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Ways To Live Forever- Sam

Ways to Live Forever is a 2008 children's novel by Sally Nicholls, first published in 2008, it stars an eleven year old protagonist who suffers from leukaemia. Though readers are made weary that by the time the book finishes that Sam would most likely be dead, the novel follows a tear-jerking lens through the eyes and mind of an innocent child who seeks out ways to accomplish his dreams, discover the unknown and supernatural and to live his life without any regrets before death.

Character
Sam is an eleven year old protagonist of the novel Ways To Live Forever. His narration states that he has leukaemia; the book is written around his perspective of life, his last wishes, religious distributes, spiritualism, family life, friend's and most importantly his leukaemia.

Death and Religion
Death is a prevalent topic discussed throughout the novel. It is often linked to religion, more so God and heaven. Sam questions "why God makes kids ill". In chapter 9, Sam and Felix conjure answers to this question, Sam being the more reasonable and understanding of the two. Rather than negative statements that Felix makes such as "God is really evil", Sam is presented to think more positively, such as "you realize how important your family are". The knowing fact that death is right around the corner for Sam perhaps suggests the mature approach he takes looking upon death. Through looking at significant and mature themes such as death and religion, Sally Nicholls gives us an insight to the mature mindset that these young individuals were forced to have, advancing towards a loss of innocence.

Innocence
The theme of innocence is explored thoroughly through Sam's narration and experiences. Throughout the book he is continuously searching for answers, his curiosity being a basis of defining his innocence. His innocence is shown from beginning to end- and everything in between. We are first introduced to the innocent mind of eleven year old Sam through his dedication to break new "unofficial" world records, which was heavily influenced by his best friend Felix Stranger. Influence is a big factor that determines an innocent life, due to the naivety and vulnerability that is involved due to the lack of knowledge. Through the influence of Felix, Sam was able to pursue something he had always wanted to do before he passed. The importance of this achievement is highlighted due to the separate chapter this was written in, Chapter 15- Escalators.

External Links and Bibliography

 * En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Sally Nicholls - Wikipedia. [online] Available at:  [Accessed 20 February 2022].
 * Nicholls, S., 2015. Ways to live forever. London: Scholastic Children's Books