John Grisham Bleachers Essay Topics

How does one differentiate between friends and family? Or can one consider them the same thing? In John Grisham’s Bleachers, friends are family and family members are friends. That is the way of life in Messina, and no one is about to mess that up. Some may say teammates, other would say brothers. Eddie Rake's football team is united. Race, gender, sexuality, and criminal records will not get in the way of the bond that Eddie Rake has forced upon them. Former player of the Messina Spartans, Mike Hilliard, puts it best, "When you play for Rake you join an exclusive little club, and you follow the teams that come behind you,” (Grisham 207 - 208). This exclusive club is very plausible evidence for the theme of Unity.

Bleachers contains a multitude

of motivational characters. One may not want to be in a specific character's situation, but one can learn many things from said characters. Reverend Collis Suggs motivates, inspires, and expresses unity. Race did not define who a player was on the field. Rake made every single one of his players feel welcomed and accepted. Eddie Rake demonstrates this by saying, “Welcome to your new school” on the first day that the colored boys arrived after Brown vs. The Board of Education (Grisham 212). Coach Rake was not upset, but welcoming. He was not racist, but gracious. Reverend Collis Suggs was integrated into Messina's football program when he was told "You're gonna be Spartans" (Grisham 211 - 212). As usual, “Rake was right. Skin color didn't matter. He treated us all like dogs, equally” (Grisham 213). This equality is exactly the type of family that the Messina Spartans' football team portrays.
It does not matter one's skin color or criminal records, or in Jesse's situation, both.

The Spartan alumni consider Jesse a close friend. Furthermore, they consider him a family member. The fact that he is in jail for life will not waver this brotherhood. The brotherhood had come to inform Jesse that their father figure, Coach Eddie Rake, had passed away. After breaking the news, the boys think that Jesse should attend the “... memorial service tomorrow, at the field. Most of the Rake's boys will be there, you know to say goodbye. Mal thinks he might be able to pull some strings and get you a pass” (Grisham 169). This specifically outlines the continual friendship of the former Messina Spartans. Mal is a policeman. Jesse is in jail. Mal cares about Jesse. Jesse gets a free pass because of the bond that he and his teammates share. The football team feels as if every family member should join in the remembrance of their beloved coach, and that is why they wanted Jesse to be a part of the funeral.

Eddie Rake taught his players to push themselves to be better. Be a better player and person. He taught them to look out for each other and have each other's backs. The way Eddie Rake looked at the game of football was very unique. He believed that as long as the Spartans had a sense of family, football would follow. After each of the player's glory days, they leaned upon each other to get through life. Eddie Rake was setting up his players for real life situations. He taught his players

that it was unacceptable to play selfishly because Coach Rake knew that his players needed each other.
The unity that the Messina Spartan football teams share is what holds this family together. Not only are they friends, but they love each other like a family. Neely Crenshaw describes his relationship with Rake saying, “I’ve loved five people in my life… My parents, a certain girl who’s here today, my ex-wife, and Eddie Rake” (Grisham 224). More than ever before, the boys on the pervious football teams needed to support each other after their coach's death. Thankfully, Eddie Rake left them with a bond that could never be broken. Whether they played for the first team, last team, or any team in between, these players are a part of one brotherhood. No matter the differences of the players, they were accepted for who they were. Friends last only a short while, but family is forever.