ISBN-13:9780064470391Pages:240Sales rank:64,990Product dimensions:6.70(w) x 4.18(h) x 0.70(d)Lexile:690L (what’s this?)
How many pages are in Contender?
First editionAuthorRobert LipsyteMedia typePrint (hardcover and paperback)Pages227 ppFollowed byThe Brave
What is the theme of The Contender?
The major theme of the novel is the difficulty of growing up and finding an identity. At the beginning of the novel, Alfred Brooks presents himself as a timid boy who is afraid to stand up for himself and who has no vision for his future.
How tall is Alfred in the Contender?
How tall is Alfred? He is about five feet and seven and three-quarter inches tall.
What is the plot of The Contender?
Book Summary. The Contender is a coming-of-age novel whose protagonist, a black seventeen-year-old high school dropout named Alfred Brooks, lives with his Aunt Pearl and her three daughters in Harlem, a predominantly African American neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City, in the mid-1960s.
Who is the narrator of The Contender?
Indepth Facts: point of viewThe point of view is third person limited, reflecting the point of view of Alfred Brooks. toneThe tone in the book is serious, and it is sometimes dismal and graphic in description.
What is the setting of the contender?
The novel is set in Harlem, New York, the same place that forms the background for many of the novels of reputed black writers like Richard Wright and James Baldwin. The Contender shows the Harlem of mid-twentieth century, when the blacks were becoming restless.
Why do police stop Alfred?
James and the other three bemoan their lack of money, and they contemplate robbing Epsteins’ grocery store—the place where Alfred works. Alfred tries to stop them because he knows that on Fridays, the Epsteins leave all the money in the cash register in observance of the Sabbath.
What gift is Alfred given before his fight?
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.
Who is the round character in The Contender?
Alfred is a very real, dynamic character. He has flaws—almost fatal ones—and sometimes acts in ways that can make us cringe.
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What news does Aunt Pearl give Alfred about James?
She tells him that the police were there looking for James. James had broken into Epstein’s again, through the front window and had gotten away. Alfred says he hopes James does not get caught, and Pearl says that James cut himself badly on the window and probably will not get too far.
What is the difference between being a contender and being a champion?
Mr. 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.
How old is Henry in the Contender?
Major Characters He is seventeen years old and an orphan living his with aunt in Harlem. He works for the Epsteins during the day and trains at the gym in the evening. The novel is the story of his coming of age and struggling to succeed.
What did Alfred discover about Aunt Pearl?
Alfred’s Aunt Pearl surprises him that night. First she finds out about the fight, then tells him she knows she cannot stop him, and finally reveals to him that she once had farfetched dreams of her own that she would have given anything to pursue.
Who is Willie Streeter?
Willie Streeter, FSC Facilitator, had previously been in prison and was a struggling father of five children prior to coming to Fathers’ Support Center and enrolling in the Family Formation Class in 2012.
Why does Alfred live with Aunt Pearl?
Alfred is a 17-year-old living in Harlem, NY. His father left when Alfred was ten, and his mother died three years later, so Alfred lives with his Aunt Pearl and her 3 daughters. His life has been somewhat routine since he dropped out of high school and started working at the Epstein family’s grocery store.
How did the contender end?
The fight ends in a draw. Donatelli takes Alfred to the gym and tells him that it is time to retire because Alfred does not have “the killer instinct” and that he can tell Alfred does not really enjoy fighting. Alfred says he knows Mr. Donatelli was referring to more than boxing when he talked about being a contender.
What is the cave in the Contender?
Describe the cave. It was a small cave that Alfred hid in to avoid the police.
What happens in Chapter 7 of the Contender?
Alfred and Henry go to the Madison Square Garden to see a fight. One of Mr. Donatelli’s most promising boxers, Willie Streeter, is fighting an important match. … Another one of Donatelli’s boxers, Jelly Belly, joins them, and they talk about Willie Streeter, speculating about his chances at being the next champion.
What opportunity was offered to Aunt Pearl when she was 17?
Back at the apartment after the fight, Aunt Pearl shows concern over Alfred’s injuries but reveals that she, too, had a dream when she was seventeen — to join the chorus at the Apollo Theater — but her mother would not allow it.
How does James get hurt the contender?
James is in trouble. He broke through Epsteins’ front window earlier that night, cutting himself but escaping as the police arrived. He is hurt and in hiding.
How does Alfred feel after winning the Chapter 16?
Alfred wins the fight but feels alone and sick. He wonders if he has killed Griffin.
What has happened to Henry's leg the contender?
Polio is what got Henry’s leg crippled. How does Alfred spend his time at Spoon’s before the fight?
Who appears in church in the Contender?
It is Sunday morning. Alfred accompanies his three little cousins and Aunt Pearl as they walk to church.
What happened in Chapter 5 of the contender?
Alfred runs early in the park until two policemen step out from behind the bushes and tell him to stop. They ask Alfred why he is running at this time of the morning; when he tells them he is in training for boxing, they do not believe him.
Is Alfred Brooks a real person?
Alfred Brooks, English businessman, co-founder of Justerini & Brooks.
Why did Alfred end up at Donatelli's Gym?
After more training, Alfred is allowed to spar and finally to have his first amateur fight. … Alfred does well, as long as he follows Donatelli’s advice to “stick and run.” When he disregards Donatelli’s advice, he ends up on his back.
Who is Alfred's boss?
Epstein. Alfred’s boss, whose relationship with Alfred is mired when James, Major, and Hollis try to break into the store. Alfred’s hard work helps to restore Mr. Epstein’s trust in him, as does the knowledge that Alfred trains as a boxer.
Where do Alfred and Henry go?
Alfred and Henry were taken to the Gestapo headquarters in Lyon.
Who is Henry Why does Alfred duck to avoid him?
That night, Alfred goes out, avoiding streets where he might meet Major or his henchmen. Alfred sees Henry Johnson but avoids him, too, because he is in no mood to express gratitude. Without consciously meaning to, Alfred winds up in front of the building housing Donatelli’s Gym.
