In relation to the Dare I Disturb the Universe? chapter, I've decide to discuss how Aristotle and Dante Discover the Universe fits in the categories of postmodernism and Bildungsroman.
I say that this is postmodern work because it challenges a lot of the social constructs that exist today, especially the question of what a man should be. To me, Ari and his father are the more stereotypical man, keeping everything in side, getting physical instead of working through their problem, feeling the need to provide for others, etc. Dante and his father are going against the social norm by being opening affectionate and emotional, honest about their feelings, and choosing intelligence over physical strength. By the end of the novel, Ari realizes that he should be more open and sharing about his feelings. He seems to realize that both types of men are neither wrong nor right, that a man can be many things. This idea that a person can be many things and not be pigeonholed is very postmodern.
In my opinion, Ari has become an adult by the end of the novel, which is why I classify it as Bildungsroman. By stereotypical standards, he has a job and a car and is on track to graduate and perhaps go off to college. What is more important is that he learns to overcome his own emotional turmoil, to be open about what he feels, and comes to terms with his sexuality. I think becoming an adult means becoming the person that you're going to more or less be for the rest of your life. You've established certain values and finally understand who you are and who you want to be. This is such a huge question when going through adolescence and I think Ari answers it by the end.
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