Mr. Donatelli introduces most of the novel's major themes when he first meets Alfred in the gym in Chapter 3. Before Alfred even begins training, he wants the young man to understand that quitting before you really try is worse than never starting at all. Alfred has already dropped out of high school, but, despite his early history of quitting, Donatelli wants him to understand that he expects an honest effort if Alfred starts training. Donatelli is realistic enough to know that Alfred may quit, but he wants Alfred to realize that it is wrong to do so. Donatelli has a code of ethics. Right and wrong are serious matters to him. Near the end of the novel, Alfred is true to this theme when he insists on going ahead with his final bout, even when he realizes that it is against an older, bigger, and better fighter. Alfred refuses to quit during the fight and goes the distance, which is what Donatelli now knows that Alfred will do in life.
For Donatelli, the journey is more important than the destination. This theme affects everything that the wise old manager does. It explains why the daily grind of training is more important to him than a championship fight and why he treats every fight the same. Donatelli knows that what we do in our daily lives reflects what kinds of people we are. The process is more important than the result, because our characters determine our daily effort. The end result, the destination, will take care of itself.
From the beginning, Donatelli impresses Alfred with the fact that nothing is promised you. There are no guarantees in boxing or in life. Alfred learns this theme so well that it is the first thing that he impresses on James when he helps him in the cave at the close of the novel: "For start. Nothing's promised you, man, but you ain't gonna know nothing till you try." Alfred uses this motto to confront the harsh realities of his own life. Racism alone can not stop him because he doesn't expect any guarantees in the first place. He expects the struggle to be difficult.
