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COMPARISON AND CONTRASTS

The Contender provides studies in both comparison and contrast:

Alfred and James

Alfred and James share many similarities. Both of them are poor blacks who have unstable family lives. AlfredÂ’s mother died when he was very young, and his father left home, deserting him. JamesÂ’ father was a drunk who did not take care of his son. As children, Alfred and James went to the same school, liked the same things, and shared their joys and sorrows. They also had ambitions of escaping from Harlem, becoming successful engineers, and leading comfortable lives. Unfortunately, they both dropped out of high school after eleventh grade.

As high school dropouts and young adults, Alfred and James became very different. Alfred developed a positive attitude about life, while James drowned himself in negative thoughts. Alfred worked hard for his employer, the Epsteins, while James spent his time hanging out with Major and Hollis and getting into trouble. Alfred tried to fight temptation, refusing to be influenced by troublemakers, like Major and Hollis; James quickly succumbed to the temptations offered by Major, participating in robberies with him and taking drugs. Alfred continued to care about James and be concerned about his welfare; James only came to Alfred when he needed money to purchase drugs. At the end of the novel, Alfred convinces James to enter a rehabilitation center in order to turn his life around; therefore, there is hope that the two friends will become more similar again in the future.

Alfred and Jeff

Alfred and Jeff can be compared in several ways. They are cousins of approximately the same age. They are both intelligent, ambitious, and disciplined. Both also have lofty goals. Through much of the book, Jeff wants to go to Africa and make a fortune for himself as a businessman, while Alfred wants to become a champion boxer. Both boys have a change of heart in the course of the novel. Jeff decides that he would rather establish self- help centers for black young people than to go to Africa and get rich; Alfred decides he would rather become a teacher of disadvantaged black youth than to be a champion boxer. It is clear that the cousins both possess a noble heart that wants to reach out and help needy people.

Henry and James

Henry and James present studies in contrast. Henry, the son of the club manager, is disabled but makes an effort to rise above his disability to establish his identity in his small world. Though he stays in the premises of the club, he shuns the company of Major and his friends who frequent the club to pursue their dubious activities. Instead of remaining in the shadow of his father, he strives to assert his identity by joining the gym as a helper. He is conscious of his limp but hates to gain sympathy or help through his disability. He helps Bud and Donatelli in training the students and giving them first aid whenever they require it. Thus, he helps Alfred in gaining confidence and becoming able to compete in a boxing match. Instead of indulging in self-pity, he encourages boys like Alfred to improve their image. Through his determination and courage, he gains the admiration of the readers.

James is a total contrast to Henry. Although he is physically and mentally able to succeed in life, he easily succumbs to temptations. He drops out of school and does not get a job. Instead, he hangs out at the club and befriends troublemakers, like Major and Hollis. He is easily persuaded by Major to join in on the robbery of the EpsteinsÂ’ home; when he is caught by the police, he spends time in jail. After his release, he returns to his life of crime, taking drugs and participating in robberies. While Henry emerges from the shadow of his disability to become a success, James hides in the shadow of his weakness and becomes a failure.

Major And Donatelli

There are two forces that influence Alfred in his struggle for success. Major is a bad influence, and Donatelli is a good one. Major, described as a devil in disguise, has a negative affect on everyone around him. He beats Alfred up for saying nothing about the EpsteinsÂ’ alarm, gets him drunk on vodka, takes him to Coney Island in a stolen car, and tries to make him come down to his level. In contrast to Major, Donatelli tries to positively influence Alfred. He helps him in his training, demands that he gives his best, and encourages him. When Alfred feels guilty about succumbing to the evil influence of Major and thinks about quitting his training, Donatelli changes his mind, convincing him to work hard than ever towards his goal of being a champion boxer. Under the guidance of Donatelli, Alfred gains strength, confidence, and self-knowledge.

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