27 and he does not want to be called as an irresponsible father. Outside he finds lots
of losers and irresponsible fathers, because they cannot feed their wife and children. But one thing for sure, ‘family is everything’ for James J. Braddock and
that is one of the reasons he pushes himself to be a responsible father and uses all his ability, even only one hand left for earning money. Another reason is his wife
and children put their hope in him. He knows it. Therefore he promises himself to never disappoint his wife and children; otherwise he keeps struggling to feed them
no matter how.
2. Loyal
Since Great Depression attacks America, people’s life is going terrible. That is the hardest situation for family who does not have regular work like James
Jimmy Braddock. At that time many families are broken, they do things that beyond their common sense such as some fathers decide to leave his wife and
children, some others decide to suicide, or wives decide to leave her children; other choose to send their children to another city which save from Great
Depression. But this case does not break the unity of James Jimmy Braddock’s family. Only a smaller amount family chooses to struggle for their life. They go to
work every early morning and went home when the sky is dark or looks for loan to buy food and fulfill their needs.
This happens to James Jimmy Braddock. Even though the process is quite difficult, he chooses to stay with his wife and his three children no matter the
condition is getting harder day by day. James Jimmy Braddock is one example of
28 a husband and a father who is loyal for his wife and children. He does not have
regular job, but it is not become his reason to leave his family. Otherwise he faces the Great Depression with all the member of his family.
First thing that he does is thank God for his wife, Mae Theresa Fox. She is a telephone operator. Since the first time he meets Mae, he knows that she will
become his wife and friend to live with. From the moment he’d met Mae Theresa Fox, she’d knocked Jim out. It
was the only time in his career it had happened—and that was just fine with him. Cerasini, 2005: 19
Jimmy is a nickname for James J. Braddock. At the moment Jimmy meets Mae; his feeling says that she will be the right person to be his partner of life. But
unfortunately the young Jimmy is untalkative person. When Jimmy realizes that he loves Mae, he does not directly say it to Mae. He keeps it and looks for the
right time to tell it to Mae. He is a man with consideration. He thinks that she is the person who can accept his job as a boxer, a person
who fights on the ring to earn money. But still, she just an ordinary woman. Because of her love for Jimmy, then she can accept his job as a boxer. Indeed,
Mae has fear toward Jim’s profession, but it has grown as well. After he proposes Mae, Jimmy chooses to wait for her answer calmly; otherwise other men will push
the woman to answer their proposal. The characterization of Jimmy who is untalkative makes him can be waiting for Mae’s answer.
It took Jim a great deal of nerve to pop the question. He’d told Mae he’d wanted to wait until he had enough money to set up a nice home. When his
boxing winnings had given him a small fortune of 30,000, he presented his case. Some of the money was in the bank, he told her, some in stocks
and bonds, and remainder invested in a West New York taxicab company. The money didn’t matter to Mae. She’d have married Jim Braddock no
29 matter the figures on his balance sheet. But he hadn’t been certain of her
feelings, and as he waited for her answer, she noticed he was shedding nearly as much perspiration as he did during one of his fights. Cerasini,
2005: 21 – 22
And Mae is not a woman who loves Jimmy’s wealth or popularity, even though Jimmy has everything at that time. Mae just knows from the first time she
meets him, that he is a gentle man, can be trusted, and has loyalty. That is the reason why she accepts Jimmy’s proposal and get marry with him.
Although Jim had loved Mae from the moment he’d met her, he didn’t get around to actually telling her so for quite some time. As a suitor, he’d been
timid and reserved. Yet Mae had come to understand that although James was the a person of few words, he was a considerate and generous man,
and when he did have something to say, his wry sense of humor was usually evident, as well as his decency and quiet strength. Cerasini, 2005:
21
And Jimmy is the person like what Mae’s thought in the first met, he is loyal and lovable husband. ‘Let people judge you by knowing your personality’ is the right
quotation for Jimmy. It is because Joe Gould as Jimmy’s manager who is close to him knows the characters and characterizations of Jimmy. And one of them is
loyal to his wife. Ordinarily, man who is famous and rich will have affair with another woman, but that is not James Jimmy Braddock. That is one of positive
values for Jimmy, because he can show to the people around him that he is faithful even though he has wealth and fame.
Gould paused a moment. “You still married to the same girl?” Braddock gave a little smile. “I was this morning.” Cerasini, 2005: 18
Finally, it is 9:30 A.M on Saturday morning in January. They are in Mass in West New York’s St. Joseph’s of the Palisades Roman Catholic Church. Both
vowed as their commitment to love each other, to preserve in sickness and in
30 health, to stay together in good times and in bad. After the wedding, Jimmy keeps
his promise to buy her a house and family quickly followed. As a good wife, Mae Theresa Fox always gives support to her husband.
She knows that sometimes his husband felt down because of the burden and pressure that borne by him. But her hugs and kisses as always can give relief to
her husband. … Jim smoothed her hair and kissed her head. To him, she was as pretty as
her mother, with big, curious eyes and silky, chestnut-colored hair. Yet her face appeared gaunt, and her fingers and toes felt far too cold. Jim hugged
her close. Cerasini, 2005: 31
And James J. Braddock realizes that only his wife, Mae Theresa Fox, the one who makes him as a luckiest man there ever, even in the hardest situation she is still
the best wife he ever has. Jim winked at his spying daughter, then touched his wife’s cheek,
deciding, not for the first time, that having Mae Theresa Fox as his wife made him about the luckiest man there ever was. Cerasini, 2005: 67
Indeed, James is not only the luckiest man for Mae, but also the luckiest father for his children. He does play with his children no matter the condition is getting
worst. In his mind, he wants to say to his children is no need to worry because father will do everything to feed them and to keep their family still together. So he
makes his children felt safety by playing with them. Rosy put up her tiny hands, which were balled into little fists. “Teach me
how.” Jim shook his head. “I can’t, honey.”
“Why not?” Jim’s eyes drifted to the door. “Because the cops might come back.”
Rosy lowered her arms. “You mean Mommy?” Jim nodded. Rosy put her hands on her hips. “You can too. Teach me,
Daddy.”
31 He tried to stare down his daughter, but Rosy was too much like her
mother. When she threw him the knockout punch of all looks, he relented. “Look,” he began. “It’s about the balance. Put your right here, twist your
hips and throw that one—” As he gave instructions, he positioned the girl until she was posed like a tiny Gene Tunney. She squinted in
concentration, then threw. Jim caught her fist in his big mitt. “Wow, look at that” he cried. “You got a better jab than I did.” As he and Rosy
laughed . . .” Cerasini, 2005: 109 – 110
Jimmy is doing right thing by refuse politely what Rosy’s want. It shows that Jimmy still has respect to his wife after they have words unconditionally. But
he cannot bear to see his daughter who keeps whining to ask to play with him.
3. Honest
James J. Braddock is also an honest father. It is proven when he teaches his first son, Jay, not to steal although they are poor. They must be honest. His
first son starts to understand how the situation is getting harder when they cannot eat. It makes him decide to steel meat in the butchery. The main reason why he
steals is he scares that his parents will send him away to his family in another town. He thinks that what has happened to his neighbor will also happen to him
and his brother and sister. Because of his fear, he thinks to help his parents to feed his brother and sister by stealing meat in the butchery. But he does not think about
the risk of his action. It makes his mother mad of him but different with Jimmy. As a good father, James J. Braddock does not mad at all, instead of explaining
about honesty to Jay briefly and also he tells him that as a father he promise never send his children away for any reason.
Jim stopped on the street, turned toward his son. The boy’s anger was gone now. The shame and desperation were gone too. Only one thing was left
