The Brave

The Brave (1991), a young adult sports-themed novel by Robert Lipsyte, centers on a half-Native American, half-white boy fighting to make it as a professional boxer. The second book of four in the Contender series, critics praise The Brave for its realistic depictions of the New York underground and the boxing circuit. Lipsyte, an author and sports journalist, once served as the Ombudsman for ESPN. In 2001, he received the American Library Associations’ Margaret Edwards Award for his contribution to children’s and young adult literature.

The protagonist, seventeen-year-old Sonny, lives on the Moscondaga Reservation. Only half-Native American, the full-blooded Native American teenagers don’t accept him, believing he does not belong on the Reservation. He doesn’t fit in with white teenagers living in cities, either. They are ignorant and they don’t understand his heritage. Sonny wants to fit in and be accepted somewhere.

One day, Sonny decides to leave the Reservation to try his luck somewhere else. He chooses the US Army to give his life purpose and to channel his rage. The US Army seems the perfect outlet—except being underage, he needs someone to sign off on his papers.



When Sonny’s family finds out about his plans, they suggest he join the Running Braves. The Running Braves defend the community and the Reservation. Since Sonny is so strong, and he wants to channel his anger somewhere, this seems the perfect opportunity for him. Nevertheless, Sonny doesn’t want to defend the community because they don’t care about him, only his strength. He rejects the offer and leaves for New York City.

When Sonny first arrives in New York City, he finds it overwhelming. He isn’t streetwise and he’s easily talked into things. A drug dealer sees him wandering around, looking lost, and targets him for a job. Sonny agrees to run drugs for him but only because he is naïve, and he doesn’t understand what he is getting into.

Sonny’s naivety is his downfall; he makes a mistake and the police catch him, arresting him and locking him up. Sonny thinks that his life is over because the Army won’t take him now. Angry and defensive, some inmates don’t like his attitude. They beat him up to teach him a lesson.



One police officer, Jake, pities Sonny. He knows that Sonny is a good kid who just needs direction and guidance. He decides to offer Sonny a new outlet—boxing training. Sonny agrees to train, and the police give him a conditional release. He must live with Jake and do everything he is told, which is a reality shock for him.

Jake introduces Sonny to a boy called Martin. Martin isn’t anything like Sonny, and they don’t want to work together, but this is part of Jake’s cunning plan. The boys must learn to cooperate and help each other. Reluctantly, Sonny agrees to work with Martin, and they train hard together.

Before long, everyone sees Sonny’s talent. He races through the amateur boxing circuit, leaving Martin behind. Though Martin feels crushed, he doesn’t blame Sonny. He knows that Sonny won’t make it in the pro circuit until he masters his temper and aggression. Sonny flies into a rage in the ring whenever he fights, and he loses control too often. This is dangerous; the monster inside him must be tamed.



Jake and Martin help Sonny understand where his feelings of anger and despair come from. Only by facing these feelings can he overcome them. Slowly, he comes to terms with his mixed heritage and stops trying to fit in. He learns that, if people won’t accept him, that’s their problem, not his.

Meanwhile, the police supervise Sonny’s progress. One slipup and he will go back behind bars. Jake does everything possible to keep Sonny on the right path. He tells Sonny about common street scams, and he talks to him about drugs. Sonny realizes that, until Jake and Martin, he didn’t know what friendship was. Now, despite their differences, Sonny has true friends, and he doesn’t want to let them down.

As Sonny prepares for the pro circuit, he reconnects with the Reservation. His people don’t understand his lifestyle, because they want him on the Running Braves, but they accept his choices. For the first time, Sonny feels that his family is proud of him; this gives him the strength he needs to turn pro. Sonny will face many more challenges on the streets of New York City, but for now, he is exactly where he needs to be.