Theories of Relativity

Barbara Haworth-Attard’s young adult novel Theories of Relativity follows the story of Dylan Wallace, a 16-year-old boy living on the streets of a large city in Canada. Through first-person, present-tense narration, Dylan navigates the dangers and risks of street life and deals with the hardships that accompany the lifestyle. This novel was originally published in Canada in 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. This study guide follows the First American Edition of the novel, published in 2005 by Henry Holt and Company LLC.

Plot Summary

Dylan Wallace is a recently homeless teen living on the city streets. He’s been kicked out of his home by his mother and the harsh winter season is quickly approaching. Dylan begs on the streets, where he meets Glen, who is president of a technology company in the building Dylan begs in front of. Dylan is also friends with Jenna, a young teenage girl who is also recently homeless, and Twitch, a late-teens boy who is illiterate and addicted to drugs. Jenna works for Vulture, a pimp and drug lord who takes advantage of homeless teens. Dylan enjoys creating theories to help explain people’s actions and give him a sense of control over the world around him.

One night, while Dylan spends time at the library reading about Einstein, Twitch invites Dylan to a friend’s house for the night. Dylan is skeptical but happy access to a shower. It turns out the friend is a client of Twitch who pays Twitch for sexual favors. Dylan, who has made a point to avoid that kind of work, is disgusted and leaves.

Later, Dylan and Jenna visit Dylan’s old school, where he gathers the items he left behind in his locker. Afterward, Dylan goes to see his little brothers at their school, checking in to make sure they’re OK while he is gone. The next day, Dylan attends a job interview but is told to clean up and get a permanent address before reapplying. Vulture tries to convince Dylan to work for him, but Dylan refuses, knowing not to get involved with Vulture.

Dylan joins Twitch at the youth center, where they enjoy hot meals and get away from the cold weather. Dylan learns about a computer school from a worker named Ainsley. He also learns from Twitch that Amber, another street kid, is pregnant from turning tricks on the street for Vulture. Dylan and Twitch are approached by a larger, older street kid called Lurch. Lurch makes vague threats toward Dylan, attempting to get Dylan to work for him. After Ainsley chases Lurch out of the youth center, Dylan realizes that Twitch set up the interaction with Lurch in exchange for drugs.

A few days later, Glen sees Dylan outside the office building with a flyer for the computer school. Glen encourages Dylan to try it out, but Dylan crumples the flyer. Dylan is approached by a group of punks called the Bandana Kids who chase him away from his spot in front of the office building and tell him not to come back.

With nowhere to go that night, Dylan wanders the streets, fighting the cold and evading police. In the morning, Glen rescues Dylan from being accosted by the police and takes Dylan out to breakfast. They discuss Dylan’s grandparents, and Glen offers to help Dylan find them. Dylan considers the offer.

Dylan returns home to find his grandparents’ address. He learns that his mom is about to remarry to a man named Dan, who is taking good care of Dylan’s brothers. Dylan also learns that his grandmother died a few years back and that his mother has been hiding letters to Dylan from his grandfather. Angry, Dylan leaves.

He spends the night in a dangerous abandoned factory along with many others who are trying to escape the cold. In the morning, Dylan decides to go to his grandfather’s farm and heads to the computer school to look up the address. Glen offers to pay for Dylan’s bus ticket; in exchange, Dylan will work for the computer school and run errands for Glen’s office. Dylan doesn’t like the idea of owing someone but accepts the help.

Dylan invites Jenna to his grandfather’s. Jenna agrees but then fails to show at the bus station. Dylan arrives in his grandfather’s town and learns that his grandfather is dying of lung cancer and has spent the last year mostly unconscious in a nursing home. Dylan meets his father for the first time at his grandfather’s house and quickly learns his father is an abusive alcoholic. They get into a fight, and Dylan flees back to the nursing home, where he stays until he can catch the return bus.

In the city, Dylan is attacked by Lurch and the Bandana Kids as retribution for trying to get Jenna to run away. They beat Dylan within an inch of his life; Amber and others take Dylan back to the factory to keep him safe. Jenna arrives and feeds Dylan pills for his pain.

Dylan spends the next few days in a stupor, accepting drugs whenever they are given to him. Jenna fails to bring him drugs one night, so Dylan wanders the street looking for more. He ends up at a party at Vulture’s apartment, now addicted to the pain pills. After days of partying, Dylan racks up debt with Vulture and must consider prostituting himself to pay Vulture back.

Dylan winds up in the library bathroom, high enough to hallucinate. Albert Einstein appears to Dylan, and the two discuss Dylan’s life, theories, and decisions. Dylan comes down and leaves the library. He considers prostituting himself to secure more drugs, but Amber convinces him not to. She informs Dylan that Dan is looking for him and knows Dylan is his stepson, despite Dylan’s mom’s attempts to hide Dylan from Dan. Dylan, feeling hopeful, calls Glen and asks when he can start work.