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Marcello Solara
Rino is Fernando and Nunzia Cerullo’s son and Lila Cerullo’s older brother. Rino is just as ambitious as his younger sister, and he, too, hates the way their neighborhood is run by violence and corruption. He longs to find a way to escape his lowly station as a shoemaker’s apprentice, and when Lila approaches him with an idea for a line of fine men’s and women’s shoes that will help pull their father’s cobbler business out of obscurity, Rino is all in. However, Rino approaches his upward climb much differently than Lila does—because he is a man who has been raised in a neighborhood steeped in a culture of male violence, he believes that in order to prove himself to the wealthy, powerful people who run the neighborhood (such as the Solaras), he must use displays of brute force to make himself seen, known, and respected. During a New Year’s Eve fireworks display, Rino attempts to show up the Solaras by launching the neighborhood’s biggest light show. His efforts to prove his dominance are met with even more violence from the Solaras. Amid this process of trying to prove his manliness, worth, and power, Rino reveals his true self to Lila, who begins to feel that Rino is just like every other man in the neighborhood: ruthless, cruel, violent, and miserable. A complicated and volatile figure, Rino truly seems to long for his family’s betterment—but any time his authority over Lila is questioned or his plans don’t work out the way he wants, he becomes violent and rageful. Rino’s arc demonstrates the novel’s examination of masculine versus feminine violence, as well as the demands and sacrifices that climbing out of poverty require.
Rino Cerullo Quotes in My Brilliant Friend
The My Brilliant Friend quotes below are all either spoken by Rino Cerullo or refer to Rino Cerullo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Adolescence: Chapter 8 Quotes
I tried to remind her of the old plan of writing novels… […] I was stuck there, it was important to me. I was learning Latin just for that, and deep inside I was convinced that she took so many books from Maestro Ferraro's circulating library only because, even though she wasn't going to school anymore, even though she was now obsessed with shoes, she still wanted to write a novel with me and make a lot of money. Instead, she shrugged… […] "Now," she explained, "to become truly rich you need a business."
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Early on in the second part of the novel, Lenù and Lila’s paths begin to diverge sharply: Lenù continues on in middle school, while Lila, whose parents cannot afford to continue supporting her education, goes to work for her father in his cobbler shop alongside her brother Rino. In this passage, Lenù, fearful that Lila is drifting apart from her (and jealous of the gusto with which Lila has thrown herself into the craft of making and mending shoes), attempts to connect with Lila over the subject which bonded them most closely together: language, literature, and writing. As the novel Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deseru
Adolescence: Chapter 12 Quotes
I told her in a rush that I was going to the high school. […] I did it because I wanted her to realize that I was special, and that, even if she became rich making shoes with Rino, she couldn't do without me, as I couldn't do without her.
She looked at me perplexed.
"What is high school?" she asked.
"An important school that comes after middle school."
"And what are you going there to do?"
"Study."
"What?"
"Latin,"
"That's all?"
"And Greek."
[…]
She had the expression of someone at a loss, finding nothing to say. Finally she murmured, irrelevantly, "Last week I got my period."
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In this passage, as Lenù passes her high school entrance exam, she finds herself slightly disappointed and lonely when no one—not even her parents—seem too excited about her academic success. Lenù decides to go to Lila to share the good news with her—but Lila, too, is “perplexed” rather than excited by Lenù’s announcement. As the passage unfolds, Ferrante shows how Lila uses willful ignorance and purposefully forces Lenù to consider the smallness of her achievement and the irrelevance of school and learning in order to make her feel bad. Lila, who herself is intensely jealous of Lenù’s ability to continue Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Vol
Adolescence: Chapter 20 Quotes
[Rino] had always seemed to her only generously impetuous, sometimes aggressive, but not a braggart. Now, though, he posed as what he was not. He felt he was close to wealth. A boss. Someone who could give the neighborhood the first sign of the good fortune the new year would bring by setting off a lot of fireworks, more than the Solara brothers, who had become in his eyes the model of the young man to emulate and indeed to surpass, people whom he envied and considered enemies to be beaten, so that he could assume their role.
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In this chapter, as Rino declares his intention to host a New Year’s Eve party with a massive firework display that will rival that of the Solaras’ yearly blowout, Lila becomes concerned about the changes she has begun to witness in her brother. Given the entrenched, immutable social hierarchy of the neighborhood, attempts to get “close to wealth” or act like a “boss” are not just foolish but dangerous. In attempting to outdo the Solaras, Rino is making a statement for the whole neighborhood to see about who deserves to be in charge. The fireworks, which are crucially important to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est.
Adolescence: Chapter 22 Quotes
[Lila] was staring at the shadow of her brother—the most active, the most arrogant, shouting the loudest, bloodiest insults in the direction of the Solaras' terrace—with repulsion. It seemed that she, she who in general feared nothing, was afraid. […] We were holding on to each other to get warm, while they rushed to grab cylinders with fat fuses, astonished by Stefano's infinite reserves, admiring of his generosity, disturbed by how much money could be transformed into fiery trails, sparks, explosions, smoke for the pure satisfaction of winning.
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In this passage, Lenù recalls a fateful New Year’s Eve celebration at the home of the Carraccis. At this party, Rino and his friends—with the help of Stefano—set off a massive display of fireworks meant to rival the Solaras’ yearly blowout and suggest to the Solaras that their position of dominion in the neighborhood was not fixed. This passage is significant because it demonstrates the ways in which male violence controls and seeps into every part of life in Lila and Lenù’s neighborhood—even momentous celebrations such as this one are easily tainted and warped by the desire of the neighborhood’s Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit b
Adolescence: Chapter 27 Quotes
“What would it cost you to let him see them?” I asked, confused.
She shook her head energetically. “I don’t even want him to touch them.”
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In this passage, Lila cowers alone in her building’s stairwell during one of Marcello Solara’s visits to her family’s home. The cruel yet handsome and powerful Marcello has been courting Lila for months, and no amount of indifference or outright contempt she shows him can scare him away. Her parents encourage Lila to accept Marcello, knowing that a match between them would do wonders for their social and economic position—not to mention for Fernando’s cobbler shop. Just before this scene, Lila has been sent to fetch a pair of shoes that she and Rino made themselves as a prototype of Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferen
Adolescence: Chapter 38 Quotes
Punctually, three days later, he went to the store and bought the shoes, even though they were tight. The two Cerullos with much hesitation asked for twenty-five thousand lire, but were ready to go down to ten thousand. He didn't bat an eye and put down another twenty thousand in exchange for Lila's drawings, which—he said—he liked, he wanted to frame them.
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In this passage, Stefano Carracci visits the Cerullo shoe shop in order to purchase the shoes Lila and Rino have made—as well as Lila’s sketches for a line of fine shoes for men and women—for an exorbitant price. Thus far, Lila and Rino’s shoes have served as a symbol of the sacrifices Lila has made over the last several years in pursuit of economic and social advancement for herself and her family. Lila has given up school to learn the craft of shoemaking—and now, the shoes she has made, as well as her designs for future models, have been sold Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint ape
Adolescence: Chapter 62 Quotes
Marcello sat down, loosened his tie, crossed his legs.
The unpredictable revealed itself only at that point. I saw Lila lose her color, become as pale as when she was a child, whiter than her wedding dress, and her eyes had that sudden contraction that turned them into cracks. […] She was looking at the shoes of Marcello Solara.
[…] Marcello had on his feet the shoes bought earlier by Stefano, her husband. It was the pair she had made with Rino, making and unmaking them for months, ruining her hands.
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In the final lines of the novel, Lila is horrified to realize that her new husband, Stefano, has broken his very first promise to her: the promise that her former suitor Marcello Solara would not be present at their wedding. Not only does Marcello show up at the reception and take a seat at the newlyweds’ table—but when he does, he reveals smugly that he is wearing the very shoes which Lila and Rino made together as a prototype for a line of Cerullo shoes for men. Marcello refused to buy the prototype when it was shown to him—but Stefano Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptat
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Rino Cerullo Character Timeline in My Brilliant Friend
The timeline below shows where the character Rino Cerullo appears in My Brilliant Friend. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Adolescence: The Story of the Shoes, Chapter 9
...library. The winners of the ceremony are called out: Rafaella Cerullo, Fernando Cerullo, Nunzia Cerullo, Rino Cerullo , and, in fifth, Elena Greco—Lenù herself. Lenù receives a book as a prize. She...
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