Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

• Genre: Fiction; young adult realistic
• Originally Published: 2012
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile HL380L; grades 7-10
• Structure/Length: 6 parts; 105 chapters; approx. 384 pages; approx. 7 hours, 30 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: In this coming-of-age story, teenagers Ari and Dante, both loners, meet at a swimming pool in El Paso, Texas. As the two become friends and eventually fall in love, Dante teaches Ari to be vulnerable.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Anti-gay bullying

Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Author

• Bio: Born 1954 in Old Picacho, New Mexico; earned a BA in Humanities and Philosophy at St. Thomas Seminary in 1977; was a priest for several years before returning to school to study writing; won an American Book Award in 1992 for his first poetry collection, Calendar of Dust; was first Hispanic author to win PEN/Faulkner Award (2013); lives and works in El Paso, Texas
• Other Works: Carry Me Like Water (1995); Last Night I Sang to the Monster (2009); The Inexplicable Logic of My Life (2017); Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World (2020)
• Awards: Printz Honor Book (2013); ALA Stonewall Award (2013); Pura Belpré Award (2013); Time Best YA Book of All Time (2021)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• The Power of Art and Literature
• Society’s Conventions and Overcoming Shame
• The Mystery of Love

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the social importance of LGBTQ+ representation in literature and popular media, as well as learn about the cultural significance of dreams—both of which inform how students will interpret the relationship between protagonists Dante and Ari.
• Analyze paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of The Power of Art and Literature, Society’s Conventions and Overcoming Shame, and The Mystery of Love.
• Conduct intensive research on a piece of art that reminds them of a loved one, and then present to the class said piece of art and describe how it reminds them of the person. In doing so, students will show how The Power of Art and Literature can be used to form emotional connections, just as Dante and Ari form their special bond over art.
• Examine and appraise the plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the epistolary nature and structure of the novel, the symbolic meaning of the desert and its relationship to Ari, and other topics.