Comparing “David and Goliath” and The Basketball Underdog” by Malcolm Gladwell

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The stories of “David and Goliath” and “The Basketball Underdog” are similar and different in many ways. These stories are both in the same book David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell’s book talks about underdogs, misfits, and the advantages of these people. Both of these stories have an overlying theme of the advantages of an underdog. The stories “David and Goliath” and “The Basketball Underdog” have many similarities and differences between the two of them.

“David and Goliath” is a biblical story of an underdog overcoming the odds and winning. A very long time ago, the Israelites and the Philistines had a battle with each other. Instead of having a big war—all of the Israelites against the Philistines— each of the sides picked their strongest, biggest, and best person to fight one-on-one against the other. Once the sides have picked their candidate, they would fight against each other to the death, to find out who truly is the best. The Philistines picked Goliath. Goliath was a tall, strong, and muscular giant who has spent all of his life fighting in battle. Goliath was very much expected to win. Once the Israelites heard about the Philistines picking Goliath, they were very worried. They had no idea who to pick, until a normal man named David stepped forward to volunteer to fight Goliath in the battle. David was weak, scrawny, and was not experienced in fighting. David and all of the Israelites knew that if David just tried to fight Goliath straight up, he would definitely lose. When it came time for battle, David pulled out a slingshot that he made and shot a rock in Goliath’s forehead before he could even approach David. After that one shot, Goliath was dead; and the Israelites won. This story is very similar, ...

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... lot in common, but they also are very different. For example, “David and Goliath” is a biblical story that changed the world and was very important, but “The Basketball Underdog” is just a fun and small ‘Cinderella story’ with not that much importance. These stories are very different in importance. Also, “David and Goliath” is a story that has only one battle. David made the slingshot once and shot Goliath, then it was over. But, “The Basketball Underdog” is a constant fight over and over all the way from their first practice, to the national championships.

All in all, “David and Goliath” and “The Basketball Underdog” have many things in common, and also many differences. These are both stories that are inspirational and entertaining, and I would recommend them to everyone.

Works Cited

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/05/11/090511fa_fact_gladwell

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