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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How do the coaches and players deal with the teams slump?

2. When Roy goes to see Memo at her motel room on the night before the pennant game, who is there with her?

3. How does Roy feel when the fans began to cheer him on after he gets out of the slump?

4. What does Roy do to get even with Max Mercy?

5. What does Memo tell Roy when he proposes to her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Roy reject the locker-room lecture and hypnotism of Doc Knobb? How do the other Knights regard Doc Knobb? Give examples from the text to defend your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss The Natural as a novel of magical realism. Magical realism is when a realistic novel contains issues that are stranger than life, unreal, or appearing magical. What purpose do instances of magical realism appear to serve in this novel? Give examples from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

The characters in The Natural are all somewhat "damaged." Discuss what this might show about Malamud's outlook on life in general and also on his perspective of baseball. What might the reader surmise from the way Malamud handles the character's weaknesses?

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This section contains 360 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample