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Part Four, Chapter Thirteen
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
Susie and Gina help Ari track down Ileana’s locker, but they also warn him to leave Ileana alone. According to them, Ari is “just a boy,” while Ileana is a woman. Ari leaves her a note saying “Hi,” anyway.
From Susie and Gina’s warnings, it’s clear that although Ari wants to appear mature and masculine, in reality he is still too young and inexperienced to realize that pursuing Ileana is unwise. This, too, suggests that Susie and Gina are genuine friends who are concerned with protecting Ari.
Themes
