Really, what is a role model? According to The Pocket Oxford Dictionary, the definition for role model is “a person on whom others model themselves.” According to me, a role model is someone we look up to and get inspiration from throughout our lives. Most of us have a role model whom we all want to be like. Role models can have a great effect on our lives. Different people have different role models in their life to look up to. For an instance, some kids think their father or mother is really great, so they look up to their parents and consider them as their role models. Others might have great athletes their role models. Role models play a major role in shaping a person’s life. Suppose a person is a basketball enthusiast and has Michael Jordan as his role model; the person’s life would then be greatly influenced by this great athlete. We all learn as we grow from a child to an adult. The presence of a role model makes this growth worth something; we then learn from our role model and try to walk on his or her footsteps. In Robert Lipsyte’s The Contender, Mr. Donatelli, Spoon, and other boxers change Alfred’s life over the course of the novel, and are two great role models to Alfred.
Alfred gets inspiration from Mr. Donatelli as he learns about him and tries to follow his sayings. As Alfred starts going to the gym, he learns certain nutritional habits from Donatelli. Henry explains to Alfred how Donatelli made Jelly Belly quit boxing, “Mr. Donatelli says anybody can’t control himself with food can’t go all the way. He said that to Jelly’s face” (113).
The Essay on Role Models
Who are the Role Models of Today? Who are the role models of today? It seems as though the culture of today has the tendency to mistake who a role model is rather then what a role model should be. How, then, is a role model defined? A role model is a person in our lives that give us inspiration, hope and keep our spirits up. Roles models help us in our difficult times that we may have, by giving ...
Mr. Donatelli sets a great example for Alfred to follow in order to get in a good shape. Alfred learns how Mr. Donatelli focuses a lot on the food; accordingly, he learns that the kind of food and exercise can make a boxer really active. After Alfred learns about nutrition and exercise from Donatelli, he starts to follow Donatelli’s guidance and feels a lot energized than before. During the beginning of his training, Alfred describes the changes, “. . . he felt more awake than he usually did on Sunday morning, and the streets seemed more alive than ever before” (27).
Now Alfred gets a new energetic phase to his otherwise slow moving life. Now he cares about himself and excited about his future. Later on his Employer, Lou Epstein also starts to observe the great changes that Alfred has been going through regarding his job. He describes Alfred’s improvements as he asks, “Ben tells me it takes you half the time to sort the new stock Monday mornings. How come you suddenly have more energy now?” (107).
Alfred is now gradually improving his physical and mental state of mind. Alfred learns a lot of it by the example set by Donatelli and also directly from him. Later on Alfred develops a helping character just as Donatelli.
Alfred is greatly inspired by Donatelli’s helping character: he tries to change himself by following Donatelli’s footsteps. Mr. Donatelli really possesses a helpful personality as he thinks positive about everyone. During the fight of Willie Streeter, Mr. Donatelli stops Willie right away after the opponent seriously hurts Willie. The fact that Donatelli cares so much about his boxers really inspires Alfred. Alfred explains to his mother what he thinks about Donatelli, “He’s a boxing manager…Mr. Donatelli’s no gangster. Last night he made Willie Streeter stop ‘cause he had a cut eye, and he made Spoon quit ‘cause he was getting hit too much” (71-2).
Accordingly, Mr. Donatelli again sets a wonderful example to Alfred. Mr. Donatelli cares about the future of his boxers more than his own reputation. Alfred learns that the true meaning of life is going a step further in helping others, rather than being self-centered. Alfred’s inspiration from Donatelli is evidenced in his efforts to help James. Accordingly, as Alfred comes to know about the condition of James, he tries to stop James from using drugs, “No, James, you don’t wanna mess with that stuff, you don’t wanna–. . . I’m gonna go to night school. You come too. Gonna work in a recreation center for little kids, you come help me. You was always so comical. Get you a job” (71, 165).
The Essay on Animal Farm Boxer Idea Of Communism
Boxer- an Analysis Arielle Furn eaux 9 A Boxer is perhaps the most noble and pure Animal of Animal Farm. He works tirelessly and gives his all for a dream, even if he does not live to see that dream transpire. Because Animal Farm is a political allegory, with each character acting as a person or persona of Revolutionary Russia, Boxer must exemplify one himself. In fact, Boxer s role is that of an ...
Alfred is now helping James to make his future better. Even though Alfred knows that it is too hard for James to recover, Alfred makes all his efforts to help him. Thus Alfred gets inspired from Donatelli and uses this inspiration towards James. Spoon also acts a role model in Alfred’s life.
Spoon and other boxers also act as role models: they change Alfred by inspiring him to fight like them. Alfred gets better every day as he watches all the experienced boxers. As Alfred first goes to the Gym, he watches all the other boxers working out and boxing, “In the ring, their heads encased by black leather guards, two fighters danced around each other, ducking, bobbing, bouncing on and off the quivering ropes” (44).
In a way all these boxers that Alfred works with act as role models to Alfred. As Alfred watches them, he learns from their experience and gets inspiration from them. As Spoon comes up to the gym, Alfred also watches him boxing, “Spoon came up that week, and they all watched him spar a few rounds with the heavyweights…Spoon looked better than Willie Streeter did that night at the Garden”(75).
This quote shows that the fact that Spoon is a good boxer, inspires Alfred to box like him, therefore, having a great impact on Alfred’s life. For a new amateur boxier, winning the first fight can be a great challenge. As inspired by all these boxers, Alfred also shows his improvements as he wins his first fight easily, “The winner, by majority decision, Alfred Brooks” (129).
Throughout his training, Alfred inspires from his peers and elder boxers, which change him into a better and confident boxer. Spoon is also the one who inspire Alfred to continue his education.
The Homework on High School Life 5
High school is a place where young teens learn to become mature and responsible. It is a place where students get trained to take on bigger challenges in life. Obstacles such as college. From my own personal experiences, high school didn’t seem that way. Students were more concerned about getting a passing grade then about what they were taught. They would even cheat their way out of high ...
Spoon also encourages Alfred to go back to school and finish his studies. Spoon takes a big step in changing Alfred’s life as he encourages him to learn more and more. As Spoons talks about his situation, “I’m taking some courses at night for my master’s degree now” (118), Alfred gets excited about it and asks, “You teach school and go to school?” (118).
Spoon then suggests Alfred about the power of education as he says, “The more you learn the more you want to know. You ought to think about night school for yourself” (118).
This quote identifies the biggest step that Spoon takes in changing Alfred’s life. Alfred is trying to give his life a real new face—a face of “knowledge”. As Alfred listens to Spoon being a teacher and a student at the same time, greatly inspired, Alfred also makes up his mind to go to night school and continue his studies. While Alfred is at Uncle Wilson’s house, he lets everybody know what he thinks about going to school, “I’ve been thinking. I’m gonna continue my education…Finish up high school at night… Spoon says, the more you know, more you want to know”(142).
Evidently, Spoon has changed Alfred’s life by inspiring him to go to school. Here Spoon portrays a perfect example of what a real role model is.
Thus, Alfred’s life throughout the novel has impacts from Mr. Donatelli, Spoon, and other boxers in many great ways. Mr. Donatelli sets up an example about the good effects of proper nutrition and exercise as he made Jelly Belly quit. Alfred follows Donatelli’s footsteps and feels energized than ever before. Lou Epstein also feels that Alfred is getting more active in his job. As Mr. Donatelli stops Willie Streeter after he gets a cut, Alfred gets inspired from his helping character. Alfred, furthermore uses his inspiration to help James overcome drugs. On the other hand Spoon and other boxer set good examples for Alfred to follow while boxing. Alfred learns as he watches Spoon and his peer boxer’s fight. Finally Spoon inspires Alfred to go back to school. By listening to all the wonderful things Spoon says about education, Alfred makes up his mind to go to night school and continue his education. Therefore, Mr. Donatelli and Spoon, and other boxers act as great role models in shaping Alfred’s life.
The Essay on Why Sports Are An Important Part Of High School Life
Sports Are an Important Part of High School Life”Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” Sam Ewig explains the way many people react to hard work. These habits begin to appear in many of our lives when we are young and introduced to sports such as soccer and football which challenge our ...
