Sam Quintana Character Analysis in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Dante’s dad. Ari refers to him as Mr. Quintana for most of the novel. Mr. Quintana is an English professor and like Dante, he’s bright, open, and affectionate. Though Ari thinks that Mr. Quintana is certainly a dad (in that he has authority), he’s not scary and is generally easy to talk to. He laughs a lot, is a self-professed bad driver, and cares deeply for both Dante and Ari, especially after the accident in which Ari breaks both of his legs. After the accident, Ari begins to chafe under Mr. Quintana’s affection, as it feels like a burden and like Mr. Quintana only cares for Ari because Ari saved Dante—something that Mr. Quintana shows through his actions isn’t true. After a school year as a visiting professor in Chicago, Mr. Quintana and his family return to El Paso for Dante’s sake. Though Mr. Quintana suspected that Dante was gay, he doesn’t have to fully confront this fact until four boys beat Dante for kissing another boy. He’s distraught to learn that Dante was worried about disappointing him and so never came out to him, and he insists that he doesn’t care about having grandchildren. At this point, he asks Ari to start calling him Sam and the two begin to relate more as equals. Sam and Dad develop a friendship over the course of the novel’s second summer, which helps Dad learn how to open up to Ari.

Sam Quintana Quotes in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

The Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe quotes below are all either spoken by Sam Quintana or refer to Sam Quintana. 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:

Identity, Ethnicity, and Masculinity Theme Icon

It made me smile, the way they got along, the easy and affectionate way they talked to each other as if love between a father and a son was simple and uncomplicated. My mom and I, sometimes the thing we had between us was easy and uncomplicated. Sometimes. But me and my dad, we didn’t have that. I wondered what that would be like, to walk into a room and kiss my father.

Related Characters: Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza (speaker), Mom, Dante Quintana, Sam Quintana, Dad

Page Number and Citation: 26

Explanation and Analysis:

“My dad says it’s all right if people make fun of you. You know what he said to me? He said, ‘Dante, you’re an intellectual. That’s who you are. Don’t be ashamed of that.’”

I noticed his smile was a little sad. Maybe everyone was a little sad. Maybe so.

“Ari, I’m trying not to be ashamed.”

I knew what it was like to be ashamed. Only, Dante knew why. And I didn’t.

Related Characters: Dante Quintana (speaker), Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza (speaker), Sam Quintana

Page Number and Citation: 35

Explanation and Analysis:

“I mean, my dad’s parents were born in Mexico. They live in a small little house in East LA and they speak no English and own a little restaurant. It’s like my mom and dad created a whole new world for themselves. I live in their new world. But they understand the old world, the world they came from—and I don’t. I don’t belong anywhere. That’s the problem.”

Related Characters: Dante Quintana (speaker), Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza (speaker), Sam Quintana, Mrs. Quintana

Page Number and Citation: 87-88

Explanation and Analysis:

“When I went to the university, I never had one Mexican-American professor. Not one.” There was a look on her face, almost anger.

I knew so little about her. About what she’d been through—about what it felt like to be her. I’d never cared, not really. I was starting to care, starting to wonder. Starting to wonder about everything.

Related Characters: Mom (speaker), Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza (speaker), Sam Quintana

Page Number and Citation: 99

Explanation and Analysis:

The thing is I love my dad. My mom too. And I keep wondering what they’re going to say when I tell them that someday I want to marry a boy. I wonder how that’s going to go over? I’m the only son. What’s going to happen with the grandchildren thing? I hate that I’m going to disappoint them, Ari. I know I’ve disappointed you too.

Related Characters: Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza (speaker), Sam Quintana, Mrs. Quintana

Page Number and Citation: 227

Explanation and Analysis:

“He was so happy that you were going to have another baby. And not just because he was going to be a big brother. And he said, ‘He has to be a boy and he has to like girls.’ That’s what he said. So that you could have grandchildren. So that you could be happy.”

“I don’t care about grandchildren. I care about Dante.”

Related Characters: Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza (speaker), Sam Quintana (speaker), Dante Quintana

Page Number and Citation: 202

Explanation and Analysis:

Sam Quintana Character Timeline in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

The timeline below shows where the character Sam Quintana appears in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Silence and Trauma vs. Communication Theme Icon

...Dante changes the subject. Ari greets Mr. Quintana and refuses the invitation to call him Sam. Mr. Quintana suggests that Dante could learn some respect from Ari and sends Dante upstairs... (full context)

Intellectualism and Emotion vs. Physical Strength Theme Icon

...question and says that Ari is smart, no matter what he says to the contrary. Mr. Quintana told Dante that he’s an intellectual and shouldn’t be ashamed, but Ari notices that Dante... (full context)

One moonless night, Mr. Quintana and Mrs. Quintana take Ari and Dante to the desert to use Dante’s new telescope.... (full context)

...him. That night, they sleep in Dante’s backyard and listen to his parents talk inside, Mr. Quintana in English and Mrs. Quintana in Spanish. Ari says that his parents do that too.... (full context)

...to see who can throw their shoes the farthest. It’s systematic, and Dante even borrows Mr. Quintana ’s tape measure. Ari thinks this is silly, since they could just mark where the... (full context)

The game evolves. Mr. Quintana comes outside and reprimands Dante for playing in the street and beating up on his... (full context)

...they don’t think that girls should go to college. Mrs. Quintana went anyway and met Mr. Quintana at Berkeley. Mr. Quintana’s parents were born in Mexico and own a small restaurant in... (full context)

...that it’s Dante’s book and that the Quintanas have poetry books everywhere. Mom says that Mr. Quintana ’s job is wonderful. Ari is skeptical, but Mom says with anger that she didn’t... (full context)

...starts to pour. They walk slowly in the rain until they get to Dante’s house. Mr. Quintana lectures them about common sense. Ari apologizes and looks down, but Mr. Quintana lifts his... (full context)

Later, Ari asks Dante if Mr. Quintana ever gets mad. Dante says that once, he made him mad on purpose to get... (full context)

...reverie when Dante says that his family is leaving for a year for Chicago, where Mr. Quintana is going to be a visiting professor. Ari is sad, but he refuses to admit... (full context)

...that he dove in front of an oncoming car for someone else. A bit later, Mr. Quintana and Mrs. Quintana visit. Mr. Quintana kisses Ari and they thank him over and over.... (full context)

Mr. Quintana says that he’s not leaving Dante behind and that Dante is going to miss Ari.... (full context)

Ari can’t deal with Mr. Quintana ’s gratitude when they leave. Mrs. Quintana is even worse, however: she doesn’t wear her... (full context)

Mr. Quintana , Mrs. Quintana, and Dante come over on the night before they leave. Ari and... (full context)

...diverse, which is great, but his parents won’t let him ride public transit at night. Mr. Quintana likes his job, and Mrs. Quintana is writing a book about addiction and young people.... (full context)

...He admits that he’s obsessed and thinks it’s a phase, but doesn’t want to ask Mr. Quintana about it. He asks how often it’s normal to masturbate. Ari is mad about the... (full context)

Dante writes that he’s worried what Mrs. Quintana and Mr. Quintana will say when Dante admits that he wants to marry a boy. He won’t be... (full context)

Dante invites Ari in, but Mr. Quintana steps outside and shouts for Mrs. Quintana. They hug Ari, and Ari wants to cry... (full context)

Ari and Legs pick Dante up that evening. Mr. Quintana and Mrs. Quintana come outside to look at Ari’s truck. Dante, inspecting the rims, says... (full context)

...Dante says that Mrs. Quintana is reserved, but he also thinks that his mom loves Mr. Quintana more than his dad loves her. They wonder if love is a contest, and Dante... (full context)

At Dante’s house, Mr. Quintana and Mrs. Quintana see that Ari is crying and invite him inside. Dante smiles at... (full context)

...dinner together and feed Legs scraps. Dad invites Ari to go bowling with him and Mr. Quintana , so Ari calls Dante to invite him. Dante says to say no so that... (full context)

...step outside so Dad can smoke. Dad says that bowling was fun; both he and Mr. Quintana are horrible at it. After a minute, Dad says that Aunt Ophelia had a stroke... (full context)

...of his dream and wanting to masturbate. He walks to Dante’s house to get Legs. Mr. Quintana answers and Legs is thrilled to see Ari. Ari notices that Mr. Quintana looks like... (full context)

...that Dante didn’t want to betray Mr. Quintana. Mr. Quintana asks Ari to call him Sam, and Ari points out that Dante loves his dad. Ari says that Dante was thrilled... (full context)

...Dante’s hand and says that he hates the boys who did this. He sits with Sam and Mrs. Quintana, and Mrs. Quintana confirms that Ari will always be Dante’s friend. Ari... (full context)

Later, Sam and Mrs. Quintana walk Ari to his truck. Mrs. Quintana tells Ari what happened: an... (full context)

...pictures of Bernardo and asks where Dad went. Mom says that he went to see Sam to talk, since they’re friends. (full context)

While Dante naps one day, Ari sits with Mrs. Quintana and Sam. Mrs. Quintana says that there’s nothing wrong with seeing a therapist and Ari watches them... (full context)

Ari assures Sam that he’s not going to go after the other boys. He says that he’s not... (full context)

...She’s a sophomore. They laugh together, but Ari walks away and heads for Dante’s house. Sam opens the door and says that Dante is doing better. He hesitates and says that... (full context)

Dante calls and says that Sam told him that Ari was upset. Ari deflects, but says that he just wasn’t in... (full context)

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Sam Quintana Character Analysis

Sam Quintana Quotes in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Part One, Chapter Five Quotes

Part One, Chapter Seven Quotes

Part Two, Chapter Eight Quotes

Part Two, Chapter Eleven Quotes

Part Four, Chapter Thirty Quotes

Part Six, Chapter Two Quotes

Sam Quintana Character Timeline in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe