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Links: Aristotle and Dante Novel Study

Author Critique Outline

1. What is the author’s main message?

• I think the author’s main message is to illustrate the importance of exploring your own identity, more specifically sexuality.

• Benjamin Alire Sáenz

2. Analyze the author’s treatment of the subject.

How does the author go about making their point?

• Different takes on discovering sexuality

• Dante who is very open about it vs Ari who suppresses it until the end of the book

What is successful in the novel?  Give an example

• The intimate relationship between Ari and Dante

• The emphasis of the struggles Dante received from his sexuality and his persistence despite it

• The poeticism of the story

• The point of view and development of Ari’s character as the story progresses

What is weak in this short story?  Give an example

• The plot

• This isn’t even a bad thing though

Do you think that overall, the author was successful in making their point?

• Definitely

Did the author hold the audience’s attention throughout the whole novel?

• From personal experience, yes

3. Analyze the form

• What is the tone of the novel? Is this an effective way of addressing the topic?

• It was initially angry/bitter due to Ari’s nature

• as Ari got hit by a truck and Dante left it became kinda somber and self-depreciating

• In the end it was tender and meditative

• Throughout the entire novel, it was thoughtful and self-depreciating

• Explain the author’s style  in your own words

• He is able to effectively immerse the reader in the journey of a teenager growing up and discovering his identity

• Are the symbols clear and effective in helping out with the message? Explain.

• Many symbols that added to the atmosphere of the situation

• Birds

• Shoes

• Truck

• Substances

• Kissing

• Are the characters well-crafted to suit the needs of the book?

• Yes lmao

• Is there a scene in the novel that you felt was pivotal? Explain why it was so important to the book.

• The end obviously since Ari was able to realize his sexuality

• Ari saving Dante

• Shows how important Dante was in Ari’s life without him even realizing

• Further demonstrates Ari’s self-depreciation

• Brings the two families together and strengthens relations

• Any specific features of the novel that were very interesting?

• No plot

• The poetic language

• Was the beginning, middle and ending effectively constructed? Why or why not?

• Beginning hooked me

• Just the thoughtfulness of Ari and his unique situation

• The formation of Ari and Dante’s relationship

• Middle did it’s job as a coming-of-age

• Dante started exploring his sexuality

• Ari had freedom through his truck, started talking to other people

• Relationship with dad begins to unravel

• End revealed everything

• Ari finds out about his brother

• Dante’s parents learn about his sexuality

• Ari finds out his own sexuality

It was good :P

4. Answer the following question: Was the author’s style the best way to deliver the message that they were trying to deliver? If yes, explain why you think so. If no, how would you have done it differently?

I’m not sure if it was the best since this is the first book I’ve read like this, but I think his method of approach was very effective due to literally everything I’ve said prior to this

If I were to do it differently, I wouldn’t

Prompt

Your assignment is to write a critique (500-750 words – 5 paragraphs) of the novel that you studied. Critiques are typically informal and are persuasive pieces. You are giving your own opinion. However, keep in mind that most critics like to think that they are right. Consider working hard to write as though your opinion is FACT (don’t say “I think…") For this assignment, you will focus on critiquing his style and the message that the author is trying to get across. You will look at this message, and analyze whether or not the way they go about it is effective. In order to do this, you can take many routes, but the following things should definitely take a focus:

• What is the main message? What is the author trying to accomplish with this novel?

• What style does the author take? What is their tone?

• Is this style an appropriate way to tackle the subject?

• Are the literary devices the author uses effective? (think about symbols, irony, metaphor, etc.)

For this assignment, you should use the following format:

Introduction: Make sure that you bring up the author and the book, as well as your main opinion that you will spend the next few paragraphs justifying

3 main body paragraphs: In these paragraphs, you should focus on identifying specific things that the author is trying to do. Think about identifying strengths and weaknesses of the novel and explain using examples. You may wish to focus on literary devices, on tone, on organization, on really anything that you want. Remember that each paragraph should only focus on one aspect. Don’t forget that you should assess both the novel itself, as well as the way the author uses literary devices as an effective writer (take a look at the rubric and the outline for more information).

Conclusion: Make sure to end with a bang in a short paragraph that sums up everything you said.

Before writing your good copy, take the time to go through the outline. Don’t forget to support your answers with examples from the text.  Review the rubric to see how you will be assessed.

Actual Outline

Introduction

Hook:

• As the shift in lifestyle caused by the pandemic prolongs, more and more people fall victim to its wrath. According to the data received from the Household Pulse Survey, approximately 56% of young adults are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, with 26% admitting to having suicidal thoughts.

Connecting:

• Although I don’t necessarily fall into that age demographic, I previously found myself in a similar state; with looming negative thoughts and no clear direction in life, I found myself hopelessly surviving everyday waiting for some positive change to happen in the world. Fortunately, my hope for change came true, but instead, it came in the form of my own transformation. When reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, I couldn’t help but relive the same experience that had led to my revitalization.

Thesis: Through Sáenz’s character design, choice of genre, and representation of sexuality, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is able to immerse the reader in the novel’s soul-stirring and intricate exploration of identity.

Body 1 - Characters

Lead-in:

• Of course, the best way of establishing the theme of exploring sexuality is to incorporate characters who experience it first-hand.

TS:

• Sáenz’s incorporation of Aristotle and Dante help demonstrate the different paths a person may travel when discovering their identity.

Supporting:

Example:

• Ari

• Suppresses it

• Not acknowledging saving Dante from car crash

• Not saying anything when he kisses Dante for the first time

• Dante

• Curious and firm about it

• Not afraid to talk about it to Ari

• Hooks up with Daniel

• Continues to do it even after being beat up

• The novel is told through the perspective of Ari, a lonely and angry fifteen year old boy that is disconnected from himself and his family. Through his environment, he has learned to suppress his emotions, which has contributed to the self-denial of his sexuality. Even when he had saved Dante from the car crash, he didn’t understand his underlying motives for doing so; when praised by the doctor for his heroic feat, he simply wished that “people would stop talking about that” (Sáenz 79). Furthermore, when Dante thanks Ari for saving his life, he downplays the act and responds saying, “I told you. I didn’t do it on purpose” (Sáenz 76). It wasn’t until the end of the novel where he finally understands himself.

• Next, contrasting Ari’s character is Dante, a boy who has a close-knit family that exhibits courage and curiosity in his character. Instead of hiding his feelings, he is very transparent with Ari about his interest in kissing boys (130). To indulge in his fascination, he imagines himself kissing boys when kissing other girls during his time in Chicago, and when he returns to El Paso, he begins hooking up with Daniel.

Importance:

• Through Sáenz’s contrast in characters, the reader is exposed to the various approaches people may take when exploring their identity; while Ari fails to realize his sexuality and suppresses his feelings until the very end of the novel, Dante is naturally open and curious about it. As a result, the reader is able to understand the abstract nature of such a realization.

Transition:

• To further accentuate the journey of the two characters, Sáenz unfolds the story through a relevant and complementary genre.

• To enlighten the reader, Sáenz chooses a relevant genre to unfold the story in that further accentuates the journey of the two characters.

Body 2 - Slice of Life

Lead-in:

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe falls under the slice-of-life genre, a realistic form of storytelling that details snippets of a character’s life without any concrete plot.

TS:

• Sáenz’s choice of genre allows the reader to dive further into Ari’s coming of age and its effects on his relationships with others.

• Sáenz’s choice of genre puts emphasis on Ari’s coming of age and his relationships with others, helping illustrate the influence of such factors during self-exploration.

Example:

• Emphasis on the character’s development

• First begins by thinking about kissing girls

• Begins to drink and have more freedom

• In (discover 1), ari begins questioning the idea of kissing and sex and has a dream where he was kissing someone

• Wanted to touch himself

• Talk about how it shows the experience from an insider perspective and from the perspective of a friend (dante’s exploration)

• Talk about the influence and support the people around him allowed him to come to terms with his sexuality

• Parents telling him in the end to stop hiding his feelings

• Dante was the one to get him into the idea of kissing girls

• An example of his maturation is his inclination towards drinking; after drinking a few cans in his driveway, he thinks about his internal desires and thinks about how he would “ like to kiss someone. It didn’t matter who. Anyone. Ileana” (Sáenz 134). This moment marks the beginning of Ari’s conscious sexual exploration, as later on he finds himself kissing Ileana for the first time.

• However, his journey doesn’t end there; after Ari’s dad finally shares his regrets of leaving his comrade to die in the Vietnam war, he urges Ari to not do the same with Dante: “Ari, it’s time you stopped running…the problem isn’t just that Dante’s in love with you. The real problem—for you, anyway—is that you’re in love with him” (Sáenz 218).

Importance:

• Allows the reader to see Ari’s slow progression towards his acceptance of sexuality

• Incorporates the questioning, the self-reflection

• Allows the reader to establish a personal connection with the experiences that unfold in the book if they experience similar feelings of uncertainty

• Makes them question their own sexualities and relationships with others

• Become more open to discussing it with friends and family for further self-exploration

• After witnessing the impact of Ari’s personal soul-searching and interpersonal relationships, Sáenz indirectly entices the reader to also self-reflect and engage in similar discussions with friends and family to figure their own identity.

Transition:

• Fortunately, this experience is further amplified through the novel’s poetic language.

Body 3 - Poetic language

Lead-in:

• Evident in the title, Sáenz compares the exploration of sexuality prominent in the novel with discovering the secrets of the universe.

TS:

• Through such a comparison,

• The novel’s overarching message about self-discovery is vividly amplified.

• Vividly describes Ari’s journey and overall emphasizes the novel’s desired message

• Amplifies the importance of self-discovery

Example:

• After seeing his parents hold hands while peacefully sitting outdoors, he imagines the experience and comes to the conclusion that “you could sometimes find all the mysteries of the universe in someone’s hand” (Sáenz 89). Ari’s remark creatively illustrates the life-changing impact someone can have in a person’s life, and sets the scene for the importance of Dante in Ari’s self-discovery.

• After finally confessing his love to Dante in the end of the book, he reflects upon his previous self-oblivion regarding his sexuality: “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” (Sáenz 225). By associating his sexuality to the secret of the universe, it emphasizes the significance of Ari’s acceptance and understanding of his identity.

Importance:

• Sáenz’s poetic approach allows for a beautiful interpretation of sexuality, highlighting the overall importance of one’s introspection and understanding of one’s self.

Conclusion

Thesis restated:

• Through Sáenz’s character design, choice of genre, and representation of sexuality, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is able to immerse the reader in the novel’s soul-stirring and intricate exploration of sexuality.

• The memorable aspects that comprise Sáenz’s literary masterpiece exquisitely embarks the reader on a thoughtful journey of self-exploration.

Body 1 restated:

• First, Ari and Dante’s different adventures illustrate the unpredictable and variable nature of one’s self-discovery.

Body 2 restated:

• Additionally, Ari’s family’s advice paired with his own findings highlight the sources that can help a person come to such a realization.

Body 3 restated:

• Finally, by embracing the vivid description of such a process, the reader is able to understand the importance of truly understanding themselves.

Thought-provoking ending:

• After following Ari’s maturation until the very end, the reader is inspired to embark in their own personal odyssey to discover their intrinsic desires and purpose in life. When considering the perpetual demoralization and mental health issues caused by the ongoing pandemic, such an uplifting message has never been more valuable.

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