The Million Dollar Shot

Mr. Finkle is the antagonist of The Million Dollar Shot. In appearance, he is short and large, and Eddie thinks that he looks “like a giant Finkle” (59). In many ways, the author makes a caricature of Mr. Finkle and succumbs to a long-standing tradition of portraying antagonists as being fat. Although this implicit association is somewhat problematic, Mr. Finkle’s appearance is also designed to reflect one potential result of eating the unhealthy snack food that his company makes. Mr. Finkle also uses underhanded practices in his business dealings, and his ultimate fate supports the old adage that cheaters never prosper. Instead of calling off the contest once he realizes the prize will bankrupt him, Mr. Finkle resorts to bribery and mind games to try to force Eddie into missing the shot. Mr. Finkle never takes responsibility for his decisions or his mistakes; instead, he chooses to blame others for his own failings. The loss of his wealth and company at the end of the book stand as an ironic form of justice, especially when Eddie uses his winnings to restore jobs to everyone that Mr. Finkle fired. Instead of bribing and tricking his way to success, Mr. Finkle loses everything to Eddie’s honesty and hard work.

Annie Stokely is Eddie’s best friend. At the beginning of the book, Eddie nicknames her Annie Oakley after the famous sharpshooting performer because Annie has better aim than he does. However, Eddie does not realize that her skill is the result of long practice and a solid mindset until he starts training with Annie’s dad. Annie and her father therefore emphasize The Link Between Mindset and Outcome, proving that steadiness and practice are more important than glamor and status. Annie and Eddie disagree several times, and Annie always walks away frustrated in the moment. She cares about Eddie and wants to help him, and she finds his overconfident attitude irritating, especially when she feels that she knows better than him. Annie is also well-read and intelligent, as evidenced by the fact that she writes the winning poem for the Finkle Foods contest.