Why is Alfred a contender?
Alfred Brooks is a black seventeen-year-old high school dropout who lives with his Aunt Pearl and her three daughters in Harlem. Donatelli tells Alfred that a contender is willing to pay the price. He will “sweat and bleed” to get as high as his talent, courage, and character will take him.
Who is Alfred in the Contender?
Mr. DonatelliAunt PearlMajorJamesAlfred Brooks
Who is the author of The Contender?
Robert Lipsyte
Who is the antagonist in the Contender?
Major Major
Does Mr Donatelli encourage Alfred?
Donatelli encourages Alfred to really trust and rely on what he knows and feels, rather than what anyone else does. Quote: “”But he won, Mr. Donatelli,” said Henry.
Why does Spoon stop boxing?
It was time for Spoon to retire because, even though he was winning, Spoon was being beaten too hard in the ring. Donatelli told Spoon to use the money from his wins, which the wise old manager had forced him to save, to return to college full time.
Do boxers really cut their eyes?
A cutman applies grease and cold compresses to a boxer’s face, ears, and eyes to forestall cutting and swelling during a fight. Decades ago, some fighters would actually have the cutman slice a severely swollen eye lid open so that the fighter could better see the opponent. A cutman is one of a boxer’s greatest assets.
What emotion does Alfred feel?
Alfred feels horrible for hurting someone because ” Griffin went down and flopped over like a rag doll”.
Why does Alfred want to quit boxing?
Why does Alfred decide to quit the gym? It was because he thought he would never be a boxer. What question does Alfred ask Donatelli when he returns to the gym to clean out his locker? He was a really boxer who gets cut too easily.
What does Mr Donatelli see in Alfred that makes him ready?
At the ring, Alfred meets Donatelli who tells him that Henry will stand in the corner during the fight. They get Alfred ready for the fight, dressing him in a new terrycloth robe with his name on the back.
What does Alfred feel guilty about?
Why does Alfred feel guilty about it? James was breaking into the Epstein’s grocery store. Alfred felt guilty because he forgot to tell them about the new alarm that was installed.
What does Mr Donatelli recommend for Alfred?
Most importantly, Donatelli urges Alfred to be a contender, in life as well as in boxing. In both arenas, Donatelli tells Alfred he should let the championships come if they will, but he should not dwell on them. Set the goal for each day’s work, not for the final result.
Who is Alfred’s best friend?
James James
What is the difference between being a contender and being a champion?
Donatelli draws an important distinction between being a champion and being a contender. While the odds of one being a champion are slim, he knows that anyone can be a contender. Being a contender is not about raw talent or the kind of innate skill that few possess—being a contender, as Mr. Also, Mr.
Why was Alfred waiting for James on Friday night?
Alfred goes looking for James in their old hideaway in Central Park, hoping that he has escaped from the police and is waiting there. He remembers when they were ten years old at a time when he and James sat in their special cave hideaway when Alfred’s father left home.
What happens when Alfred sees James at the grocery store?
Alfred is crushed when he sees that this means he will no longer be trusted with the bank deposit. James also rejects him, turning away from Alfred when he sees James standing outside of the grocery; James walks away like Major.
What reason does Henry give for his limp not being as bad as it once was?
Henry’s limp is the result of suffering from Polio as a child and he is so used to it defining who he is that when he thinks about it, the leg sort of takes over and becomes more of a problem.
Why does a man need fear in his life?
Why does a man need fear in his life? It is because he must learn to control it, to make it work for him. How can Alfred get into the ring to fight? He can do it by working hard for it.
What is a man’s greatest fear?
Man’s Greatest Fear states that man’s brain has not changed in over 45,000 years; moreover, his level of testosterone (the hormone of aggression) has not diminished either. Man’s biological purpose has been to conquer his environment; to make it safer for his mate and their offspring.
What are men’s worst fears?
These fears are: rejection, irrelevance, and disappointment, and together they add up to the fear of failure—of failing to be … a man.