David and Goliath

[Kate]

The biblical story, David and Goliath, first mentioned when Hoopie boxed against Jackhammer, and then later, during one of Peekay’s boxing matches, seems to be a powerful, deliberate, and pertinent reference to the dilemmas of the characters in the novel. They each struggle with persecution and feel at one point they, like David, are the underdog of their society: Doc because he is German, Morrie because he is Jewish, Geel Piet because he is African, and Peekay because he is English. It is my belief that hope compels each of these characters to triumph over their own demons.