43 pages • 1 hour read
Nick HornbySlam
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2007A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
What do you think happened to Sam during the moments in which he lived out various futures? How can you back up your theories with evidence from the novel? Why did the author make the choice to leave this question unresolved, aside from Sam’s own theories about Tony Hawk?
Does the novel succeed in examining the challenges of Navigating Teenage Parenthood? Where does the novel shine in this way, and where does it fall short?
In what sense do Sam’s experiences and his family history demonstrate How a Few Seconds Can Change Everything? Why is this lesson important when it comes to the decisions Sam makes?
What do Sam’s experiences of seeing the future teach him about his life and the type of person he wants to be?
How does the novel rely on humor to make light of a serious topic? How does humor illuminate different aspects of each of the characters?
Why is skating important to Sam? How does Tony Hawk help Sam throughout a challenging time in his life?
How does the novel depict the cultural stigma of teenage parenthood? How do the characters reinforce or defy this stigmatization?
How does being forced to grow up quickly cause Sam to change as a person?
Do Sam’s views of teenage parenthood ever really change? How does he learn to reconcile his disappointment with the positive aspects of his new life?
In what ways does Slam succumb to stereotypes surrounding teenage parenthood, and in what ways does it subvert them?
Related Titles
By Nick Hornby
