Chapter summaries Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Military Funeral and a Community of Support

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens at Jaime Mendoza’s military funeral. A trumpeter plays taps, seven soldiers fire three volleys, and the flag is folded and presented to Liliana with the phrase “From a grateful nation.” Ari silently rejects those words, knowing his father also doubted their honesty. The priest hands Liliana a crucifix, then shakes Ari’s hand and whispers that the eulogy he gave were the words of a man, not a boy. Ari disagrees with that assessment.

After the ceremony, Ari’s sisters and mother return to the limousines, but Ari stays behind. Alone at the casket, he recalls his father kneeling at the Vietnam Memorial, the cold night they looked at stars, and the story of how his parents met. Overcome with pain, Ari falls to his knees. His friends Dante, Susie, Gina, and Cassandra gather around him. They do not speak, but their presence says they love him and remind him of their connection. Then Cassandra begins singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and Dante, Susie, and Gina join in. Ari feels both dead and alive.

Dante walks Ari to the car. There, Ari finds his mother talking with Mr. Blocker, Ari’s English teacher. Mr. Blocker explains he skipped teaching to attend the funeral because it was more important. He tells Ari he was proud of the eulogy and that he bragged to strangers about Ari being his student. He hugs Liliana and says Ari is very much her son as well. Mr. Blocker leaves, and Liliana remarks that he is a fine man. Ari agrees. When Ari says the world won’t mourn for him and Dante when they die—implying because they are gay—Liliana fiercely responds that she doesn’t care what the world thinks or wants; she cannot live in a world without her son or Dante in it.

Key Events

  • The military funeral for Jaime Mendoza: taps, seven-soldier salute, flag presentation
  • The priest praises Ari’s eulogy as the words of a man
  • Ari stays alone at the casket, falls to his knees in grief
  • Dante and friends surround him and sing “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
  • Mr. Blocker attends the funeral and tells Ari he is proud of him
  • Ari expresses his fear that the world doesn’t want him and Dante
  • Liliana responds defiantly, rejecting that worldview

Character Development

  • Ari: Displays raw grief and physical collapse. His internal conflict between the comfort of friendship and the weight of societal prejudice deepens. He voices a fear about being unwanted because of his identity.
  • Liliana: Reveals her fierce maternal love and independence from society’s judgments. She refuses to accept a world that rejects her son.
  • Dante and the friend group: Provide silent, supportive presence and music; their actions show they are Ari’s chosen family.
  • Mr. Blocker: Shows deep respect for the family by attending the funeral. His pride in Ari validates Ari’s growth as a writer and person.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Grief and Community: The funeral highlights how grief isolates yet also summons community. Ari’s pain brings his friends physically closer; their singing is a collective act of mourning.
  • Official versus True Honor: The military ritual speaks of a grateful nation, but Ari doubts its honesty. The contrast points to a gap between patriotic symbols and the reality of the treatment of veterans (and, implicitly, queer people).
  • Singing as Comfort: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” functions as a hymn of solidarity. The friends’ voices form a “choir of angels” that momentarily lifts Ari from his darkness.
  • The World’s Rejection: Ari’s comment about the world not mourning for gay people introduces the theme of external prejudice. Liliana’s response reasserts the primacy of love over societal approval.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the emotional core of Ari’s grieving process. It shows his vulnerability, the strength of his support system, and the persistence of his anxiety about being an outsider. Mr. Blocker’s attendance and praise provide a rare moment of adult affirmation outside the family. Liliana’s defiant love offers a counterweight to Ari’s fear, setting the stage for later struggles with self-acceptance and societal belonging.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Ari fall to his knees alone after the ceremony?
    Ari is overwhelmed by the finality of the funeral and the depth of his love for his father. He stays behind to say goodbye, but realizes that saying goodbye will continue for a long time. The physical collapse reflects his inability to contain his pain any longer.

  2. What is the significance of Mr. Blocker attending the funeral?
    Mr. Blocker’s presence shows that Ari’s growth as a writer and person is recognized beyond his immediate family. By missing class to attend, Mr. Blocker signals that his relationship with Ari matters more than routine duties, and his public pride reinforces Ari’s sense of worth.

  3. How does Liliana respond to Ari’s worry that the world won’t mourn for him and Dante?
    Liliana dismisses society’s judgment entirely. She says she doesn’t care what the world thinks or wants; she only knows she cannot live in a world without her son and Dante. Her response affirms unconditional love and directly challenges the prejudice Ari fears.

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