The Million Dollar Shot

When Eddie’s mom and Annie’s dad lose their jobs at Finkle Foods, this event becomes the catalyst that compels Eddie to enter the contest. Up until this point, Finkle Foods has had both a positive and negative influence on Eddie’s life, for although the factory job puts food on the table, the company does not treat its employees well. However, now that Eddie’s mom has been fired, the company takes on purely negative associations in Eddie’s mind. In this context, his decision to enter the contest and earn the money as a form of revenge imbues the story with an element of irony. Because Eddie’s mom is no longer employed at the company, Eddie is no longer prohibited from entering the contest. Thus, by firing Eddie’s mom, Mr. Finkle makes it possible for Eddie to enter the contest, and as the climax of the story will prove, the resulting chain of events will prove to be Mr. Finkle’s undoing.

Eddie’s desire to split the money with Annie in Chapter 5 foreshadows the fact that their families will end up coming together at the end of the book. Additionally, the protagonists’ first argument in Chapter 6—as well as their willingness to find a solution—indicates that their relationship is stronger than the obstacles that are put in their path. In each scene, the two friends support each other and face the world together, and their joint ambition to win the contest illustrates the novel’s dominant message about The Power of Confidence.

Eddie’s shifting mindset throughout Chapter 7 shows The Link Between Mindset and Outcome and indicates the negative side of The Power of Confidence. Eddie initially believes that he does not need to practice, because he already makes about half of his attempted shots, and this attitude demonstrates the fact that overconfidence is a recipe for failure. The flaws in his current mindset are also emphasized when he does not yet realize that his poor response to distractions represents another crucial weakness to overcome. His refusal to listen to Annie illustrates his stubbornness and shows that Eddie is too focused on getting indirect revenge on Mr. Finkle to take the primary details of the contest seriously. However, once Annie’s dad starts to coach him, Eddie experiences an important shift in his mindset. Annie’s dad has basketball skills that Eddie has never seen, which makes the boy realize just how much he needs to practice if he wants to make the shot and win the million dollars. Whereas Eddie succumbs to irrational moods and cannot consistently make the shot, Annie’s dad is steady and confident in his abilities. He has honed his skills to the point that he no longer needs flashy moves or creative shots, and his performance on the basketball court represents the importance of dedicating oneself to endless practice.

In further support of this development, the backstory that Annie’s dad provides at the end of Chapter 7 is both a warning to Eddie and an additional element of foreshadowing for the book’s final chapters. Annie’s dad reveals that he was once like Eddie—young and overconfident—and he now regrets that this mindset caused him to miss his chance at joining the NBA. Because Annie’s dad missed his chance to succeed, his situation will ultimately act as a contrast to Eddie’s eventual success, but for the moment, it stands as a stern warning to the boy, spurring him to practice under a wide range of conditions. Initially, Annie’s dad coaches Eddie in a quiet and calm environment that allows Eddie to learn what he needs to learn without the distractions that cause him such trouble. Once Eddie is confident with his skills, Annie’s dad introduces distractions to help Eddie practice for the environment he will encounter at the NBA game.

In addition to focusing on the novel’s sports-related challenge, the author also introduces new developments that intensify The Stress of Navigating Change. When Annie draws Eddie’s attention to the growing relationship between her dad and Eddie’s mom, Eddie’s unfavorable reaction indicates that he is still having trouble adjusting to the many tumultuous changes that his family has recently endured. For the moment, Eddie falls back on his own denial to avoid dealing with the possibility of a romantic relationship between his mom and Annie’s dad. However, the early insertion of this newly developing source of conflict foreshadows the difficulties that Eddie will later have when he is forced to deal with the reality of this relationship in Chapter 14.