49 pages • 1 hour read
Mike LupicaThe Underdogs
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Flying
Images of flight and descriptions of flying are a recurring motif in the story. The idea of “flying” is often used to describe Will’s speed on the field. He is known not only in Forbes but also in Castle Rock for possessing extraordinary speed and extreme agility. He also has an “extra gear” that kicks in when really needed. The story opens with imagery of Will’s speed—“He was definitely flying now” (1)—and it likewise ends with the championship win, resulting from his ability to “fly.” Kendrick tries to outpace Will, making digs that suggest he flies faster than him. Ultimately, Kendrick is defeated in their one-on-one speed contest, as Will’s ability to run and pivot pulls the victory away from him in the last seconds of the championship.
The idea of flying often symbolizes freedom, and Will feels his worries and burdens lessen when he is running. Also, scenes in which he visualizes playing on the high school field hint at a football future in which his ability to “fly” may bring him greater freedoms such as scholarships. The motif is also evident in references to Forbes Flyers, the name of the shoe brand whose factory employed many Forbes residents, including Joe Tyler. When Will’s father lost his job there, his financial freedom and opportunities became limited. Near the end of the novel, Will’s father helps Mr. DeMartini design a new football shoe for Will. His help with this Forbes Flyers design shows he has broken free from some of the bitterness he held from the factory closing.
Gender Stereotypes in Sports
The barriers Hannah experiences before she is permitted to play for the Bulldogs symbolize the stereotypes many people hold regarding gender in sports. In the novel, these stereotypes become a motif, emerging each time Hannah interacts with new male players.
They first emerge when she asks Will if she can join the team. While Will is the most accepting young man in the novel, stereotypes about girls in sports are so ingrained in him that he rejects the idea out of hand. Hannah’s reference to investigating the rules and citing discrimination shows that, by contrast, she is thinking critically about the situation rather than reacting based on stereotypes. Even once Will admits Hannah is supremely skilled, he tempers the idea to his father by presenting low-key ways they can employ her skills: “You could put her at wide receiver to keep her away from the action. And way back at safety, Let her punt and kick extra points if you don’t want her to run for them. You could hide her, Dad. But we’d have our eleven” (118). His suggestion to hide Hannah reflects the stereotypical assumption that girls are weaker and not as action-oriented as boys in sports. Little does Will know that Hannah will not stand for this peripheral participation, and she soon demands that she be treated as a fully engaged member of the team.
Lupica points out Hannah’s weakness when it comes to defense; for example, she gets hurt a few times and must sit out a half when Merrill players treat her with unfair roughness. Importantly, however, the author shows that boys on the team get hurt too: Chris Aiello breaks an ankle, and Will’s defensive skills are called into question when Hannah accuses him of easing his tackle of her for her sake (when actually, he pulled no punches at all). Ultimately, Hannah is portrayed as a valuable, key player with particular strengths and particular areas for improvement—just like everyone else on the team.
"Trash Talking"
“Trash talking” in sports, a recurring motif in the narrative, can run the gamut from good-natured challenges between teammates to irritating commentary and crude personal insults from opponents. For example, Hannah and Will cut up each other’s passes, kicks, and speed in a lighthearted way when they first meet, but Kendrick Morris’s trash talk is insulting, personal, and direct to Will during games. Kendrick intends to distract Will with his commentary, making trash talking part of his strategy. He picks on Will’s size, references his fumble in last year’s playoff game, and crows about his own assured win over Will: “Who’s the one who can really fly?” (170). Will is characterized as a player who dislikes hurtful, intentional trash talking, which contributes to the positioning of him and Kendrick as dramatic foils. Kendrick’s failure in the end reinforces Lupica’s emphasis on good sportsmanship as an aspirational trait.
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