The Contender by Robert Lipsyte: A Book Review

In Robert Lipsyte's The Contender, the volatile friendship between Alfred and James reflects the conquests and adversities of their life. As the book progresses, their friendship cycles through periods of deterioration and restoration. At points in the book, it appears that the separation between Alfred and James will make it impossible for them for them to continue their friendship. Yet the resilience of friendships allows them to always be salvaged and rebuilt, even from the lowest points. Eventually Through this book, the author is saying that separation and disagreement between true friends matures and progresses the friendship in the long run.

In the book, after their friendship hits rock bottom, Alfred and James are able get back together with their friendship being stronger than it was before their separation. As children, Alfred and James were brought together by their shared interests and circumstances. They had similar upbringings and spent most of their time together. But as they get older and mature, they begin to take different paths until it seems that they have nothing in common. They eventually reach personal lows but still think of each other and what would happen if they were together. They are separated; but emotionally, they are struggling together. With help from his mentor, Alfred realizes that he needs to overcome the obstacles in life and that life isn't always going to be easy. But James isn't as lucky and falls deeper into despair. When Alfred learns that James is in trouble he sets out to find and help him. Alfred finds James and together they discover that all along, their friendship was there, but they just took a break from it. Their time apart helped them gather their thoughts and come back.

Alfred solidifies his friendship with his mentor Mr. Donatelli only after he quits boxing then resumes his training. Before, Alfred and Mr. Donatelli maintain a relationship based solely on Alfred's training, nothing more. Frustrated with the problems in his life and the influence of the gang, Alfred quits boxing. But with the support of Mr. Donatelli, he continues boxing. Now, Mr. Donatelli has risen to the role of father figure to Alfred. Alfred had continued boxing without interruption, he and Mr. Donatelli would not have the relationship that they now have.

James's relationship with his gang proves that they were not true friends because a fight ended their gang rather than developing it and making it better. If they had really been friends, Major; the gangs leader and James's friendship would have been solidified and corrected when James left. But that didn't happen, instead, James and Alfred reconciled.

Through the fights and disagreements in this book the parties involved are able to reconcile and solve their problems. With all that happens in the book, James and Alfred's friendship still exists. They are able to take a hiatus when the choose and come together when they need it the most. Even thought it seems that the fights in the book hurt the people involved, it ends up making their relationship stronger in the long run.