Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

This section is titled “The End of Summer” and begins with the epigraph: “Do you remember the summer of the rain […]. You must let everything fall that wants to fall” (109). The rain motif continues at the end of the section, when Ari contemplates the beauty of the rain on Dante’s last night in El Paso. The author uses rain as a symbol of change, and many of the most emotionally profound moments in this novel occur during and after heavy rainfall: Dante’s last night in El Paso, the summer’s end, Ari pushing Dante out of the way of a car, and Dante being beaten up by a gang of boys for kissing another boy in an alley all occur during heavy rains. Ari struggles to accept the changes that the rain symbolizes, as does Dante. The final chapter ends with Ari thinking that “the world was ending,” a reference to an earlier quote and epigraph that captures the feeling of loss the boys will experience while they are living in different places (154).

Ari experiences complex emotions after the accident: he is relieved that Dante is alive but also angry at him. Dante is frustrated by Ari’s coldness and emotional distance, telling him that talking might help him. Refusing to open up, Ari’s similarities to his father emerge in this stressful time as he heals from his injuries, as he defaults to silence and distance. He becomes annoyed with everyone’s concern for his well-being and is “moody [and] inconsistent” (142). However, he dreads Dante’s coming move to Chicago and worries that he might miss him.

The Mendozas, the Quintanas, the doctors, and the hospital staff praise Ari’s bravery, but he does not take their compliments well: it is heavily implied that he fears that his instinct to save Dante’s life—at the possible expense of his own—reveals how he truly feels about Dante. He presents Dante with a list of “post-op rules” limiting what they can tell each other to avoid this possible conversation (128). Ari’s slow sexual awakening will continue to be complicated by feelings of shame, and overcoming that shame comprises the most important part of his character arc.

Ari frequently questions the motivations of those around him, wondering if they are only being kind out of guilt or pity for his injured condition. He is annoyed by the Quintanas’ gratitude and hates the flowers that surround him in the hospital room. The thought of being pitied brings out his misanthropic side. One positive event during this emotionally difficult section is the news of the new car. Although Ari is thrilled at the freedom the truck will afford him, he asks his parents if they are only giving him this gift out of pity. Another important gift is Dante’s sketchbook with the sketch of Ari, but Ari refuses to look at it because he suspects “Dante felt he owned me something. I didn’t want that” (132). When Dante gives him a sponge bath, Ari’s conflicting emotions reach their height. He describes Dante’s angelic appearance and his simultaneous desire to punch his face. The author gives greater depth and characterization to Ari by showing his imperfections and flawed humanity.

Aristotle’s immaturity is shown through his inability to accept help: “Even when I wanted to hate my mother, I loved her. I wondered if it was normal for fifteen-year-old boys to love their mothers” (138). Although he lashes out at his parents occasionally, he harbors deep affection for them. He watches his parents holding hands and thinks, “I bet you could sometimes find all of the mysteries of the universe in someone’s hand” (140). He idealizes their relationship and the love between them, wishing to have that kind of love for himself someday.