The Summer Sun Was Not Meant For Boys Like Me.

Ari’s family dynamic shifts when he realises that he is different. When Ari and his family are coming back from Tucson, a large storm forces them to pull over. As he watches the rain, Ari thinks to himself that storms make him feel small. Ari considers that summer wasn’t really about the sun, but about the storms within. Ari says “The summer sun was not meant for boys like me. Boys like me belong to the rain” (294). Ari begins to have thoughts that he is not quite like all other boys. When Ari says “boys like me” he is expressing that he doesn’t quite fit into that cookie cutter shape of what Ari thinks a boy should be. In this quote, Ari expresses that he doesn’t deserve the happiness and warmth that comes with summer. Ari believes that he isn’t like every other boy, so he believes that the fun that comes with summer was not intended
When I was much younger, I was a huge tomboy and loved to play sports. My best friends were all boys, and although I loved playing sports and hated princesses, I always felt a little sad that I was left out of the whole girl dynamic. I was very comfortable in who I was, but I always felt a little out of place in that I wasn’t always invited to girls birthday parties, or to sleepovers. This relates to Ari because Ari is starting to realize that he doesn’t fit into the “classic mold” of being a boy, but he is still comfortable in who he is. Ari is happy being an introvert, and although he realizes that he is different, he is content. I might have been very different when I was younger, but I stayed true to who I was, and it bettered my future. I am not trying to pretend to be something that I am not, and that has led to a very enjoyable life. Like myself, Ari will be able to accept who he is and be proud of it. This will let Ari lead a life where he doesn’t have to hide behind a fake persona and he will be able to express himself