Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

The American Book Award Winner, Young Adult novel by, Benjamin Alire Saenz, "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe," is a Twentieth Century bildungsroman, a "coming of age" story. Saenz's sets the story in the mid 80's in El Paso, Texas, with the young protagonist Aristotle Mendoza, of Mexican American heritage narrating his story. Aristotle's inner and outer dialogue allows the reader into the psyche of a fifteen year old boy burgeoning on manhood, "The problem with my life is that it is someone else's idea" (Saenz, 2012, p. 8). Here Sainz displays the fact that adolescents do not often feel that they have a say or any autonomy in their destinies. The metaphor begins on the cover of the book with the title and weaves a consistent thread throughout. With the given name of one of the greatest philosopher who ever lived, Aristotle uses it as a metaphor to discover the secrets of the universe, or to understand his place in the world. A boy who did not have a friend finds one.