Previous
Part Six, Chapter Twenty
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
When they finish bowling, Ari drives into the desert. Dante tries to insist that it’s late, but he agrees to go. When they arrive, Ari says that he loves the desert and the tennis shoes hanging from his rearview. Dante sounds angry and says that he can’t just be friends anymore. He gets out and slams the door and when Ari touches his shoulder, he tells Ari not to. Ari feels inadequate and small as he asks Dante to not be mad and reminds him about the time they kissed. This makes Dante even angrier, and Dante says that he hates talking about that kiss.
It’s important to note that even though Ari feels inadequate and small in this situation, he doesn’t do what he normally does when he feels this way—instead, he keeps talking. This shows that now, Ari is willing to accept his sexuality and recognize that if he’s going to be happy, he needs to begin communicating openly and honestly with the object of his affection, Dante.
Themes
Ari confesses that he lied when he said that the kiss didn’t do anything for him. He takes Dante’s shoulders, looks him in the eye, and says that the only thing he’s afraid of is Dante. He asks Dante to kiss him. Dante refuses and then smiles and asks Ari to kiss him. Ari does. They laugh and talk and look at the stars, and Dante says that he wishes it were raining. Ari says that they don’t need the rain.
Dante’s suggestion that they need rain indicates that he understands the how, like a storm, the changes he and Ari need to undergo in order to mature are dramatic. Ari, on the other hand, now recognizes that they don’t need outside forces to change. They just need to make the changes themselves and communicate honestly.
Themes
Ari thinks that he’s been trying to figure out the secrets of the universe and what’s wrong with him. Now, he knows that he’s been in love with Dante since the moment they met and he thinks that Dad was right—everyone is fighting their own war. Lying in the truck bed with Dante, Ari feels free and unafraid for the first time. He thinks of telling Mom how ashamed he was of loving Dante. He takes Dante’s hand and wonders how he could’ve ever been ashamed.
It’s telling that once Ari admits who he is and what he wants, his shame lifts. This, then, becomes a message to readers that it’s much healthier to accept one’s true identity rather than hiding it. Staying silent can lead to seemingly inexplicable anger and brutality, while speaking the truth allows a person to feel more at ease and happier in the world.
Themes
