| Feature | Novel (1952) | Film (1984) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Dark, fatalistic, Jewish folklore | Uplifting, sentimental, Hollywood myth | | Roy Hobbs | Flawed, selfish, lustful | Noble, misunderstood, heroic | | The Ending | Roy strikes out; loses everything | Roy hits a game-winning homer | | Memo Paris | Truly evil | Milder, more sympathetic | | Iris Lemon | A grandmother; a spiritual savior | Young love interest | | Magic | Subtle (Wonderboy splitting in half) | Explicit (lightning, smoke) | The following is a narrative summary and retelling

Malamud famously blended baseball with the legend of the Holy Grail. The protagonist, Roy Hobbs, is a knight errant. The baseball field is a magical kingdom.

The following is a narrative summary and retelling of Bernard Malamud’s 1952 novel, The Natural