Aristotle and Dante Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

For this week's blog, we read the book, Aristotle and Dante, Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Alire Saenz. I wanted to talk about the title of the book. Aristotle and Dante, Secrets of the Universe. If you just take the second part of the title Secrets of the universe it would mean something different to every person. It also would be a learning process. It's not something you can answer in one word. Ari had many secrets of the universe. "I parked my truck in the driveway and just sat there. Drinking my beer. I let Legs in the truck with me and she tried to lick my beer can so I had to tell her that beer wasn’t good for dogs. Probably, beer wasn’t good for boys either. But, you know, I was experimenting. You know, discovering the secrets of the universe. Not that I thought I’d find the secrets of the universe in a Budweiser" (207). This is the first time he mentions trying to find the secrets of the universe. This was when he was also growing up and becoming more mature. He had told his mom that he wouldn't drink but now he is. He also told her at one point that if he does break a rule that he would make sure to do it behind her back. Another time he mentions the secrets of the universe was when he went to go see Dante after they had spent some time apart and they just started driving. "I just drove. I could have driven forever. I don’t know how I managed to find my spot in the desert, but I found it. It was as if I had a compass hidden somewhere inside me. One of the secrets of the universe was that our instincts were sometimes stronger than our minds"(261). Another time he mentions that does are the secret of the universe. In the last chapter of the book, Ari realizes the that secret of the universe was Dante. "We laughed and we talked and looked up at the stars. “I wished it was raining,” he said. “I don’t need the rain,” I said. “I need you.” He traced his name on my back. I traced my name on his. All this time. This was what was wrong with me. All this time I had been trying to figure out the secrets of the universe, the secrets of my own body, of my own heart. All of the answers had always been so close and yet I had always fought them without even knowing it. From the minute I’d met Dante, I had fallen in love with him. I just didn’t let myself know it, think it, feel it. My father was right. And it was true what my mother said. We all fight our own private wars"(358). I really liked the ending quote because it shows how much all the characters have changed and how much they have grown. They are all finding who they are and getting past their struggles.

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