James J. Lansky's Cinderella Man

The 1920’s era was a prosperous time in which most Americans lived carefree, simple lives. Without warning, the Great Depression entered the U.S, tearing families apart and killing jobs. In “Cinderella Man”, James J. Braddock was a boxer whose family had a difficult time coping with the economic changes in New York City. Although his life had been altered negatively, his viewpoint toward his morals grew to be more apparent. His honesty, dedication and toughness helped shed a light of hope to his wife, Mae, and three children Rosie, Jay, and Howey. Braddock was looked up to as a “boxing hero” by thousands of Americans through symbols of gratitude and inspiration, helping people get through ambitious times when nothing seemed possible. Honesty was a trait that few

Alongside millions of Americans, a go-to way of getting fast money was to work in the docks. Unfortunately, Braddock suffered a broken hand when he was in a boxing match, but that did not cease his motive to provide for his family. A starstruck moment for Braddock was when he was placed into a match that seemed to be a “highly probable loss” against Art Lasky. A few rounds into the bout, the audience is shocked to see Braddock last this long, but the downfall has only begun. Unexpectedly, Lansky throws a strong uppercut to Braddock’s jaw, resulting in his mouthpiece flying out onto the mat. The crowd is silenced, but nobody knows what is going on through the mind of the “Bulldog of Bergen”. Dazed and in tremendous pain, Braddock has flashbacks of his family. This moment reminds him of his morals and what winning the fight really means. Braddock gains consciousness, full of power and purpose, and gives everything he has. He goes on to win the match with the support of his town and his fans, going against all odds. Ultimately, boxing involves mental toughness, and no other fighter at the time has ever had a mindset like James J.