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
Ari runs past Dante’s house with Legs, even though he’s not sure if Dante is back in El Paso yet. He lets Legs off the leash in the park and thinks that he loves how open she is with her emotions and affection. Dante calls for Ari from the porch and Ari walks over. Dante hugs Ari and then pets Legs. Ari wonders where Dante’s happiness comes from, and whether he has the same kind of happiness inside of him. They remark on all the ways they’ve changed—Ari is muscled with long hair, and Dante is taller than Ari. They reaffirm that they’re friends, and Ari thinks that maybe this summer they’ll do nothing but laugh.
Being able to compare himself to Dante makes it even more pronounced that both boys have grown up a lot in the last nine or so months. While they’re now more adult—Ari can drive, and Dante is getting tall—they’re also still kids trying to figure out how they fit into the world. When Ari questions where Dante’s happiness comes from, it suggests that he doesn’t fully grasp yet that happiness comes from being open and vulnerable.
Themes
Dante invites Ari in, but Mr. Quintana steps outside and shouts for Mrs. Quintana. They hug Ari, and Ari wants to cry because he feels he doesn’t deserve the affection. He wishes he could be himself and not the guy who saved Dante, but he’s happy to see them anyway. Mrs. Quintana looks younger and more beautiful than ever. Dante asks when he can ride in Ari’s truck and asks Ari to teach him to drive.
Seeing Mrs. Quintana as so young and beautiful, and for no discernable reason, suggests that Ari has changed more in the last year than even his appearance would suggest. He’s seeing Mrs. Quintana as more than just Dante’s mom. Now, Ari is able to see her as a complex person with her own range of emotions.
Themes
Before Ari leaves, Mrs. Quintana pulls Ari aside and asks him to be careful when he lets Dante drive his truck. Ari promises to be careful and says that he’ll disappoint her someday. She kindly says that Ari is too hard on himself and that she missed him. Ari feels as though Mrs. Quintana’s love is a weight, even if she doesn’t mean it to feel that way.
The way that Ari interprets Mrs. Quintana’s love suggests that he is truly a part of the Quintana family, as this mirrors the way that Ari’s parents love him. The expectations that come with this maternal love make it feel like a burden.
Themes
