OF MY MYSTERIES, RAINS AND SECRET UNIVERSE
I WISHED THAT DANTE AND I LIVED THE universe of boys instead of the universe of almost men
This Print Honor Book 2013 recipient il you are wondering is an introspective coming-of-age story about two Mexican-American boys growing up in El Paso Texas, in 1987. Coming from the perspective of Ari quiet boy who has shrunk inside himself as he struggles entering manhood with his friend, Dante As the title of the book speaks for the plot, they are set to discover some mysteries of the universe, the ones that are not scientific in nature. And it turns out to be a revelation in the course of limanity and even literature.
Benjamin Alire Saenz set an opposing dichotomy between the two main characters Aris pessimistic mind mismatched with Dante's optimistic viewpoint of the world. Ariv introverted nature opposes Dantes likeable and friendly personality. Ari prefers to bottle up his emotions while Dante is not afraid to show what he feels I feel alienated from the masculinity that the boys at his school uphold. Dante stands in contrast to that kind of masculinity in various ways. These contradictions became the foundation of their friendship as each friend delves into each other's identities.
Like how must coming of age navels plot revolves, this is a delicate curation brings up questions of identity particularly in terms of sexuality and sexual orientation. As a teen-centered LGBT novel. It deals with the themes of coming out in a place and time where being gay was not seen as an easily acceptable concept. It puts emphasis on gender roles, specifically masculinity.
The book chronicles during ane summer one school year, and following another summer. They experimented with s kissing a girl and a boy. They also tried weed. They drank heet. They fell in love with different people. They fall out of love. All of which are details that reveal their actions which led to their own personal descoveries.
The novel puts a bigger picture on Aristotle, better known as Ari, the narrator who is fifteen years old at the beginning of the book. Despite his name reference to the greatest philosopher of all time, Ari is full of his both external and internal. This came from the fact that his family have erased a significant part of their family history and therefore he has difficulty in acknowledging his roots. His capacity to connect with other people outside his family was greatly affected Even as he craves intimacy, he is were to letting himself be vulnerable enough to establish trust and deeper bonds with other people Because he feels that he lacks agency in many ways, he sets up rules to protect himself, but ultimately these rules reinforce his isolation and emotional distance.
He doesn't let anyone in, and he also doesn't let anything out, which leads to involuntary emotional outhunts be traverse his roads.
That's where Dante comes in Dte knos nme is alluded to Dante Algher, the famous poet of Dine Comedy. He is like poetry personified The way he was described in the novel proved that be beautiful perion. He is intellectually imart. He is sociale te knows how to swim He was las heart on his sleeve, He cries and he is not afraid to show his vulnerability When Ari looks at Dante, he sees the things he wants to be but can't achieve.
Both boys deal with loneliness and that shund loneliness brought them together And as Ari finds oul, Dante has his own inner demons The desert which became their safe role played an important role in the journey. Desert plays an important role in the story This desolate environment, metaphorically was stripped down the ideas of race, gender roles, and love in order to leave Aristotle with ote concept of who he is That why the story becomes their journey of finding identity and accepting ones identity. Aristotle finds his strength in the desert and eventually is able to accept what is truly Siniset. This effectually symbolically removes Astotle from the desert and introduces him to the world as a man not defined by the constructs of gender and race he in defined by himself.
The 1997-198 setting an interesting time period for a story like this a a time belre the Internet where issues and discussions relating to gender remained unexplored. It brings us to timeline where people are still confined in themselves the struggle with their identities. An avoids these difficulties by buying to to these gender roles and acting accordingly He is an example of what one should be and what one should do to everything possible to upload this image.
Given our current social climate, stories like this one give the readers a wider glimpse of the spectrum The narration turns out to be as subtle as the process ol how ane set himself free from thc stereotyper established by the. The truth on Art and Duntes discovery paved new things especially to who are hesitant to find out who they really are as they get a from these social construct. All humans undergo phase some of us get high in the proces, some of us get lost. we meet friends and we itteet ourselves.
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