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Aristotle and Dante: The Story of Two Highschool Students Uncovering the Mysteries of Love and Friendship

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Aristotle and Dante: The Story of Two Highschool Students Uncovering the Mysteries of Love and Friendship

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“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.”

Aristotle and Dante are two teenage boys who have a full summer ahead of them. Finding himself in an endless loop of boredom, Aristotle starts his summer feeling as if he doesn’t have a purpose. Everything changed when a boy named Dante introduced him to his universe. Together, they uncover the secrets of the world and discover what it means to fall in love.

Luke and Daniel

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"'I'm so ashamed'. . . 'I'm a guy he's a guy'. . . 'You can't run Ari, not from loving Dante,'". Local El Paso teens, Aristotle Mendoza, and Dante Quintana fought passed all odds showing their love for each other by sharing a kiss. Their friendship lasted and bloomed despite Quintana and his family moving to Chicago, IL. Both teenagers' parents accepted the change and fully aided the teens in discovering what they truly valued, each other.

-Walter and Dylan

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Shocking secrets discovered for Aristotle Mendoza 

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Shocking secrets discovered for Aristotle Mendoza 

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"'Dad, sometimes I hated you and mom for pretending he was dead.' 'I know. I'm sorry, Ari. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.'"

This was the first time Ari's parents had ever talked about or even mentioned anything about his brother. He was in shock how they had acknowledged their mistake in keeping it a secret for his whole life. Ari felt a big wave of relief wash over him, as well as a lingering uneasiness, as he listened to the backstory of his brother slowly unravel...

Ava, Kathleen, Juno

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Aristotle and Dante sharing a memorable moment.  

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The book -Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe- showcases a lot of meaning towards finding identity.  The novel  embodies the themes of race, mental illness and sexuality in a way that connects to the readers on a personal level. While the focus lands on self- identity the main characters sexuality is a part of this identity  . Dante is a strong representation for those who are coming to terms with both their sexuality and identity though sexuality is not something that solely defines who someone is.

Ari is relatable in the way that he was angry while trying to figure out who he was. There was a quote at the beginning of the novel that demonstrated he was struggling with his identity "Fifteen-year-old's don't qualify as people"  It felt like he was being told who he was before he could figure that out on his own.

By: Ivo and Eva

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Embracing the Cosmos Within: A Story of Self Acceptance

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Embracing the Cosmos Within: A Story of Self Acceptance

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"All this time I had been trying to figure out the secrets of the universe [...] All of the answers had always been so close [...]" (358)

This quote concludes the journey of two teenagers, who find the meaning of life through each other. When Ari first met Dante, he wasn't sure about their relationship, but all this time, he hadn't realized he loved Dante. The theme of self discovery is prevalent throughout the story, hence the book's title. Most significant is the theme of self acceptance, which is finally presented at the story's climax.

Nathan, Lawrence, and Sebastian

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Ari is fearful that he is following in the violent footsteps of his brother

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Ari is fearful that he is following in the violent footsteps of his brother

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"I didn't say anything. I knew what they were thinking. first your brother and now you."
Bernardo, Ari's brother, has always been a mystery. Recently, we learned more about his violent past and Ari reflects. After a group of four guys beat up Dante, Ari seeks revenge. He violently punched Julian, one of the attackers. He now wonders if he is just the same as his brother.
- Neeki and Shane