Alfred understands that he can be a contender in life as well as in the ring, but he must first finish what he has started and prove to himself that he is a contender chapter 19 alfred prepares for his last fight, at parkway gardens in brooklyn, as he did the others, but he is noticeably more nervous. The book s plot centers on a black seventeenyearold man named alfred brooks, a high school dropout living with aunt pearl and her three daughters in harlem, new york city. A vocabulary list featuring the contender by robert lipsyte, chapters 7. The contender deals with a teenage boy, alfred brooks, who faces several conflicts. This character is a quiet boy with a limp that he got when he was a young child and suffered from polio. Alfred brooks best friend is caught by the cops and taken away. A contender is, first and foremost, a man, an adult.
Before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender. On both occasions, alfred s pal james stood by him. He has flawsalmost fatal onesand sometimes acts in ways that can make us cringe. Alfred does not want to be just another good little slave, but he doesnt wan. Alfreds story parallels the major theme of the novel, which is stated most poignantly by the fight manager, mr. Alfred, the protagonist, is the most dynamic character in the book. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the contender by robert lipsyte. The contender is a comingofage novel whose protagonist, a black seventeenyearold 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 mid1960s.
Alfred brookss life is going nowhere until he joins a renowned boxing club in harlem. The contender is a 1967 novel by american writer and sports journalist robert lipsyte. Alfred brooks learns that getting to the top isnt as important as how you get there, and that before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender. Lipsyte explores a number of issues especially those that confront teenagersthrough alfred. During the book, alfred brooks, a seventeenyearold adolescent and the protagonist of the novel, develops from an indecisive youth into a confident. Alfred brooks has got to get away from the loss of his best friend. From the stoop of the apartment, he can view the life of the. His best friend is drifting behind a haze of drugs and violence, and now. Aunt pearl was worried about alfred boxing at first. Synopsis alfred brooks, a seventeenyearold living in harlem, overcomes. May 17, 2012 the contender alfred brooks sean mcdonaugh.
In the novel, alfred brooks is a black 17yearold high school dropout living in harlem in the mid1960s. The books plot centers on a black seventeenyearold man named alfred brooks, a high school dropout living with aunt pearl and her three daughters in harlem, new york city. Donatelli, near the end of chapter 3, in his speech that begins, you have to start by wanting to be a contender. The contender was about a highschool dropout named alfred brooks. His best friend struggling with drug addiction and his job isnt a career path. The contender is a book about a young black boy named alfred brooks, growing up in a poor part of new york.
The contender by robert lipsyte essay, literature, the. On sundays, alfred would accompany his aunt and nieces to a nearby church and to aunt dorothys house on queens, with its clean, grassy streets lined with neat little houses. Edwards award for lifetime achievement in ya fiction, is the story of a young boxer in harlem who overcomes hardships and finds hope in the ring on his path to becoming a contender. The contender, by robert lipsyte, is the story of a highschool dropout named alfred who makes a hard choice to turn away from a life on the streets of harlem and all the trouble that entails and. How tall is alfred in the book the contender answers.
The contender the contender was an interesting book. The contender essays the contender is a book about a young black boy named alfred brooks, growing up in a poor part of new york. I think there is some situational irony when alfred first fought those two boxers. It follows black teenager alfred brooks, who lives with his aunt pearl and her three daughters in the harlem borough of new york city.
He makes reparations for his mistakes and starts all over again, working twice as hard. Alfred brooks, title character of robert lipsytes novel, the contender alfred hulse brooks 18711924, american geologist. This timesaving, easytouse teacher guide includes inspiring lesson. Alfred is confused and is in many ways lost, but through it all he tries his best. The contender is the debut novel by american author and sports journalist robert lipsyte. Alfred s father deserted the family when alfred was ten years old. He is unfailingly human, which is ultimately why his character is so compelling. During the book, alfred brooks, a seventeenyearold adolescent and the protagonist of the novel, develops from an indecisive youth into. Alfred lives in harlem with his aunt pearl, and works at a grocery store. Edwards award for lifetime achievement in ya fiction, is the story of a young boxer in harlem who overcomes hardships and finds hope in the ring on. Jan 26, 2010 this acclaimed novel by celebrated sportswriter robert lipsyte, the recipient of the margaret a. Alfred brooks is a black seventeenyearold high school dropout who lives with his aunt pearl and her three daughters in harlem. During the novel, he joins donatellis gym and trains to become a boxer. This is a sports fiction novel that tells a story of alfred brooks.
He desires to be successful in life and, therefore, stays away from young criminals, like major. This acclaimed novel by celebrated sportswriter robert lipsyte, the recipient of the margaret a. Every book on your english syllabus summed up in a quote from the office. He remembers the man that rescued him the night of the break in, telling him about the mr. Robert lipstyle named the book the contender because alfred brooks wanted to be a contender. Alfred brooks is 17 year old africanamerican male, highschool dropout. When readers open the pages of the contender, lipsyte makes them feel like they have stepped into the ring with alfred brooks, the novels protagonist. Fred brooks american scientist born on april 19, 1931, frederick phillips brooks, jr. He undergoes many changes, both physical and emotional, and grows significantly throughout the length of the text. This is the kind of position alfred brooks is in at the beginning. The breakthrough modern sports novel the contender shows readers the true meaning of being a hero this acclaimed novel by celebrated sportswriter robert lipsyte, the recipient of the margaret a. Hes a highschool dropout working at a grocery store. One of these movements takes the form of boxing training, and soon alfred gets. Hes a highschool dropout, and his grocery store job is leading nowhere.
Donatellis three young teen boys about to screw up there life just like other young teens do. It is a total contrast to the dingy quarters of harlem. Some street kids are after him for something he didnt even do. The contender ebook by robert lipsyte rakuten kobo. Alfreds father deserted the family when alfred was ten years old. The main characters are alfred brooks, james, aunt pearl.
The book was definitely first person narrator because it was always alfred this and alfred that. Then his friend james started doing drugs so alfred knew he had to help him. Alfred brooks cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. He undergoes many changes, both physical and emotional, and grows. Things are changing in alfred brooks life, and he has to decide how he will change with the times. Alfred does not want to be just another good little slave, but he doesnt want to find himself in trouble with. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. When alfred was 10 years old, his father left home. Understanding the contender structure conflict the contender captures alfred brooks at a crucial time in his life.
Sometimes, it feels like we are at a crossroads, where everything is changing, and we dont know what we are doing. After a successful start in a boxing career, a harlem high school dropout decides that competing in the ring isnt enough of life and resolves to aim for different goals. He decides to join a donatellis gym, a local gym that trains boxers. The contender summary the contender is a young adult novel by robert lipsyte. Alfred is dissatisfied with his job and confused by the changes he sees going on around him, and begins training at donatellis gym to become a boxer. As the novel opens, alfred waits on his apartment buildings front stoop for his best friend, james. The contender by robert lipsyte study guide overall analysis character analysis alfred brooks. During the book, alfred brooks, a seventeenyearold adolescent and the protagonist of the novel, develops from an indecisive youth into a confident young man. The owner and manager of the gym where alfred works out. This character is a seventeenyearold black boy who lives in a seedy section of harlem.
Alfreds bestfriend got addicted to drugs and started to hang around with punks, therefore alfred is the book the the contender by. The contender by robert lipsyte free study guide conflict protagonist. He has dropped out of school and is barely getting by working in a grocery store. For the true contender, the journey is more important than the. In the book alfred the main character is a troubled young man that is a high school dropout. Some street kids are after him for something he didnt pdf even do. The contender by robert lipsyte, chapters 7 vocabulary. Alfred is faced with a struggle inside himself to become a better person. It follows black teenager alfred brooks, who lives with his aunt pearl and her three daughters in. Hes a highschool dropout and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. Alfred brooks, the protagonist of the novel, lives in harlem in a little apartment with his aunt and nieces.
I would recommend this book to people who like to read about sports and people who do things to try and help other people out with their problems. Alfred brooks alfred, the protagonist, is the most dynamic character in the book. The books plot centers on a black seventeenyearold man named alfred brooks, a high school dropout living with aunt pearl and her three daughters in harlem. Alfred brooks the protagonist of the novel around whom the plot revolves. Buy a cheap copy of the contender book by robert lipsyte. Here alfred learns that boxing is a better path than gangs and drugs which his neighborhood is full of. Underneath his hard exterior, is a tender heart that cares for his students and protects them from adversaries. Alfred s story parallels the major theme of the novel, which is stated most poignantly by the fight manager, mr. The breakthrough modern sports novel the contender shows readers the true meaning of being a hero. His future looks quite bleak because of his own failures and because of the temptations and dangers around him. Robert lipsytes the contender is a great book and makes you feel like your really there. Alfred brooks was struggling and he quit high school. He lived in harlem with his aunt and also he works part time at a grocery store.
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