Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Identity, Ethnicity, and Masculinity
Silence and Trauma vs. Communication
Family and Coming of Age
Intellectualism and Emotion vs. Physical Strength
Summary
Analysis
The next morning, Ari thinks it’s weird to not have Mom home. Dad leaves a note asking Ari if he’s okay. Ari thinks he’s fine but as he and Legs run, he thinks of Dad and Dante. He wonders why they’re friends, but then thinks about Aunt Ophelia and why he never visits her. He loves her and thinks that he could make more of an effort. After Ari showers, he studies his body in the mirror. Aunt Ophelia is the only person who has ever told Ari that bodies are beautiful, and Ari wonders if he’ll ever think his own body is beautiful.
The way that Ari thinks about his relationship to Aunt Ophelia again shows that he’s beginning to come of age. Now, he recognizes that she’s an amazing mentor in a way that he didn’t recognize as a kid. He also understands that if he wants to maintain a relationship with her, he needs to put in the work and cannot stay silent.
Themes
