Pasquale Peluso Character Analysis in My Brilliant Friend

Pasquale is Alfredo and Giuseppina’s son and Carmela’s older brother. He’s a construction worker and a Communist who develops a crush on Lila when she and Lenù are in middle school. Pasquale is a radical and an agitator—he knows the corrupt way things work in the neighborhood and the historical reasons for the crime that pervades it, and he is one of the only people willing to call out those in power (for examples, the Solaras) for the ways in which they terrorize their neighbors. Pasquale becomes instrumental in Lila’s education after her parents force her to drop out of school—while Lila can’t learn about books, languages, and religion in a classroom setting, she finds herself learning a lot about the history of Italy’s politics from the passionate, political Pasquale. Pasquale loves Lila intensely and wants to marry her, but Lila insists that she only sees Pasquale as a brother figure. After Lila’s rejection of him—and a few months of sour grapes—Pasquale becomes committed to defending Lila against any threat that comes her way.

Pasquale Peluso Character Timeline in My Brilliant Friend

The timeline below shows where the character Pasquale Peluso appears in My Brilliant Friend. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Don Achille’s “sworn enemy” is Signor Peluso, a carpenter with a gambling problem. Carmela and Pasquale, two of Lenù’s classmates, are the children of Signor Peluso. Their family is poorer than... (full context)

Pasquale Peluso, Carmela’s older brother, is also in attendance. He jokes with Lenù about the Cerullo... (full context)

Lenù rejoins Pasquale and walks with him down the street. They make a plan to visit Lila at... (full context)

...to buy Lenù’s books herself. She also tells them that Lenù has been seen with Pasquale Peluso, and they reprimand Lenù. Before leaving, Maestra Oliviero urges Lenù to tell Lila that... (full context)

That evening, shouts from the stairwell interrupt Lenù’s arguments with her parents over school and Pasquale. They open the door to find that Melina is having “a new crisis of madness.”... (full context)

The next day, Lenù goes to meet up with Pasquale against her parents’ wishes. She tells him about the drama with Melina and Donato, embellishing... (full context)

...not to be too distracted by the realization that it’s Lila, not herself, in whom Pasquale is interested. (full context)

Pasquale and Rino return to the shop. Pasquale says he has to get back to work... (full context)

...beyond the neighborhood. Lila responds to Lenù’s story by stating that they need to accept Pasquale’s invitation for Sunday. (full context)

...becoming richer than the Solaras, but he reels himself in around Lila. One evening, Rino, Pasquale, and Antonio take Lila and Lenù out into the city. Lila is clearly excited to... (full context)

At a pizzeria, Antonio flirts with Lenù, and Pasquale flirts with Lila. At one point in the night, Rino says he believes that the... (full context)

...One day toward the end of August, while out with in a group, Lenù, Carmela, Pasquale, Rino, and Antonio notice a man staring at Lila. He comes over to their table... (full context)

As the music continues, Lila dances with Pasquale. The Solaras taunt Stefano for letting Lila dance with a lowly construction worker. Lenù gets... (full context)

Outside, Lila and Lenù find Pasquale raving to Antonio, Carmela, Ada, and anyone else who will listen. He rails against the... (full context)

Lila is “moved and altered” by Pasquale’s explanations of the darker systems which move society. Lila becomes obsessed with naming people in... (full context)

Though Lila credits Pasquale with teaching her all these things about the world, she soon becomes uninterested in him.... (full context)

...noticed Lila continuing to change as the months go by. Lenù sees that Lila and Pasquale are spending more time together and becomes determined—desperate, even—to find a boyfriend of her own. (full context)

...admits that he—and many other boys—are indeed pursuing her, but she insists that things with Pasquale are simply platonic; he is still educating her about the world “before” their generation. Lila... (full context)

...is seven years older than her and Lila. She wants an older boyfriend like Stefano, Pasquale, or Enzo. Lenù hopes to attract the attention of an older boy, but all night,... (full context)

...Lila about the breakup, Lila confesses she’s received two declarations of her own: one from Pasquale, who declared his love for her in the street and begged her to marry him,... (full context)

One April Sunday, Lenù and Lila go out into the city with Carmela, Pasquale, and Rino. Lila suggests visiting a wealthy and trendy neighborhood. As they walk down the... (full context)

...men and women seem as if they have come from “some other planet.” Rino and Pasquale grow sullen, and the girls soon pick up on their energy. All of them start... (full context)

...they see a group of boys with sticks heading for where they’ve left Rino and Pasquale. They follow the boys with sticks and find them already beating Rino and Pasquale. The... (full context)

...that the Solaras are “shit,” but that the brothers at least came to Rino and Pasquale’s aid when they needed it. Lila simply shakes her head. (full context)

...very often—but Lila remains the central topic of Lenù’s gossip sessions with her other friends. Pasquale, still wounded by Lila’s relationship with Stefano, nevertheless jumps to the Cerullos’ defense when he... (full context)

When the rumors about Lila and Marcello reach Lenù’s friends, Enzo, Antonio, and Pasquale are more indignant than Stefano himself. Pasquale is particularly outraged, threatening to take revenge against... (full context)

...the support of Nino and Galiani. Word of Lenù’s outburst spreads quickly through her friend group—Pasquale and Lila are particularly impressed by her outspokenness. Lenù cultivates goodwill with the teacher she... (full context)

...greets him perfunctorily, but Antonio grabs her and leads her off with their friends toward Pasquale’s old car so that they can all drive to the restaurant. Antonio, sensing a change... (full context)

During the car ride, as Pasquale speeds along the avenues and their friends all laugh, Lenù feels completely alien. She is... (full context)