the natural

Cafe Society
1

I have a student who was assigned Bernard Malamud’s The Natural for his literature research paper. He is having a bit of trouble deciding what to focus on for the paper. He was originally going to do a sort of psychological study of Hobbs, but that didn’t pan out. I suggested trying the “Roy Hobbs: Hero or Anti-hero” angle, but that hasn’t worked out either. Finally, he found some information on The Natural as an Arthurian-type story, but that didn’t appeal to him.

Any suggestions on other possible directions to take this paper? Or should I just tell this student to suck it up and choose one of the aforementioned topics?

Thanks in advance,
9Fe

2

OK, I persuaded him to go with the Arthurian legend topic. So…never mind. Thanks anyway!

3

What a shame. He really should have gone for The Natural as Faustian morality play. Personally, though, my favorite is Roy Hobbs as bipedal Lassie substitute.

4

Or perhaps Roy Hobbs as a protagonist of a modern classic tragedy–a great man with great flaws who ultimately brought down by them.