Character Study (Required)

Roy Hobbs is the main character of the book. Roy starts out an average farmer, who has dreams of becoming a Major League Baseball Player. He plays on the New York Knights, and leads the league in many categories. Roy has many women problems throughout the book, including Harriet Bird, a woman who shot him, Memo, a woman Roy is attracted to throughout the book, and Iris, who is having Roy's baby. Roy ends up throwing the game that would get his team into the playoffs for, and everybody in the team loses faith in him.

"The fans no longer confused talent with genius. When they cheered, they cheered for Roy Hobbs alone. People wondered about him, wanted news of his life and career"(88).

We see the impact Roy initially makes on the fans of New York, and what a hero he was thought to be.

Memo is the niece of Pop Fisher, who Roy falls in love with. Memo was dating Bump until he died, and Roy falls in love with her, but she doesn't love him back. We find out that Memo actually despises Roy because she blames him for the death of Bump. Memo is sort of a distraction to Roy; whenever Roy is thinking or goes out on a date with Memo, he starts to play worse and strikes out a lot.

"She walked out of the lobby, with her silver bracelets tinkling, swaying a little on her high heels, as if she had not too long ago learned to walk on them, and went with her beautiful body away, for which Roy everlastingly fried Bump Baily in the deep fat of his abomination. It was for her he waited"(72).

We see the distraction Memo presents to Roy Hobbs.

Next is Pop Fisher, who is the coach of the New York Knights. Pop doesn't play Roy at first, but then decides to play him, and becomes fond of Roy both as a man and a baseball player. He wants to win a World Series more than anything, and depends on Roy to help him.

"It's been a blasted dry season. No rains at all. The grass is worn scabby in the outfield and the infield is cracking. My heart feels as dry as dirt for the little I have to show for all my years in the game"(39).

We see Pop in the beginning of the book and how he is very doubtful and wants to win with a Major League team for once.

Iris Lemon is a woman who Roy has a baby with during the story. She comes to some of his games and offers him support. She is a grandmother at 33, and is practically in love with Roy. Although she loves Roy, he is too busy being distracted by Memo. Although this is the case, it seems like they are meant to be, because usually when they go on a date or see each other, Roy plays very well.

"It seemed perfectly natural to Iris to be waiting for him, with her shoes off to ease her feet, here on the park grass. He had been in her mind so often in the past month she could not conceive of him as a stranger, though he certainly was"(143).

This shows the reader the first time Iris and Roy go out on a date, and how inloved with him she already is, even though he is a stranger to him.

Next is Judge Goodwill Banner, who own the New York Knights. The judge is portrayed as a bad man in the book, trying to run the Knights organization incorrectly by betting against his team and players. He also persuades Roy to throw the game for the pennant, which results in the Judge getting beat up by Roy. The judge is overall a cheap menace whom nobody appreciates.

"The Judge, a massive rumpled figure in a large chair before an empty mahogany desk, was wearing a black fedora with a round pot crown and smoking, under grizzled eyebrows, a fat, black King Oscar I"(89).

From this description we can see how the author is trying to portray the Judge: rich, and a controller.