The Natural Analysis

There aren't specific dates mentioned in the novel, but we know that it was published in 1952, and certain things like the "four burner electric range, deed to a lot in Florida, twelve pairs of mon...

The narrator of The Natural never reveals him- or herself, and s/he takes a hands-off approach to telling the story: no interventions here. Just like the reader, this narrator is on the outside loo...

We follow Roy Hobbs from being a hopeful, enthusiastic young rookie to being a frustrated, older guy, which might let us call The Natural a coming-of-age story. We see Roy go through traumatic expe...

The narrator of The Natural doesn't get his or her hands dirty. All of the narration is done with an emotional no-man's-land between the narrator and the action. For example, check out this passage...

Malamud shows off his range in this novel. You've got poetic, dreamy descriptive sentences that go on and on:Fallen on one knee he groped for the bullet, sickened as it moved, and fell over as the...

This simple title conveys irony and tragedy. A natural is someone who's just good at what they do, naturally talented. And that's Roy: He was, Red Blow said to Pop, a natural, though somewhat less...

In the last scene of the book, Roy leaves the stadium after throwing the championship game and burying Wonderboy and his career. He's feeling pretty lousy about himself as it is, but the worst is s...

The plot is pretty straightforward and easy to understand, but every now and then there are some weird moments with dreams, hallucinations, or magic tricks that make it hard to know what's real and...

Outta LuckRoy Hobbs is discovered by a scout and headed to the big leagues, but just before he gets there a psychotic woman shoots him, ruining his chances. This is the setup for the rest of Roy's...

A young Roy Hobbs has always wanted to play baseball professionally, and he's finally about to get his chance. He's on his way to a tryout with the Cubs. On the way, he meets a famous player and...

In "Pre-game" the stage is set for all the rest of the novel. Roy shows himself to be the next big thing in baseball, which attracts Harriet's predatory eye. She shoots him, ruining his chances of...

Malamud said that he had to throw in all the mythological hero stuff in order for The Natural to be interesting, and not just about "baseball flat." (Source.) Harriet Bird is loosely based on Ruth...

Hot and heavy it is. Roy gets busy with both Memo and Iris, and the narrator isn't shy about telling it like it is. You might blush a little, but don't worry, you won't be scarred for life or anyth...

David and Goliath (1.238)Arthurian legend (1.238)Sigmund Freud, "The Primitive Horde" (1.238)Homer (1.240)1 Timothy 6:10 (4.44)Judas Iscariot (4.46)Isaiah 5:20 (9.182)Abraham Lincoln (4.46)Rube Gol...