1. Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe

2. How does having something to care about affect your life?

3. Conflict Dante falls in love with Ari during the course of the story
Ari doesn’t know if he feels the same way
Person vs. Self

4. Introduction
“One summer night I fell asleep, hoping the world would be different when I woke.”
“I was fifteen, bored and miserable.”
Ari does not have any close friends

5. Initiating Incident When Ari went to the pool he met Dante
We learn Ari’s dad is fighting his own personal battles from war
Ari doesn’t have the most communicative relationship with his father but has a good relationship with his mom
We also learn Ari has an older brother that is jail but his parents do not talk about Bernardo

6. Rising Action One summer night, the two of them were walking
A car was about to hit Dante but then Ari jumped out and pushed him out of the way
Ari breaks both of his legs
Before Ari didn’t have anyone or anything to care about, now he has someone that he would risk his life for

7. Rising Action Dante moves to Chicago temporarily
When he returns he tells Ari he is certain he is gay
Dante kisses Ari but Ari still does not feel anything more for Dante

8. Rising Action Ari receives a red 1957 Chevy pickup for his birthday
It is important to him because it gives him freedom
Shows his parents trust him

9. Rising Action Ari’s parents tell him about Bernardo
Bernardo had paid for a prostitute but found out they were transgender
He then killed them with his bare fists
Bernardo also killed someone else while in juvenile detention

10. Climax
Dante is seen kissing another boy and he is beaten up by a group of boys
Dante is in the hospital with a bruised eye, swollen face and broken ribs
Ari finds one of the perpetrators and breaks his nose as an act of revenge
Turning point because Ari starts to realize how much Dante means to him

11. Falling Action
Ari disapproves of Daniel (the boy Dante was kissing) and Dante gets mad at him
Dante stops seeing Daniel because he is only interested in Ari

12. Resolution Ari’s mom calls a family meeting
His dad opens up about war and why it has effected him so much
His parents confront Ari and tell him that he has been in love with Dante
Ari realizes he was in love with Dante the whole time but he feels ashamed

13. Ending Ari and Dante drive out to the desert
Ari kisses Dante and tells him he has the same feelings for him

14. Characters
Dynamic - Ari: More reserved and shy, he is still trying to figure out his own body and mind
Mostly Static - Dante: More outgoing, risk taking, emotional
Before Dante, Ari had no friends and he felt there was no meaning of life
Now Ari has someone he cares about and is willin
Both are fifteen

15. Theme Change and pain is part of growing up
You should night fight personal battles alone
It is okay to be yourself and open up to others
Mexican heritage

16. Symbol The desert: A place of freedom, no judgement or obligations
The stars: A time to reflect on your life and everything around you
Sparrows: Innocence and change

17. Setting Summer of 1987 El Paso, USA Both Ari and Dante’s houses
The desert
Setting

18. “They cracked more than his ribs.”
Ari said this after Dante had been beaten up
I think he said this because Dante seemed empty when Ari visited him
Pg. 325

19. What to learn from this novel
Growing up isn’t always easy but you don’t need to make it hard
The thing you are looking for may be in front of you, you just have to reach for it