Who Is The Antagonist In Cinderella Man

Ron Howard’s 2005 hit Cinderella Man tells the story of James J. Braddock. It begins with Braddock living lavishly in an elegant house in New Jersey, with a healthy happy family, and a promising boxing career. Sadly, the Great Depression unexpectedly takes the United States by storm, and almost every aspect of American life is impacted, including entertainment. James J. Braddock is quickly out of a job and living in a shabby one-room apartment in New Jersey, barely making ends meet, and even having his boxing license revoked. Every day, he heads down to the loading dock and begs in a group of about 50 men for a shift. This puts a huge strain on his family, but his wife Mae still stays loyal and their relationship remains strong. The last straw is pulled when Mae must send the kids away to stay with her sisters until they can get back on their feet. Jim feels terrible, but his luck quickly turns around. A last …show more content…
One of the most prominent is the role of the husband. Both Jurgis and Jim carry the weight of their family’s well-being on their shoulders, as if it is their own personal burden. While Jim is in the ring, he thinks about his family. Nothing else matters: not his broken hand, not all the odds that are stacked against him, not the hunger that rumbles in his belly. His authentic motivation of making sure his wife and children are content is what leads him to his unbelievable victories. Similarly, Jurgis upholds the mantra of “I’ll work harder” to make sure that his young wife and struggling family have what they need. The conditions in which he works are horrific, but he continuously battles through to ensure that they will be happy. Every degrading shift Jurgis works and every punch that crushes Jim’s face should beat them down, but they come up stronger and more motivated, knowing that they will not stop until their families are