If you're scratching your head asking what you missed in Slam, don't worry—religion never takes center stage. It's always lurking in the background somewhere, though. Sam considers what he believes on more than one occasion, and even does a little bartering with the man upstairs when he suspects he's in trouble. Then there's another type of religion, this time in the form of some serious Tony Hawk worship. Sam treats his poster of his skateboarding idol like gold, talking to it, confessing to it, and even asking TH for advice. As Sam tries to find his way, religion takes many forms in this book.
Questions About Religion
- What's the deal with Sam's beliefs? Why does he bargain with God? What does he believe?
- How is Sam's relationship with Tony Hawk like a religion? What does this say about Sam? Why does he justify talking to his poster like this?
- How does Alicia's mom portray religious people? Do you think she actually believes this or is she just trying to convince her daughter to get an abortion?
Chew on This
Sam treats Tony Hawk like a god, but the entity he's really consulting when he turns to TH is himself.
Characters in Slam only turn to religion when they are in trouble—they're all fair-weather followers.