The Destination In Robert Lipsyte's The Contender

In the novel, The Contender, Robert Lipsyte introduces Alfred Brooks as a high school dropout who has a best friend James who is a drug addict. Alfred’s father left him at the age of 10 and his mother passed away because of pneumonia. Alfred is always a coward when it comes to Major and his gang who are bullies. One day Alfred gets tired of running away from Major and goes to Donatelli's gym to train to become a boxer.Later, he wants to quit but asks Donatelli if he would ever spar and become a contender. Donatelli tells him that only he will know. In the novel, Robert Lipsyte conveys to the reader that the journey is more important than the destination. In the beginning of the novel, Alfred Brooks learns that not just him but others

Alfred Brooks wants to quit boxing since he’s sick of working so hard and not having to box at all. Therefore, he goes to Donatelli’s gym and cleans out his locker. He also asks Donatelli if he would ever spar and become a Contender. Donatelli tells him that “I won't have to, Alfred. You'll know too”(Lipsyte,140). At the end of chapter 12, Alfred decides to resume training because he wants to "know." The knowing pertains to whether or not he could have been a good boxer, and it also pertains to whether or not he is a tough enough person and has enough heart to be a contender. The knowing extends beyond the realm of boxing. Alfred looks for external validation from Mr. Donatelli—he wants someone to tell him that he has potential and that he can be special. Mr. Donatelli stresses the importance in realizing one's specialness for one's self, and Donatelli says that Alfred has the power to do that. He encourages Alfred to really trust and rely on what he knows and feels, rather than what anyone else does. This relates to the theme because since Alfred doesn't know if he will become a contender he won’t quit until he knows. In conclusion, the journey won’t be stopped until he reaches the destination of becoming a

It was Alfred’s first match with a kid named Rivera. After the match it was clear that Alfred was the winner. "But he won, Mr. Donatelli," said Henry. "Alfred won." "That's not enough” (Lipsyte,177). At the end of chapter 14, Alfred wins his first fight. even though Alfred wins, the crowd boos the action. Mr. Donatelli immediately zeroes in on the fact that winning is not the most important thing about this match and also that Alfred does not have a killer instinct. Donatelli knows that while Alfred fought his best, Alfred fought because he had to, not because he wanted to. Mr. Donatelli first realizes that Alfred is not cut out to be a boxer at the end of his first fight because Alfred did not enjoy the actual sport of boxing, nor did he enjoy winning. This tells Mr. Donatelli something crucial about Alfred, something that limits his boxing potential, but makes Mr. Donatelli appreciate him more. This relates to the theme because the fact that it’s not enough means he did not work as hard as he should have to beat him. In addition to Alfred’s victory, it means that he has reached his destination because he has done everything