The Contender

Characters

Alfred Brooks Bud Martin James Mosely Lou Epstein Henry Johnson Hollis Donatelli Major Aunt Pearl Hubbard Bill Witherspoon Uncle Wilson

Alfred Brooks

Main character: Protagonist African American youth who has dropped

out of high school Works at a grocery story owned by the

Epsteins Wants to become a boxer and works

rigorously to be a contender Desires a sense of belonging yet wants to

be himself.

James Mosely

Alfred’s only so-called friend Attempts to rob the Epsteins’ grocery

store with Major and Hollis but is caught by police

Becomes a drug addict and disregards Alfred

Tries to rob the Epsteins’ grocery again and is injured.

Henry Johnson

Works for Donatelli as an assistant trainer. Disabled from polio as a child Helps get Alfred home after Alfred is badly

beaten by Major and Hollis Supports Alfred’s attempts at becoming a

boxer. Plans to become a boxing manager like

Donatelli

Donatelli

Boxing manager who cares for his fighters

Encourages Alfred to try to be a contender not only in the ring but in life

Does not allow his boxers to get badly injured in a boxing match

Is one of the only people that Alfred feels he can trust

Aunt Pearl

A widow who is Alfred’s guardian When she finds out that Alfred is boxing,

she tells him that she is glad he has finally found something to be excited about; she just wishes it wasn’t boxing.

Churchgoing woman who longs for a better life

Admits that she did not do what she wanted to do in her life. She wanted to be a singer

Has a sister who lives in Queens- a much nicer neighborhood. She is proud of this.

Bill Witherspoon (Spoon)

Former boxer for Donatelli Donatelli and Spoon realized that

Spoon would never be a boxing champion; therefore, Donatelli encouraged him to quit and go to college full-time

Spoon became a teacher Mentors and encourages Alfred

Bud Martin

An older man who has been a long time assistant to Donatelli.

Lands a strong punch to Red’s jaw when Red starts causing trouble in the gym

Lou Epstein Former, good light-weight champion who

Bud describes as a thin-skinned bleeder. Owner of the grocery store at which Alfred

works and that James, Hollis, and Major rob Tells Alfred that boxing has become

dishonest due to television and corrupt managers

Tells Alfred that he trusts him but that he doesn’t want to tempt fate, meaning he wants to trust Alfred, but questions his ability to since Alfred sometimes runs with Major, James, and Hollis.

Hollis and Major

Try to rob the Epstein’s grocery after Alfred tells them about the money in the register

Beat Alfred up for not telling them about the alarm

Steal a car and takes it to Coney Island Try to pressure Alfred to join their gang- get

him drunk, get him high on marijuana, hook him up with a girl

Call Alfred “slave” for working at Epsteins’

Uncle Wilson

Married to Alfred’s Aunt Dorothy Lives in Queens Always brags about his son Jeff who

is attending college Tells Alfred that opportunities are

opening up for African-Americans who have an education

Hubbard

Ex-marine boxer who impressed Alfred at Madison Square Garden

Alfred’s last boxing opponent Pummels Alfred and wins the boxing

match.

Setting

Harlem, New York in 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement

Plot Alfred Brooks is a young black man whose life

seems to be going nowhere. He has dropped out of high school and works at a a grocery store. Alfred desperately wants to be different, be special. One night he wanders into a boxing gym and meets a boxing manager who cares about the fighters he trains. Alfred commits himself to the rigor of training to become a contender, not only a contender in the boxing ring but in life. Although he works hard, Alfred struggles to stay focused in an environment full of distractions.

Themes

“Nothing’s ever promised [to] you,” Donatelli directly states this theme to Alfred at the boxing gym.

Being a contender in life requires one to “climb as far and as hard as he can.” Donatelli also tells Alfred this at the gym.

Being individualistic and independent requires one to have the courage to ignore the pressures from peers to conform.

Links: Compare/Contrast

Langston Hughes “Mother to Son”

Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it,

And splinters, And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor— Bare.

But all the time I'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's, And turnin' corners,

And sometimes goin' in the dark Where there ain't been no light.

So, boy, don't you turn back. Don't you set down on the steps. 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.

Don't you fall now—

For I'se still goin', honey, I'se still climbin', And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.