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The Vaccine for Pandemic-Imbued Mental Illness
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. 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. Through Sáenz’s character design, choice of genre, and representation of sexuality, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe engrosses the reader in the novel’s soul-stirring and intricate messages regarding the exploration of one’s identity.
Of course, the best way of establishing the theme of exploring one’s identity is to incorporate characters who experience it first-hand. Sáenz’s incorporation of Aristotle and Dante help demonstrate the different paths a person may travel when discovering their identity. 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 (Sáenz 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 to form a relationship with Daniel. 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. To further enlighten the reader, Sáenz chooses a relevant genre to unfold the story in that accentuates the journey of the two characters.
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. 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. 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). 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. Fortunately, this experience is amplified to greater heights through the novel’s poetic language.
Evident in the title, Sáenz compares the exploration of sexuality prominent in the novel with discovering the secrets of the universe. Through such a comparison, the novel’s overarching message about self-discovery is vividly amplified. 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. 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.
The memorable aspects that comprise Sáenz’s literary masterpiece exquisitely bestows the reader with a newfound understanding and importance on self-exploration. First, Ari and Dante’s different adventures illustrate the unpredictable and variable nature of one’s self-discovery. Additionally, Ari’s family’s advice paired with his own findings highlight the sources that can help a person come to such a realization. Finally, by embracing the vivid description of such a process, the reader is able to understand the importance of truly understanding themselves. 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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