The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

In 1963, Sam’s mother is adamant that her six-year-old attends the Catholic school Our Lady of Mercy (OLM), but his application is denied. When his father declares public school will be sufficient, Madeline dumps creamer in his lap, expressing her distaste for the idea: “The son of Madeline Hill, whose first uttered word had been the name of the Blessed Mother of Jesus Christ, would not attend public school. Of this my mother was quite certain” (23).

Madeline dresses Sam in his nicest clothes, plops him in their blue Ford Falcon (a convertible car Max bought used), drives him to OLM, and barges in to speak with Sister Beatrice, the principal. When Madeline demands to know why Sam wasn’t admitted, the austere nun explains her concerns about Sam distracting other students in the first grade: The children at the school, who already know about Sam’s eyes, have nicknamed him “Sam Hell” and even call him “the devil boy” (28). Madeline proclaims Sam is a creation of God and that his presence in the classroom would serve to instruct the other students about kindness, but Sister Beatrice is firm in her decision. Sam and his mother leave—but Madeline will not accept the decision.