Million Dollar Throw

One of the main themes throughout the novel is belief and how it’s connected to vision—both the physical act of being able to see and the metaphorical idea of having a goal for the future. This idea is most evident at the end of the novel, when Tom Brady tells Nate: “I still get scared. But I never stop believing. The way I never stopped believing I would come back and play this way again after my knee surgeries” (233). This idea of belief being the fuel that keeps a person going, especially through the hard times, is developed through Nate’s character arc.

In the beginning of the novel, Nate’s beliefs are contingent on what he sees, and what he sees furthers his beliefs. Nate believes that he is a good quarterback because he sees the results of his throwing abilities, such as being known throughout town as “the boy with the golden arm” and helping his team win games. During this time, he believes that he deserves the attention he receives because he’s worked hard to become a good quarterback. It’s also implied that Nate has always believed the world is good because he comes from a good home that’s financially stable. However, once his dad loses his job and Abby starts going blind, Nate begins to question his whole belief system. He can’t understand why bad things are happening to such good people.

Nate has always believed in fairness, that if a person puts in the hard work, they deserve the reward. But once bad things befall those he loves, he realizes that people don’t always get what they deserve. He internalizes this idea with himself as well, thinking that he doesn’t deserve the good things that are happening to him, either. Once he loses his belief that things always work out the way they should, he also loses his sense of confidence and power over his life. He can no longer throw the football, and even his relationships with his dad and Abby start to grow shaky.

Contrary to Nate at this point is Abby, a character who is losing her physical ability to see but is still able to believe in a vision for the future. Despite the bad circumstances that have befallen her, circumstances that she doesn’t deserve and didn’t cause to happen, she has hope that she will still have a good life. She looks to Helen Keller as an example of what’s possible despite being blind, and she has faith that she can learn to be blind and still successful. This is unlike Nate, who has many good things going for him, but is too upset by the stresses around him to believe in a good future for himself or his loved ones.

It’s only when Nate’s belief about his circumstances change that he’s once again able to play football and regain his confidence. Once he believes that he can help Abby and his family, he commits to practicing for the throw, knowing that the money could help the people he loves. He regains control over the football, and ultimately, he regains control over himself.