Master Harold... and the boys Competition Quotes

What does Sam's advice say about love? He's telling Willie that he must convince the judges that he and Hilda are headed for happily ever after, whether it's true or not. The way to win, in the dance competition anyway, is to seem happy and in love, not necessarily be it. That might tell us something about the way Sam and Willie have to live their lives.

Hally walks into Willie and Sam's practice session and immediately takes the position of judge. It's fun and games; he knows they're preparing for a contest. But it also tells us something about the relationship between the men and the boy; he easily slips into the role of referee, calling the shots. He's comfortable with authority even though he's much younger and has no knowledge of dance.

Let's break down this quick back-and-forth to figure out what motivates the two characters. Hally wonders if Sam's nervous, whether he has confidence in his abilities to win the dance contest. Sam, however, says he isn't nervous and, rather than worrying about his score, just wants to dance. Hally's motivated by external factors like judges and scores; Sam seems to be internally motivated by his own desires.