How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Sometimes it can seem as though kids always do better than their parents. You know—someone's dad was a coal miner, or whatever, but his son goes on to play for a Premiership team, or wins Pop Idol, or invents the Internet. (2.21)
Is it just us or does it seem like Sam is saying that winning a singing competition is better than being a coal miner? We're not knocking belting your heart out if you can carry a tune, but we'd also like to point out the fact that Sam's definitely making a classist judgment here.
Quote #2
They're all right, I suppose, Robert and Andrea, and they were really friendly at first. It's just that they think I'm stupid. They never say as much, and they try and treat me as if I'm not. But I can tell they do. (4.14)
Alicia's parents treat Sam like he's dumb, plain and simple. They might not come right out and say it, but it's clear they think he's from another world because his mom had him at sixteen and he skateboards. Their snap judgment about him based on his background hurts him and drives a wedge between him and Alicia.
Quote #3
That's what Alicia's mum should have said. "Not everybody has a future, Robert."
"I know not everybody is academic. I was just asking him what he wanted to do," said Robert. (4.19-20)
Sam might not have a future as a Harvard professor, but he's not dumb either. He picks up on their not-so-subtle hints about how he's less than they are. It's also telling that Alicia's parents don't know their own daughter isn't academic either. She cares more about strutting her stuff as a model than she does about hitting the books.