Letter to Ari

By Vridhi Jain

Letter to Ari from the book and its sequel “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe’ and “Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World”

“To be careful with people and with words was a rare and beautiful thing.”

Dear Ari,

I hope you are well and happy. I hope you and Dante are going through life together and

making the best out of it. Even though you exist in a fictional world, I wanted to take a moment to write and express how I connected with you in your journey.

It took me a while to realize how your struggles with identity, your feelings of not quite fitting in, and your deep desire to understand yourself were questions that perplexed me too. I felt your anxiety and confusion but I also understood the love you had in you.

It was relieving to see how supportive and loving your parents were who were with you in every step of the way. As you struggled to understand your place in the world they became a solid rock for you to rely on. Even as the world seemed to crash in and collapse but only just inside of your head you wondered, “Words were different when they lived inside of you.”

And Dante. Oh Dante. He became your best friend, your partner, your stargazing companion, your home, your country, your universe. "Do you think, Ari, that love has anything to do with the secrets of the universe?" But it has to do everything. Because just like the universe, love is vast and free but it's also beyond our capabilities of understanding. You taught me how selfless it is to love. And as it was rightly said, “To love was one thing. To let yourself be loved, well, that was the most difficult thing of all.”

I learned that it's okay to question, to doubt, and to search for answers, even when the world expects you to conform. Your courage to confront your own vulnerabilities and insecurities inspired me to do the same. You showed me that it's in those moments of self-exploration that we truly discover the secrets of the universe—those hidden truths about ourselves and our place in the world.

From you, I learnt the importance of empathy and compassion. Reading from your perspective I was able to understand the complexities of identity, race, and sexuality in the real world. Your struggles with these aspects of yourself shed light on the broader societal challenges that many face. The world has a long way to go to live in harmony with the secrets that we, humans, may never be able to answer.

Aristotle, I want you to know that your story had a lasting impact on me. It reminded me that literature has the power to connect people across time and space, and that the struggles we face as individuals are often universal. I am truly grateful to have known your world.