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
One afternoon on Dante’s front porch, Ari smiles when he notices Dante staring at his own feet. Dante wants to know what Ari is smiling about. Ari lies that it’s nothing, which Dante sees through. Ari thinks that Dante believes that people need to speak the truth, though Dante and Dad do both believe that people need to be truthful. Ari is like his dad and thinks that he can keep it private. Ari admits that he was smiling because Dante was looking at his own feet, and they discuss whether it’s weird or bad to study one’s own body. Dante asks if Ari likes dogs and then points out that dogs don’t have to wear shoes. Dante says he’d like a dog from the shelter.
In this situation, Ari’s ability to see that Dante and Dad aren’t so different in the way that they value truthfulness allows him to make more sense of Dad. Because of Ari’s friendship and closeness with Dante, he’s able to apply what he learns to his relationships with others. In doing so, he begins to connect better with those other people. Their discussion about bodies reminds the readers that the boys are in the throes of puberty, when their bodies are rapidly changing as well as their minds and their understanding of others.
Themes
They hear a noise across the street and see three boys with BB guns and a bird that they shot. Dante shouts at them to stop, races to them, and demands that they give him the BB gun. They argue about whether the second amendment applies to BB guns and Dante threatens them. Ari backs him up and threatens to beat up the boys, fearing that they’re going to hurt Dante. They all size each other up and when one boy looks ready to point his BB gun at Ari, Ari reaches over and takes it. It surprises the boy, and Ari throws the gun to the ground. The boys leave, mumbling.
Racing over to these boys shows that Dante is a selfless person and is extremely compassionate. Ari’s inner monologue, meanwhile, makes it clear that he cares deeply for Dante and will do anything to make sure that Dante is happy and safe. While Ari may not be so interested in the bird, being around Dante when he behaves like this can start to help Ari become more compassionate to all living things.
Themes
Dante and Ari stare at each other. Ari insists he doesn’t really like to fight, and Dante insists he’s not really a pacifist—he just doesn’t think people should kill birds for no reason. They agree to not tell Mrs. Quintana and decide that moms are strict because they love them and because they want them to stay boys forever. Dante looks ready to cry. They state that they’ve never seen the other so mad. Dante says that the bird is just a sparrow and begins to cry. They walk back to Dante’s house, where Dante throws his shoes across the street in anger, and Ari insists he wasn’t afraid of the boys. Dante admits that he was. Ari asks why birds exist. Dante says it’s obvious: they teach people about the sky.
The way that Dante tries to tell himself that the bird doesn’t matter creates the possibility that he’s embarrassed about his sensitivity, or at least doesn’t think that it’s the best thing to show off to other guys. However, the combination of Dante’s sensitivity and Ari’s fearless willingness to fight suggests that if a person can combine these two qualities, positive things can happen—a person can possibly save other people or animals from cruel situations like this.
Themes
Ari thinks that he wants to tell Dante that the bird doesn’t matter, but he knows that the bird is very important to Dante. When Dante is done crying, they bury the bird in Dante’s backyard. Dante cries again and Ari feels mean because he’s not sad. Ari thinks that now Dante knows that he’s not as emotional. Knowing that Dante wants to be alone, Ari says that they can go swimming tomorrow. Ari wonders what it’s like to be a guy who cries over a bird. As he walks home, he thinks about Dante’s answer as to why birds exist. It makes sense, and Ari wonders what his answer would be. He thinks that some guys have tears in them and some don’t and feels alone, but not in a bad way. He thinks that it’s amazing that Dante seems to have no darkness in him.
Ari seems somewhat anxious about not seeming as emotional as Dante, which shows that he recognizes that, at least for a person like Dante, being vulnerable and emotional is a positive thing. However, it’s important to note that Dante has grown up in a family that encouraged this kind of vulnerability, while Ari leans on his strength because his family doesn’t communicate well about difficult topics. In this case, Ari has more to learn about the benefits of being emotional and open.
Themes
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