44 pages • 1 hour read
Malcolm GladwellA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
David was a shepherd of the Israelites. At the height of the conflict between his people and the Philistines, David steps forward to represent Israel in single combat against the giant Goliath. If David wins, the war will end. If he loses, the Israelites will be enslaved. David is overmatched and refuses to wear the armor that Saul offers him before the fight. He says that he learned everything he needed while keeping predators away from his flocks. David puts a rock in a sling and runs towards Goliath. He hits him in the forehead with the rock and then cuts off the giant’s head with a sword, ending the war. David is representative of anyone who fights against odds that look overwhelming. He is an example of the cunning, dexterity, and counterintuitive thinking that informs Gladwell’s arguments about why underdogs win more frequently than people might assume.
Goliath was a giant and the champion of the Philistines. When he comes down to fight David in single combat, it is clear that his vision is poor. But he is strong and his defenses appear to be impervious, particularly against a foe as small and vulnerable as David. However, Goliath’s strengths are quickly shown to be weaknesses.
By Malcolm Gladwell
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
Malcolm Gladwell
Outliers
Malcolm Gladwell
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know
Malcolm Gladwell
The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War
Malcolm Gladwell
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Malcolm Gladwell
What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures
Malcolm Gladwell