An Essay On The Natural By Bernard Malamud

Patel 1

Jalak Patel

Mrs. Herr

Senior Reading and Writing

December 16, 2014

The Natural

Many people strive to become heros, but very few become one. In The Natural, by Bernard Malamud, Roy Hobbs is a fictional baseball player, whose dream is to become a hero. He played baseball as a teenager and never made it to the majors until he was 34years old. Before the death of the star, Bump Bailey, Roy joined the New York Knights and took over in the left outfield and led them to the playoffs. Roy Hobbs was natural born athlete with talent, self-confidence and intelligence.

The first characteristic Roy Hobbs displays as an athlete is his talent. His father taught him to pitch and play baseball when he was a young child. At 19, Roy became the most valuable player, out playing Walter “the Whammer” Wambold who had won the award previously. Another instance in which Roy's talent in baseball is shown, is when he

After three games he missed, Roy brought his team from last position to first position even though he was injured. He didn't quite the game until he win. His confidence bought his team to first place and his intelligence for baseball kept the knights winning.

The third characteristic Roy Hobbs displays is his intelligence for the game of baseball. As a pitcher, he had to anticipate what the other players were doing, as well as the speed of the pitch, and where the ball was going. Roy had replaced Bump Bailey, another brilliant player. After a while, the fans accepted Roy as an intelligent player. “As Roy’s fame grew, Bump was gradually forgotten. The fans no longer confused" Roy's talent with Bump Bailey (Malamud 83)."When they cheered, they cheered for Roy Hobbs alone” (Malamud 83). Roy said in to the Knight’s field that, “I will do my best-the best I am able-to be greatest there ever was in the game” (Malamud 103). At this point, his dream became a reality; he had become a baseball