Showering in Theories of Relativity symbolizes the inescapable cycle of homelessness that the street kids experience. To Dylan, showering is a rare treat that allows him to temporarily feel better before he is forced back onto the streets. Though Dylan feels good while in the shower, symbolizing a glimmer of hope that things will improve, he is reminded of his circumstances the moment he must get dressed in his unwashed clothes.

During Dylan’s first shower of the novel, he describes it as “feel[ing] so good, tears again gather behind [his] eyes” (25). Whereas most people take access to showers for granted, Dylan appreciates the shower for its ability to refresh him, to take his mind off of his homelessness. However, this feeling of cleanliness, comfort, and security is fleeting. When he showers at the youth center, he narrates, “For one moment, I’m content. I’m warm, full, and clean. I grimace as I pull on my dirty underwear, and the moment is gone” (107). The shower only provides a temporary reprieve from the facts of Dylan’s regular life, and his dirty clothes reflect the reality of his situation.