Throughout the book, many conflicts arise that the main character slam has to deal with and overcome. Growing up in the ghetto, he does not have the proper guidance to steer. By walter dean myers quotes a pros summary my critique you still dont get it do you. Who are the main characters in the book slam by walter dean myers and what are their traits. The book slam by walter dean myers is about a high school boy named greg who has trouble succeeding both in school and out. Slams best friend, he is also very good at basketball. Often setting his books in his boyhood home of harlem, myers is. Just writing in his journal isnt cutting it, so he begins chronicling his experience in screenplay form as well. Characters from monster by walter dean myers quizlet.
Theme a major theme of the book slam is coming of age. In fact, he even has a poster of tony in his bedroom and talks to it sometimes. The character, ice, is a static and dynamic character because throughout most of the book, his emotions and beliefs stay the same. Walter dean myers novel slam is a coming of age novel about an inner city youth who must deal with reality and his future, when all he can see is his the here and now, which revolves around his ingenious basketball skills. Maybe hell make it all the way to the big arenas, or maybe, like his man ice, hell stumble along the way. He loves to skateboard and rides the rails every chance he gets. Slams coach feels slam is a showboat and does not play him. He is the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author an awardwinning body of work which includes, somewhere in the darkness, slam. Walter dean myers is amazing he really inspired me big time i want to be an author because of him rest in peace walter dean myers rest in peace. Out of all the books i have read this year, one has stood out most and made me really think about it.
He struggles with getting a lot of playing time at his new school because the coach thinks he is very cocky and a. Table of contents scholarly communication virginia tech. Jul 22, 2016 what are examples of similes and metaphores in the book slam. Walter dean myerss fiction and nonfiction books have reached millions of young people. However, the story and the main character were different than i thought and it caught my attention from the very first chapter. An exciting, eyecatching repackage of acclaimed author walter dean myers bestselling paperbacks, to coincide with the publication of sunrise over falluja in hardcover. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Slam is very good at basketball but has a bad temper and doesnt like when his teachers and parents tell him to get his grades up so he can continue to play basketball. In this book that shows the triumph of the human spirit against impossible odds, there are plenty of examples of similes and metaphors in the way that slam talks about his life and the challenges he faces, but also the deep and abiding love of basketball that. What are examples of similes and metaphores in the book. The story, fleshed out into a fulllength novel, became fast sam, cool clyde, and stuff. Myers brings the reader up close and personal to life in harlem and the monumental task of escaping from that life. Slam by walter dean myers study guide, test and answer key by. Growing up in the ghetto, he does not have the proper guidance to steer his life in the right direction but he has tons of. Twentyfive years to life in prisonthats the sentence facing our main man, steve harmon. Harlem illustrations by christopher myers poetry 1997. The only difference between on the court and off it is that everybody is in the game off the court. Greg is a round and dynamic character because of his many different traits. Nov 06, 2009 fans of walter dean myers will like this book as well. The story revolves around the efforts of seventeen yearold greg slam harris to play basketball, while maintaining his academics and his personal life.
Seventeenyearold slam harris is counting on his basketball talents to get him out of the. The novel slam by walter dean myers is a story about an african american teenage athlete by the name of greg. The author grew up in harlem and you can tell this by the attention to detail and the intensity of the struggles these youngsters face everyday. Author walter dean myers is the 2019 childrens literature legacy award winner. You can take his game to the bank and wait around for the. Walter dean myers is the 2012 20 national ambassador for young peoples literature. Greg slam harris is the main character in the book slam by walter dean meyers. Point signature scholastic book by walter dean myers. Slam never doubted himself on the court until he found himself going oneonone with his own future, and he didnt have the ball. He dropped out of high school and enlisted in the army at the age of 17.
What are examples of similes and metaphores in the book slam. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by. Greg is very tall and strong, and is very athletic. Seventeenyearold greg slam harris can do it all on the basketball court. Leaving his best friend ice behind, slam transfers to a topnotch academic school. Steve is pretty freaked out, in need of a way to deal with both the trial and the nastiness surrounding him in prison.
The main character, greg slam harris, and his family live in a suburb house in the bronx. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. The son of moms and pops, and the older brother of derek, slam has a major crush on. In the book, slam, by walter dean meyers, ice is the main characters best friend. The book hoops is an incredible story that focuses on the fact that a man may have many challenges in life, economic or otherwise, but there is always a way out. He lives with his 9 year old brother derek, mother, and an alcoholic father who is rarely home. On the basketball court 17 year old greg slam harris is in control. Under slammin pressure slam by walter dean myers essay sample. Many teenagers will be able to relate to dealing with friends, school, sports, and family at the same time. Start studying characters from monster by walter dean myers. When he is not with slam, he does not have the best morals. He can also jump very high because of his dunking ability.
The main character, greg slam harris, has to deal with daily gang violence, drugs, and murders. A seventeenyearold basketball star must learn to work with others both on and off the court. A prolific author of more than one hundred titles, he received every major award in the field of childrens literature. Slam by walter dean myers was, in my opinion, a brilliantly written book with great wording, connections to real life and myers really gets the true feeling of the hood into the book. The climax of the story is when latimer plays carver for the right to be the first place team in the state tournament. Hes seen ballplayers come and go, and he knows he could be one of the lucky ones. Editions for slam 0590486683 paperback published in 1998, 0545055741 paperback published in 2008, kindle edition published in 2016, 0590486675 h. He is six foot four and hes got the moves, the eye, and the heart. Slam befriends the old basketball coach at latimer who not only gives him basketball tips but also gives him tips on life. August 12, 1937 july 1, 2014 was a writer of childrens books best known for young adult literature. Begins to deal drugs and it results in his friendship with slam ending. The story revolves around the efforts of seventeen yearold greg slam harris to play basketball, while. Lonnie jackson is a seventeenyear old african american who lives in harlem.
The son of moms and pops, and the older brother of derek, slam has a major crush on mtisha, and is best friends with ice. The main character in this particular novel is a wouldbe basketball star who is. It takes place in innercity harlem in new york, and its all about the life of greg slam harris on and off the court. A tough childhood led him to writing and his school teachers would encourage him in this habit as a way to express himself. The central character in the book slam is gregory harris, nicknamed slam. Their whole lives are ahead of them, yet at the same time, deaths whisper is everywhere. At seventeen years old, greg slam harris is the main character and narrator of the novel slam. The climax of the story is when latimer plays carver for the right to be the first place team in the state. Characters from monster by walter dean myers flashcards. In presenting walter dean myers, the author told bishop, i learned something about dying. Scholastic, 1998 coretta scott king author award grade level.
It kept it interesting throughout the whole book and was on a subject i like. Walter dean myers have recast in fiction tell the story of young men. Sam just asks, and then thinks about what tony would do. Greg is great at basketball but doesnt think about offcourt things much. Fans of walter dean myers will like this book as well. Greg is a highschool student and a star basketball player at his highschool.
Walter dean myers slam essay writer essays largest database of quality. A harlem teenager learns how to apply the will he has to win at hoops to other parts of his life in this vivid, fluent story from myers toussaint louverture, p. He is a superstar high school basketball player who fights the challenge of keeping his grades up as well as cooping with the issue that his best friend ice is a drug dealer. The author grew up in harlem and you can tell this by the attention to detail and the intensity of the struggles these.
Indeed, this is a literature full of misfits, icono. 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. Greg lives in the ghettos of new york with his younger brother and mother. He does not do well in school, though, and struggles mainly with math. Walter dean myers s fiction and nonfiction books have reached millions of young people.
What is the theme of the book slam by walter dean myers. Slam has teachers and family around who are concerned for him and his future, and these individuals push and challenge. Walter dean myers did a good job in vividly describing the scenes in the book. Walter dean myers was born on august 12, 1937 in martinsberg, west virginia. So when he is faced with several problems, he focuses and the maturity is seen in him as a young adultnot a. He learns some hard lessons in the story, and sums up his understanding saying, what i wished was that things would. Chapters 15, chapters 610, chapters 1115, chapters 1621 here are links to our lists for other works by. An exciting, eyecatching repackage of acclaimed author walter dean myers b. Slam by walter dean myers study guide, test and answer key. The main characters are greg slam harris, ice, ducky, mtisha asked in walter dean myers. Greg slam harris is justly proud of his game, but he realizes that nba daydreams dont cut it in the classrooms of his new south bronx magnet school and that the tough talk that serves him so well on the street only. And when his teachers jam his troubles in his face, he blows up. He was born in martinsburg, west virginia, but was raised in harlem, new york city.