Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Sometimes locations or neighborhoods within a city, town, or rural location are said to have or possess characteristics that set them apart. How might exposure to certain neighborhoods impact individuals? How might living in impoverished areas influence lifestyles and decisions?

Teaching Suggestion: Slam, the novel’s protagonist, lives in Harlem, a place in New York City characterized negatively (e.g., a “bad” neighborhood). The neighborhood is a frequently explored subject of the novel as Slam and his brother experience hardships due to rampant drug exposure and crime. Slam aims to move his family from Harlem, where his brother will have a better life. Later in the novel, Slam learns his friend, Ice, has fallen prey to the neighborhood as he begins selling drugs. Slam calls this “Harlem’s dead,” referring to those victimized by the neighborhood. With sensitivity, consider exploring the impact of impoverished areas on the individuals living in them by discussing the questions in small groups (or independently in a reading journal) and using the resources below.

• This article describes the impact of neighborhoods on the well-being of its residents.