1. Ari and Dante

2. Please respond to last night’s reading
Please respond to last night’s reading. You can write about anything you like, but please make sure you are comfortable sharing at least part of your response with the class.
Possible ideas:
How did you react to Dante’s attack and hospitalization? Were you surprised or angry or hurt? Why?
Did this part of the novel feel particularly relevant to you? Why or why not?
How did you react when Ari beat up Julian? Were you disappointed? Did you understand? Why?

3. What happens to Sam? How does Ari show courage?
Turn to page 302.
What has happened to Sam? How is he different? Why is he different? (Later, he says, “I’m just feeling a little lost right now” (308))
What is Ari able to do to help Dante? What is he able to do to help Sam? Where does this courage come from?

4. Why doesn’t Dante run?
The other guy, Daniel, runs away when the boys approach them in the alley, but Dante doesn’t. “That’s when Mrs. Quintana broke down and cried. ‘Why didn’t he run, Ari? Why didn’t he just run?’ ‘Because he’s Dante,’ I said” (309) What does Ari mean?

5. Turn to What does Ari’s interior monologue reveal about his feelings for Dante? What has he confessed without saying the actual words?

6. What does Ari’s mom reveal to him about Bernardo?

7. Lilly understands
Let’s go back to yesterday, what important information does Ari get from his parents about his aunt Ophelia? Why do you think they wanted him have this information? What are they trying to tell him?
Turn to 322
What does Lilly understand about Ari that he still doesn’t understand about himself?