wasn't he...”

Katrina asked this question about Call Me by Your Name:

Why did Oliver get married? Wasn't he still in love with Elio?

Hannah My interpretation was that Oliver is a gay man, who lives his life deeply deeply in the closet. The clues are all there ... the talk of wanting to be …moreMy interpretation was that Oliver is a gay man, who lives his life deeply deeply in the closet. The clues are all there ... the talk of wanting to be good, of trying to figure out what his relationship with Elio meant, of his dad putting him in a correctional facility and then the ultimate "I can't". Without doubt Elio was the greatest love of his life but he chose a parallel life, one mandated by societal expectations, familial expectations, perhaps career expectations. So many men - people - have lived that life, especially in that time, and so many still live it now. That for me was the absolute heartbreak of this book. I have a number of young gay friends and I am so grateful that we are now moving towards a world where they can live honestly, openly and authentically. Oliver could not. (less)

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