The Contender, by Robert Lipsyte, was one of the first books that broke the field of YA wide open! Although it is not a big book, (160 pages) it had a huge impact on the YA field and is considered a classic!
Alfred, a young black boy, is tired of getting made fun of and beat up just because he is trying to do the right thing. He begins training at an old boxing gym, with a man named Mr. Donatelli, and it changes his life. He trains harder than anyone else, and starts getting respect from those who once ridiculed him. Alfred went from being the kid who everyone could walk all over to being a contender. (In and out of the boxing ring)
Although there were many themes in this novel, the main one I distinguished was "resisting temptation," Alfred's best friend James gets caught in the world of crime and drugs, and Alfred has to make the decision to either follow him down the slippery slope, or to stay on the right path alone. To make things even harder for Alfred, his best friend James doesn't want anything to do with him anymore, and Alfred feels helpless. Probably the only thing that keeps Alfred straight is his boxing dream.
The Contender is a novel about a boy with a lot of heart who learns that hard work is always rewarded, even if not right away. Although he does not win all of his fights, he becomes and man and a true champion.
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