The Contender by Robert Lipsyte

In the Realistic Fiction Novel, The Contender by Robert Lipsyte, Alfred Brooks has many challenges to overcome. Since I love sports, I found this book very interesting, and loved reading it. Alfred Brooks was a typical high school student, until he just couldn’t take it anymore. He was a good kid, but he wasn’t that smart. He dropped out of school, and decided to work in order to keep his family together. Alfred worked at a local grocery store, and it was run by three Jewish men, named the Epstein’s. Although, Alfred was black, and was slave like material, the Epstein’s were very nice to him, and glad that he worked in their store. One night, Alfred wanted to go see a movie with his best friend James. But James was hanging around with two gang members, Major and Hollis. By mistake, Alfred told the gang that he worked at the grocery store, so they decided to go steal from it. Alfred told them that he would not help them break into the store. They didn’t listen to him, and proceeded towards the store. After a little while, he heard sirens go off, so he sprinted to the crime scene, hoping that James made it away. It was late a night, so he couldn’t see who was being arrested. He ran to the park, to his and James’ hiding spot, when they were little, and prayed that James would meet him there. He waited and waited for James, but there was no sign of him. He got out of the cave and walked around the park, but you know the saying be careful where you walk because he walked right into Major and Hollis. He asked where James was, and they said the Police got him. He put his head down, then was struck with punches and kicks everywhere, and was left on the cold concrete. In a pool of blood.
Jumping Alfred was the best part of Alfred’s was not a good feeling, but it inspired him to have a better life. He went to a boxing trainer, and told him that he had been jumped and wanted to train. Mr. Donatelli (trainer) told him to run everyday for two weeks and then come back. He did just that, and returned back. He learned a few moves, put it all together, and started to become a boxer. He was set to have a regular match, a couple weeks later, and he was getting pounced on in the first couple rounds. Then he remembered what James had done, and how much it hurt when Major and Hollis jumped him. He got his head screwed back on, and then went in to fight again. He used all the bad in his life, as momentum, and he dominated the rest of the fight, and many other fights leading up to being The Contender. I really like this book because the momentum changes and he reflects all the bad in his life and his opponents, and starts to win. In the middle 1900s, it is very difficult to live in Harlem because it used to be very dirty, it is “cleaned up” now, but it was a tough place to live for somebody like Alfred. There were gangs all over the place. Writing about the setting was the Author’s strongest technique. Also, when Alfred was in a fight, he wrote in a “slow motion” form. What I mean is he used more details included in the situation, in order to keep you reading. If you like reading about sports, gangs, and problems overcoming, then this book would be a good book for you.