Every character in this story finds themselves "stuck" in some fashion. Del most of all, for the reader's view of the world is presented through his teenage perceptions.
Although the title comes the coach, Dan Gable, he says: "It's no secret. It's pride and faith and stubborness. That's all. You don't give in. No matter what, you keep going. You don't ever give up. That's it."; we as analytical readers know the meaning must go deeper than this simple statement.
So, what is the secret to not getting stuck? Is there one, or is Woodruff simply playing an ironic joke on his readers?
21 comments:
i believe that there is a secret to not getting stuck. the secret is to not give up on yourself, because if you do then you will remain stuck. when Del and his parents got "stuck" they all had a hobby or addiction that they turned to, to deal with the "violence" that they were causeing one another. Del and wrestling, the dad and alcohol, and the mom and cooking.
I believe that the secrete to not getting stuck is self disipline without self disipline you cannot have motivation or goals, well I guess you could but you could never be successful without self disipline. Thus this is the secrete to not becomeing stuck.
The secret to not getting stuck comes from being decisive, determined, and detached. Being decisive allows a person to get up and go with out question. Forgetting all the little details and going for what they want. Determination allows someone to push on through before they find themselves trapped or "stuck" in a rut whether in be physical or emotional. And being detached makes it much easier to move on with life, caring less about people and values and more on personal goals allows a person to focus on the objective rather than the sideshow.
The character Del is both decisive as he shows when he decides to keep on training after his injury and loss, and that he is determined to keep on fighting for himself. Woodruff is showing the reader that detachment is the hardest of these to accomplish as Del let his personal feelings into a wrestling match causing him to lose. In conclusion Woodruff is asking the reader whether or not it's worth being detached in order to not get stuck.
I believe that there is a secret to not getting stuck, however the secret actually isn't a secret at all. It's so obvious that it simply cannot be a secret. Although some people are already stuck, or becoming stuck so they are unable to see the "secret" and need it to be told. Therefore it really is a secret. Very complex, but simple at the same time. I believe that the secret to not getting stuck is different for everyone, but adds complexity to a solution so simple. However, part of the solution for everyone is to be persistant. Which is why Woodruff sneaks in the word "stubborn" into his short story. See? Simple! ;]
After thinking about our class discusion I realize that the main character Del was not looking for the answer to becomeing unstuck, but in actuallity help to fix his home life in which that he could not control, thus the word "stuck" is used in the title. He was not stuck physically, just mentally with the family issues that he had to deal with day after day. After his father died, I believe that he became "un-stuck" because he no longer had to worry about his father's bad habits. We see this in the story because he comes down and relieze that he is no longer the best, he could think with a clear mind now and causes him to become "un-stuck". Generally he reliezed that he could not fix everything which is had to relieze when you are a 17 year old kid and your parents are constantly fighting. So the true secret to not becomeing stuck is reliezing that you can not fix everything in the world sometimes people have to help themselves.
Sam you said that he became "unstuck when his father died because mentally he did not have his family issues anymore". I have to disagree with you because he still has to deal with the pain of not only the loss of his father but also the pain of still not being able to commmunicate his true feelings to him. He still turns to wrestling at the end of the story, and i think that he is now not taking out the violence he was expirencing but now the pain he is expiriencing. Del is still stuck just in a different type of way.
I don't think that there is one secret to not getting stuck. I think that is to general. When the coach makes that statement at the match he is being to general. I think really that there is a secret but it is diffrent for everyone depending on your situtaion. Like for del when his father dies he gets stuck being stubborn isn't going to help him.I think that Woodruff is trying to tell us that there is many diffrent secrets to not getting stuck it is just up to us to find the right one.
There is no way of not getting stuck....there is only a way of dealing with it according to Woodruff. Each way is somthing each individual in the storys finds that works best for them or thinks works best. Del chose to wrestle (take it out physicaly) his mom cooked, and his dad drank alcohol.
I am of the opinion that there is no way to not become "stuck" some time in your life. We are human. We are therefore flawed. Being as such, it is impossible to not become snagged on the branches of life. All that the author is trying to do is lead you to believe that there might be a way to make the instances where you are indeed stuck as infrequent as possible, which is; quite possible. There is no possible way however, to never become *stuck* Even apathy has it's own shortcomings. Instead of becoming stuck on others or on life itself...you would become inwardly stuck and self-conflicting.
in my opinion i have to agree with a few people on here and say that there is no TRUE secret to not getting stuck. it's basically pretty flat-out, dont give up on your self and you wont remain stuck. do give up though, and you'll remain stuck for as long as you can't have faith in yourself to get unstuck.
the secret to not getting stuck relies in a persons own determination. People face a lot of different problems in life and no matter how big or small the problem is everyone has there own way of not getting stuck or caught. Some turn to addiction, hobbies and sometimes distructive behavior. The secret to not getting stuck depends on the person and the situation. So there is an answer some us know how to get unstuck and others are still trying to figure it out but there is an answer but it is different for each and everyone one of us.
i see that you have some really good points egreenia but I do not think that you see the whole picture. Now that his father is gone the main character doesn't have to worry about the pressure of his dads problem (plus he is constantly think about a problem that he wants to fix but in accuallity he can not because it is his father's problem) Thus he can have a clear mind and think about the problem in which he should be focusing on like wresleing
well I agree with liz. sorry Sam. But not only does delbnow have to deal with the challenges of beo a tennager but also he has to deal with the fact that he lost his father and all the things he wishes he could of said to him. In away yes del doesn't have to deal with his fathers problems but del still feels the pain of "what ifs" and that is harder then most anything else.
I think people get themselves stuck so the only ones who can get them unstuck are themselves. They allow people into their lives or have people in their lives that have an affect of power over them causing them to have to deal with their emotions towards those people. I think for the most part people have an option if they get "stuck" or not, so they can always overcome it. I also think the more someone knows the more apt they are to become stuck because they are more aware of everything and everyone making them make more choices and possibly having to chose one thing or person over another.
There is no secret to not getting stuck. Somewhere along the way we all will get stuck. We'll all be faced with struggles that we'll have to overcome. For Del getting stuck was being forced to deal with his family issues. His parents get divorced and his father is not the greatest person to deal with. He is a smoker and an alcoholic and is not always there for Del. In order to resist dealing with his family, he relies on working out a wrestling.
the secret to not getting stuck is to take things as they are in your own way. People worry about how they are doing things if they are doing it right. if it makes sence to you and the task is being completed then you arent stuck are you. people get stuck when they start focussing on not getting stuck. just go at your own pace and keep at it and you never know... you might be surprised. ;)
I think that there is a secret to not getting stuck. Persistance, determination, self-perception is all you really need. In the Secret to Not Getting Stuck, Del is persistant, almost too persistant for the most part,he is determined NOT to get stuck. Sometimes something just has to give, and the suicidal death of his father made him feel less than he ever had. He had been working so hard not to get stuck...for his father. Now that his father takes his own life, what's the use in winning anymore. Every character in the story was addicted to something whether it be alcohol, smoking, or wrestling, and they all gave up in the end. Dels father through death, Del got stuck...they all lost.
There have been many very good points made. I find that most everyone has gotten some sort of a handle on the issue. On JY's note we all "get snagged on the branches of life" but only some allow themselves to get stuck on those branches. The others persist and press on. The secret to not getting stuck to see the bigger picture in life. We all have to deal with death in life. I have to agree with elizabeth on the issue of del's father's suicide; his father's death didn't free him from the branches, only he can free himself. Del must overcome the struggles of life and find a purpose; without purpose we can find ourselves stuck on the smallest things, even argueing over things that couldn't make a difference in an hour. The secret to not getting stuck in to realize the big picture and find your piece of it.
I do believe there is a secret to not getting stuck. It is what motivates you, pushes you to new limits, what drives you. Only you know what those are, others may think they know but only you do. The secret is yours.
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