Heart of a Champion

Carl Deuker

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1994

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Symbols & Motifs

Honesty and Deception

Throughout the narrative, the main character is asked to deal with a number of harsh realities: the deaths of his father and his best friend, addiction, physical limitations, and the reality of his own underestimated abilities. In each case, Seth is given the honest truth. Sharront minces no words when he tells Seth that Jimmy is dead. His mother confronts him with the reality that Jimmy has an alcohol problem. Even Todd expresses honestly that Jimmy has a problem that is bound to blow up in his face, as it does. There is an equal amount of deception in the novel as well: the deception of others and self-deception. One example is when Jimmy works diligently to persuade Seth that the drinking they are doing is different from Mr. Winter’s drinking. When Seth tries to deceive his mother or his coach, he inevitably fails. Though this motif, Deuker argues that honesty is the best way to deal with the harsher realities of life. Deception inevitably creates bad results for all involved.

The Strong Woman

Though they are mostly minor characters, the women in this novel are resolute and admirable. The most obvious example of this is Seth’s mom, who sets wise boundaries for him while letting him develop as a young man. She makes ongoing sacrifices for her son yet reveals that she is vulnerable and sometimes uncertain. Another example is Jimmy’s mom, who must handle Mr. Winter’s increasing alcohol use, while doing the best she can for Jimmy. Mrs. Winter flees her home to protect her son and herself; later, she returns so that Jimmy can finish school in a familiar place. A final example is Mr. Winter’s second wife, Elizabeth Strong, the only woman given a name—one that defines her personality. She is wise and capable enough to empowering Mr. Winter’s sobriety.

The Shower

The shower is a place of renewal and insight throughout the narrative—often, showers cleanse the mind as well as the body. For instance, Seth can only face up to his own drunken behavior after he takes a shower. Later, in the locker room shower, Seth overhears Jimmy turn down the opportunity to drink, a hopeful promise made in the clarity of a bathing ritual. Finally, Seth summons the courage to ask his mother about sacrificing her personal relationships on his behalf specifically after a shower in which he suddenly sees her as a person.