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
Mom makes Ari take her out for a drive before she lets him go out alone. She warns him that if he ever drinks and drives, she’ll sell the truck. Otherwise, Ari’s life is uncomplicated. He gets lots of letters from Dante, and Dante tells him that he’s still kissing girls but would rather be kissing boys. Ari isn’t sure what to think of that, but he knows that he has to be okay with it if he’s going to be Dante’s friend. Ari thinks that he’s trying to make his life uncomplicated since everything inside feels very complicated. He has bad dreams often, and dreams one night that his legs are gone. Ari wakes up screaming and Dad comforts him. Ari wishes that he didn’t remember his dreams.
Even though Ari isn’t sure how to think about Dante’s admission that he’s interested in men, it’s important and commendable that Ari understands that, regardless of his own sexuality, he needs to be there for Dante. This demonstrates that Ari is an intensely loyal friend, especially when it comes to Dante—and also, especially when it comes to things that are uncomfortable to admit. This shows that Ari understands how to deal with these kinds of truths on the receiving end; he just has to figure out how to admit them to himself.
Themes
