Slob

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2009

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-8

Chapters 9-12

Chapters 13-17

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Background

Cultural Context: Childhood Obesity

Slob is a novel that focuses on the cause and effect of childhood obesity for Owen. Obesity in children increased by 14% around the world between 1975 and 2016 (“Obesity and Overweight.” World Health Organization), resulting in physical and mental health issues that reduce quality of life and life expectancy. With more than 42 million overweight or obese children worldwide, the World Health Organization established a commission to address the issue, identifying this as an international emergency. Childhood obesity is a physical condition where the health or well-being of a child suffers due to excess body fat. Frequently referred to as overweight to avoid negative cultural connotations of obesity, early issues are typically psychological resulting from issues with body image that can lead to low self-esteem and depression. Psychological disorders associated with body image that may arise due to childhood obesity include anorexia and bulimia.

Research suggests several causes that may contribute to childhood obesity include dietary habits, genetics, and environmental factors. The emphasis on the dietary controls Owen’s mother implements so he can lose weight highlight this concern as an important aspect of his challenges with childhood obesity. An increase in technology use amongst children can also contribute to childhood obesity. For example, Owen describes long periods of physical inactivity in the novel, focusing on creating new inventions. This lack of movement could be seen as a contributing factor to his overweight status.

Trauma as another likely factor in short-term and long-term childhood obesity, reinforcing the link between psychological factors and the health condition ("Effects." The National Child Traumatic Stress Network). The novel alludes to a mysterious trauma two years in the past throughout the novel, indicating Owen’s inability to directly confront the issue. Later, Owen reveals that he and Jeremy were present when their parents were murdered in the deli beneath their apartment, identifying his weight gain as a symptom of that psychological trauma linked to binge-eating as a coping mechanism.

Social Context: Bullying

Slob opens with the use of a derogatory nickname that highlights Owen’s size and eating habits. The novel illustrates the effects of bullying behavior on adolescents, especially upon self-esteem. Adolescent victims of bullying frequently have low self-esteem and an increased risk of depression and suicide.

Bullying is the use of hurtful language through teasing or threats to intimidate and abuse someone with less power in a social situation. It may also escalate to include physical abuse. It requires an imbalance of power and may be enforced by an individual or a group. For example, Mr. Wooly is a teacher who uses his authority to humiliate and abuse Owen by choosing activities in gym class that emphasize his physical limitations and obesity. Additionally, Owen’s peers verbally taunt him, calling him names and insulting his eating habits as a reference to his size. His bullies achieve power over Owen through the combined efforts of the group, using laughter as positive feedback for the bullying behavior.

Bullying can result in the development of a culture that condones abuse. Owen’s school, The Martha Doxie School, is an example of this culture creation. The teachers demonstrate bullying behavior that encourages a lack of acceptance along with negligence that condones the bullying from Owen’s peers. For example, a teacher makes a casual comment the students use to initiate a series of insulting jokes that mock Owen’s size and eating habits. The teacher fails to comment on the behavior, empowering the students to continue the verbal abuse in the future.

In each scenario, bullying is enabled by an unequal distribution of power that highlights an aspect of physical and/or social isolation. Owen and Mason lack the social relationships to avoid bullying behavior but combat the unequal distribution of power by allying together and forming a friendship when Mr. Wooly puts them together. This reduces the effectiveness of the group bullying by redistributing power within the group to nullify the positive feedback. Mr. Wooly’s bullying abuse is only curbed when the principal, an individual with more hierarchical power within the school, addresses the issue directly after the climactic confrontation between Mr. Wooly and Owen during gym class. This confrontation is a plot development that occurs only after Owen stands up to Mr. Wooly’s abuse, redistributing power through an act of forceful rebellion.