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Part Four, Chapter Three
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 asks Mom if she does icebreakers with her students. She says she does and that she likes to get to know them. She insists that students are people and are interesting. Ari says that students are difficult, and Mom says that’s part of the charm. Ari knows she’s being ironic.
As a teacher, Mom understands that intellectual pursuits and emotions are, in the best cases, linked. She likely seeks to teach her students to be kind and curious, just as she’d like Ari to be.
Themes
