Eva Cala 3/16/23 Honors English 9 Book Club Final Essay “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom,” wrote philosopher Aristotle from his book, Metaphysics. When searching for a book that supports teenagers as they navigate the journey of self-acceptance and discovery, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe deserves consideration. The book follows Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza who is a teenage Mexican boy growing up in El Paso, Texas in the 1980s. He lacks control over his family, specifically when it comes to his father and his brother, Bernardo. Until, he meets Dante Quintana at the pool. Dante is different from anyone Aristotle has ever met. The boys help each other endure their loneliness, and in each other, they discover …show more content…
Aristotle receives a phone call from Dante, in which they talk about their families and Mexican heritage. “I mean, my dad’s parents were born in Mexico. They live in a small little house in East LA and they speak no English and own a little restaurant. It’s like my mom and dad created a whole new world for themselves. I live in their new world. But they understand the old world, the world they came from—and I don’t. I don’t belong anywhere. That’s the problem. (87-88)” In this example, Dante does not feel in tune with his Mexican identity. He perceives that he does not belong anywhere because of his identity as a Mexican-American. So, he assumes that it is because he is more American than Mexican. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe should remain in the curriculum because it demonstrates how a sense of identity can make an impact on you in many ways, which 9th graders can acknowledge. In addition, another example of identity occurs after Aristotle picked up his old journal and decided to read an entry he wrote a week after he turned fifteen. “And my feet keep getting bigger and bigger. What’s with the big feet? When I was ten, I was kinda small and I wasn’t worried about hair. The only thing I was worried about was trying to speak perfect English. I made up my mind that year—when I was ten—that I wasn’t going to sound like another Mexican. I was going to be an American. And when I talked I was going to sound like one. So what if I don’t look exactly like an American. What does an American look like, anyway? Does an American have big hands and big feet and hair around his—well, hair between his legs? (94-95)” In this example, Aristotle combats and struggles with his Mexican identity. He questions what an American should look like and if he indeed looks