The Disadvantages of Poverty
Mark's mother is not a wealthy woman. In fact she is highly disenfranchised from her ability to earn money both because she is a single mother and because she is black. Still, she does her best to provide for her son, and in the end it is enough. Although Mark is embarrassed that he must borrow school supplies from other people, he understands that his mother is sacrificing a lot already to put him through school. In the end, despite his financial setbacks, Mark is a dedicated and promising students. His academic integrity earns him a scholarship for secondary school, which removes a significant barrier and a great deal of stress from he and his mother.
Overcoming Adversity
Despite the unique challenges of his ethnicity and his financial background, Mark dedicates himself to both his studies and to tennis. He turns a mild hobby into a career and sets milestones along the way. Because he is black Mark is not allowed to officially join his high school tennis team, but he establishes and maintains healthy, respectful relationships with the teammates and coaches so that eventually they allow him to join anyway. He becomes a sort of celebrity, defying racial boundaries which had deep roots in the Apartheid legal system.
The Value of Friendship
Mark attains success because of his own skill and perseverance but also thanks to the support and help of the people around him. Starting with his mother's selfless sacrifice of her time and money to pay for his education, Mark is the recipient of a lot of people's hope. They believe in his talent and are willing to invest in him, but more than that Mark has the ability to make friends with most people. He learns the value of friendship from his mother who is continually devoting herself to her relationships and standing by people. In school, this ability to make friends helps Mark receive the extra supplies and help he needs to be successful, eventually leading to his being invited to join the tennis team. Everyone he meets believes in Mark because they can see, by how he treats people, that he is an ethically good young man.
