The cook in Elio’s family’s summer home. Mafalda is a kind Italian woman who, like everybody else, warms up to Oliver and his casual Americanisms. A caring and attentive person, Mafalda is something of a third parent to Elio, as she frequently worries about him and does what she can to take care of him. Because she’s so attuned to the comings and goings of the house, though, it’s all Elio can do to keep his relationship with Oliver hidden from her, thinking that she probably wouldn’t approve.
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Mafalda Character Timeline in Call Me By Your Name
The timeline below shows where the character Mafalda appears in Call Me By Your Name. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1: If Not Later, When?
...remembers that Oliver declined soft-boiled eggs every morning when he first arrived, but that once Mafalda—the cook—offered to open them for him, he accepted them eagerly. This, he admitted with embarrassment,...
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Oliver now eats two soft-boiled eggs each morning, which Mafalda peels for him. When she offers a third, though, he declines, saying, “I know myself....
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...lose interest in her, though not completely. While waiting for him one day, she overhears Mafalda talking about the fact that she’s much too young for Oliver. “Nobody asked you anything,”...
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Part 2: Monet’s Berm
The next morning, Elio opens Oliver’s soft-boiled eggs, taking Mafalda’s job and surprising everyone at the table. In particular, his father takes note of this...
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