The Wayward Wrestler

What comes to mind when you hear the word "wrestler"? To me, I picture a tough, toned, well-built person who is both mentally and physically strong, although they might not be very well educated. Rocky Balboa fits this description very well, however, this movie also gives viewers a look into the other aspects of the wrestler's life. It quickly becomes apparent that he has a different, more gentle side to him. But also, he appears to be lost. He seems to lack motivation and self-confidence, and the cinematography only enhances his personality. When asked to challenge Apollo Creed, for example, he seemed very reluctant to accept the offer out of fear that he would lose the competition. But eventually, he was persuaded into fighting Apollo. It seemed like it was very easy for people to push him around, for them to coerce him into doing something whether he wanted to or not. His coach, Paulie, removed his belongings from his locker without even asking him, despite the fact that he had been using that locker for years. He often called Rocky a "bum", and was always in a bad mood whenever Rocky was around him. But Paulie wasn't the only one, because several other characters treated him like he was a worthless loser.

What really struck me was his calm nature. He didn't seem like the stereotypical wrestler type. He had a surprisingly gentle personality, and this is shown several times throughout the film. When he brought Adrian to the ice skating rink, and then to his apartment, he was very kind to her. He treated her with respect, despite the fact that people always treated him with disrespect. For the first time in her life, she had been treated like a human being.

As Johnna said in her post, he was subconsciously lifting himself up while also lifting Adrian up, much like he did with the young girl on the street corner. It was very evident that Adrian's loudmouth brother wasn't very nice to her at all, yet Rocky was kind and caring. The time they spent together that night was definitely the best time of her life. This reveals a lot about his character, because instead of seeing her as the awkward girl who worked at the bird store, he saw her as something more: a person. A living, breathing person, with feelings and emotions. That's how a real man treats a woman.