The Contender by Robert Lipsyte is a novel about the hard life on the streets of Harlem, and boxing. In the beginning Alfred is working at a shop sweeping, he gets bullied and picked on all the time. He then wants to learn how to fight and get stronger so he starts boxing, this turns his life around. He finds a local boxing gym and meets Mr. Donatelli, he is an old man who's a boxing manager. Henry is Alfreds friend and works at the gym, he is a trainer and helps Alfred get in shape and work out. He teaches him how to box. Alfred starts defending himself and sticking up for himself. This novel contains three basic themes: survival, contending, and peer pressure.
First of all survival plays a big part in Alfreds life. Everyday he survives by staying alive after him and Major fight. He survives harsh physical training and working out in the gym. He survives the sparring in the gym. He survived the night at the party when he got wasted and did drugs and drank alcohol. The biggest time he survived was when he fought his first match and he won. In the end Alfres survives his relationship with James. Alfred is a survivor. .
The second theme is contending. Alfred contends every day at the gym. He also contends out side the gym with issues like family. He is constantly up against his cousin because he makes a lot of money and went to college. He is like the perfect kid. He contends when he spars for the first time. He was a contender when he was going to quit boxing, then didn't. Alfred is a contender in all of his fights. After the first two fight Donatelli thought Alfred should quit, but he had to fight his last fight against Hubbard. He then after that is going to return to night school. .
Peer pressure is the third theme. Alfred gets pressured every day. He gets peer presured to fight with Major and give him money. Then Alfred goes to a party. He gets pressured into doing drugs and getting wasted.
