Theme
In the book, Slam, by Walter Dean Myers, one of the main themes is if you work hard at what you love in life, you can be successful at anything you put your mind to. Throughout the book, many conflicts arise that the main character Slam has to deal with and overcome. He struggles with getting a lot of playing time at his new school because the coach thinks he is very cocky and a showoff. When getting upset at his lack of playing time, Slam says, "'You hear me, man,' I said. 'Go on and loose the game!'" (202). This shows that playing time is a struggle for Slam, and he needs to work at it so he can improve his amount of playing time. By the end of the book, when the big Carver, Latimer game is being played, Coach says to Slam, "Slam, you're going to be on your pal Ice and you need to keep the ball away from him,"(234). When Coach tells Slam this, he is very excited because not only is Coach starting him, he is trusting Slam to be on the opposing team's best player, Ice. Slam worked very hard throughout the book, and his hard work is finally paying off. This is an example of one of the themes, if you work hard, you can be successful at anything you put your mind to. Slam worked hard in every game throughout the season, and all his hard work finally payed off for him, because coach finally trusted him in a really tough game.
Another theme in the novel, Slam, by Walter Dean Myers, is keeping your priorities straight is the key to happiness. Slam also struggles with this throughout the book because he often mistakes putting basketball before school and the relationships in his life. When upset about the situations going on in his social life, Slam says, "I don't have a game off the court"(218). This illustrates that he struggles a lot with the things off the basketball court. He has trouble keeping his grades up, keeping his girlfriend, Mtisha, happy, and keeping his best friend, Ice, in line, and making good decisions. In the novel, he starts to realize that these struggles need to come before basketball, because they matter more for his future. He also seems to figure out that he has basketball mastered, because he is so good at it, but these personal situations he needs to work on a bit. He starts to figure these problems out as the book comes to a conclusion. He begins to study and get tutors to improve his grades, he learns how to get along with Mtisha, because he realizes that he might end up spending the rest of his life with her, and he says to Ice, "'What don't you know" You dealing ain't you? You part of the life ain't you?' I could feel my neck swelling up with anger. 'What don't you know?'"(257). He ends the relationship he has with Ice, which was very hard for Slam because they have been best friends for so long, it seems like forever. However, he starts to see how figuring out his life and choosing the right friends, helps his life fall into place. By fixing some of his personal situations, and putting his priorities in line, his life improves, and he will start to have a happy, fulfilled, life.
Another theme in the novel, Slam, by Walter Dean Myers, is keeping your priorities straight is the key to happiness. Slam also struggles with this throughout the book because he often mistakes putting basketball before school and the relationships in his life. When upset about the situations going on in his social life, Slam says, "I don't have a game off the court"(218). This illustrates that he struggles a lot with the things off the basketball court. He has trouble keeping his grades up, keeping his girlfriend, Mtisha, happy, and keeping his best friend, Ice, in line, and making good decisions. In the novel, he starts to realize that these struggles need to come before basketball, because they matter more for his future. He also seems to figure out that he has basketball mastered, because he is so good at it, but these personal situations he needs to work on a bit. He starts to figure these problems out as the book comes to a conclusion. He begins to study and get tutors to improve his grades, he learns how to get along with Mtisha, because he realizes that he might end up spending the rest of his life with her, and he says to Ice, "'What don't you know" You dealing ain't you? You part of the life ain't you?' I could feel my neck swelling up with anger. 'What don't you know?'"(257). He ends the relationship he has with Ice, which was very hard for Slam because they have been best friends for so long, it seems like forever. However, he starts to see how figuring out his life and choosing the right friends, helps his life fall into place. By fixing some of his personal situations, and putting his priorities in line, his life improves, and he will start to have a happy, fulfilled, life.