Find Me

Why does Aciman separate his novel into four different sections with different narrators? How does this narrative style help Aciman develop his theme(s)?

In what ways does Samuel and Miranda’s relationship parallel Michel and Elio’s relationship? In what ways do they differ? What message about age, time, and love does Aciman portray through these two relationships?

Find Me is a romance novel, but it also subverts many of the tropes of the romance genre. How does Find Me portray an alternate view of love?

Why does Aciman title his four separate narrative parts with musical terms? What is the symbolism of music in this novel, and how does it help develop character, plot, and/or theme?

What is the significance of the story of Ariel Waldstein? Why does Aciman include this subplot in the novel?

Oliver is attracted to Erica and Paul but doesn’t ultimately act on that desire. Why not? What message does Aciman reveal through the depiction of desire at a distance?

How does setting impact character development in this novel? Consider the settings of Italy, France, and the United States, as well as more specific settings such as Michel’s house or Samuel’s former apartment.

What is the role of nostalgia in this novel? How does a nostalgic tone challenge and build character development? How does the emotional tendency toward nostalgia contrast with the meticulous excavation of the past exhibited by Samuel in his scholarly work and Elio in his investigation into Ariel Waldstein?