Atlast Alfred Succeeded
Atlast Alfred SucceededIn life, some people have defining moments that change who they are. For Alfred, the main character in The Contender by Robert Lipsyte, this was his months of boxing. Before he committed to becoming a boxer, Alfred was a timid and weak high school dropout. He couldn’t stand up for himself and was going nowhere. He had just gotten paid at his low wage job when the neighborhood bullies Major, Sonny, and Hollis asked him if he had money. He did, but he didn’t want them to take it, so he lied. “’How much you got, Alfred’ ‘Nothing,’ mumbled Alfred, staring down at the tips of his sneakers…’What you got?’ ‘Gave it to my aunt’…” (P. 2) Alfred couldn’t stand up for himself, he was afraid of Major. Even when he was heading to the gym for the first time, Alfred was running away from Major. Alfred realized that he was going nowhere, so he decided to start boxing. At this point, Alfred knows he has to be a contender. He is aware that being the weak grocery boy he was wasn’t going to get him anywhere. “Opportunity for advancement? You have to start by wanting to be a contender.” (P. 28) Soon Alfred is getting stronger, both physically and mentally. Major again approaches Alfred, this time with violence. He wants his help in robbing the grocery store where Alfred works. “’Friday night we gonna hit Epsteins’ again…this time, you gonna help us.’ ‘No change,’ said Alfred…” (P. 54) He can stand up for himself. This earns Alfred the respect of Major and his gang, and they all go to Coney Island together. Alfred loses himself there, eating the junk food he’d sworn off. He goes into a rage of laziness and indulgence. Finally Alfred goes to Mr. Donatelli to tell him that he’s quit.
After a brief talk with Mr. Donatelli, Alfred is back into the sport ready for anything. He soon has his first match, winning it. But he isn’t overjoyed with this victory. Even though the win doesn’t taste sweet, he won’t quit. He wins his next match. And is riding high when he ties his third. Now Donatelli tells Alfred that he has to quit. Alfred is shocked. “’Why?’ ‘You don’t have the killer instinct, Alfred’…’Mr. Donatelli?…Remember what you said that night…about being…a contender?…You weren’t just talking about boxing.’” (P. 120) Alfred is learning how to fight, how to succeed. He talks Donatelli into one more match. This is his final fight against a man much bigger, stronger, and better than he is. He’s getting clobbered, and yet he’s still battling. “…nobody ever gonna knock me out, you wanna stop me you better kill me.” (P. 130) By the end of the book, Alfred is strong and stands up for who he is. He has the power to succeed in life.