http://artobserved.com/artimages/2008/09/the-scream-edvard-munch.jpg
The Scream by Edvard Munch shows the psychological pain that probably everyone experiences at some point in their life, and that Agassi frequently must face and overcome on his journey to manhood. Andre Agassi describes many situations in his book where he is frustrated with what his father is making him do. Agassi writes, "I hate tennis, hate it with all my heart, and still I keep playing, keep hitting all morning, and all afternoon, because I have no choice" (27). The figure in The Scream seems to be in great pain just like Agassi is. The painting also is symbolic of Agassi's father's physical screaming at his son. Many times in the book, Agassi writes thing such as: "My father screams from the stands: No more drop shots! No more drops!" (37). Father and son are screaming, Agassi internally, his father out load.
http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/articles/images/dragon048lr.jpg
The image of the dragon represents Agassi's enemy, which literally is a ball machine that he personifies and calls "the dragon." The dragon also represents the role of tennis in his life and how Agassi must conquer his feelings about tennis. The dragon is described as looking like every other ball machine but then Agassi unexpectedly adds that: "it's actually a living, breathing creature straight out of my comic books. The dragon has a brain, a will, a black heart - and a horrifying voice" (27). When Agassi goes back to see the dragon with Stefanie's parents, and his father asks him to demonstrate how the dragon works, Agassi writes, "I'm having shuddering, violent flashbacks" (326). Agassi has to face up to those fears. The dragon also represents his father - Agassi describes his father as "fire-belching" early on in the autobiography (27). Like St. George, Agassi must slay his internal dragon and the hold it has on his peace of mind.
http://carriegooch.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/the-thinker.jpg
The sculpture The Thinker by Auguste Rodin illustrates how Agassi starts thinking about his situation through one of his friends; this friend later becomes one of the persons working on Agassi's team. Perry Rogers is described as "a kid who not only notices" but also points things out (64). Perry also is described as listening, conversing, analyzing and strategizing. Agassi uses Perry to tell him his jumbled problems and Perry rearranges Agassi's thoughts, making them sound logical which, to Agassi, is the first step to making them solvable (64); Perry helps Agassi reach manhood by helping him with his disordered thoughts (141). When Agassi hits a low point, he no longer wants to be using his Thinker friend to help him understand himself (228). With the help of Perry and others, by the end of the book Agassi has been able to think through things and to recognize that: "I didn't alter my image, I discovered it. I didn't change my mind. I opened it" (373).
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgi4TujqYGVjOl8paUEmP7HUzEfSQ5Q9EAUMaZEfHBtxh439F8vgF2aNTsIi8ekitlwU72F3GaEFl6PM3GfNw0kZunbJf5_VmggGBI8Zx9bVEGXcThBfQ9wzCWyN2Db2d-8hd7QVhsTw/s400/481_Sisyphus.jpg
In his autobiography, Agassi recounts many stories of his struggles and his defeats and how he keeps going on even when others might be quitting in his situation. In that way, he is like Sisyphus who must push a boulder up a hill and begin again every day, punished for all eternity. Agassi's boulder is a tennis ball and his hill is the court. As he keeps losing, Agassi writes that his wife "Brooke asks, why I didn't just quit?" (112). Later in the book, he says to one of his coaches, "I want to quit... But I don't know how - or when" (228). Agassi continues to lose and lose: "I lose all the time now, and the only time I don't lose, is when I pull out of a tournament" (244). But Agassi continues to play in tournaments. As he becomes one of the oldest players, he tells reporters "I don't plan endings anymore than I plan beginnings... Still, I feel eternal" (350). As Agassi matures, with the help of Stefanie and the birth of his children, he comes to realize "I play and keep playing because I choose . Even if it's not your ideal life, you can always choose it. No matter what your life is, choosing it changes everything" (359). Agassi has come to terms with his boulder.
http://www.abstractfigurativesculpture.com/assets/images/autogen/a_Father___Son.jpg
The stoneware clay sculpture entitled Father & Son visually describes Agassi's relationship to his son. It is a big contrast to his relationship with his own father. Agassi knows his father loves him but that love is demonstrated in a very destructive way. Agassi worries about what kind of a father he will be "I am a stranger to myself - what will I be to my son", but being a father also gives him a sense of purpose: "now more than ever, I need to play. For him, his future, and my other children at my school" (339). His son helps him put the game of tennis in perspective and Agassi writes, "Each night, within minutes of coming home from the courts, as I'm cradling Jaden... I can barely recall if I won or lost" (341). Becoming a father has helped Agassi grow up and he comes to realize that he is a father first and a tennis player second. He writes that, "This evolution happens without me being aware" (341). He notes that his two children and his wife are four distinct personalities and yet they are a matching set. He uses the word "complete" to describe how he feels in life (373). Agassi is content and fatherhood has helped him become a better person.
http://www.myartprints.co.uk/kunst/lorenzo_bartolini/charity_educator_sculpture_hi.jpg
The sculpture by Lorenzo Bartolini entitled Charity The Educator mirrors Agassi's role as the designer of his charter school in Nevada. The school keeps him motivated on the tennis courts: "I'm playing for the school, therefore playing my best" (336). Agassi is committed to setting up all aspects of the school. He and Stefanie raised forty million dollars for his foundation as of 2004. Agassi is pleased that he can give back to the community. The school's unofficial motto is "BELIEVE". One student tells Agassi that the school gave him direction, hope and a life and thanks Agassi for his efforts. Agassi replies that it is he who needs to thanks the student (383). He calls the school and what the school delivers to its students his "proudest accomplishment", particularly because it has been created by a ninth-grade dropout (384).
