The Natural Vs. The Natural Essay, Research Paper

Hollywood takes novels and turns them into movies. Screen writers make a lot of changes due to the length of the motions picture and cost of production. The screenwriter of The Natural altered the characters personalities and appearances.

Iris played an important character in both the novel and the movie. As stated in the book when Roy saw her, She seemed to be wanting to say something, and then it flashed on him the reason she was standing was to show her confidence in him. (Malamud 133) Roy believed in superstition and took this as a sign he would come out of his slump. In the same way, as shown in the movie, Roy would have this same feeling. Roy knew right away who the lady in the white dress was. Roy felt good inside and then had no more worries. (Movie)

In both the novel and the movie Roy feels Iris symbolized good fortune. Even though his relationship starts with Iris at different times in his life, she still brings good fortune to Roy. Another important character is the Judge.

It turned out that the Judge used his position to bribe Roy to play badly in order to sell the Knights Ball Club. In the book the Judge bribes Roy by offering him $25,000 to play bad or be without his love, Memo Paris. You may lose Miss Paris to someone else if you are not careful. (Malamud 190) According to the movie the Judge bribes Roy with pictures of the shooting incident and $20.000. The Judge said that if he didn t accept the money then his horrible past would be revealed. (Movie) Roy did not care for the money but did care about Miss Paris in the book and his past being revealed in the movie. Miss Paris proved to be bad luck as well as part of his horrible past. Finally lets discuss Roy and his character.

Roy s main goal in life was to be the best ball player he could be. He loved the game and gave it his all. But Roy also loved the girl . In the book Roy

stickes out, not because of the money, but because of Miss Paris. And because of Miss Paris and knowledge of his horrible past, He will be excluded from the game and all his records forever destroyed. This would be the end of his dream. However, in the movie, Roy again cares nothing about the money and knows he loves Iris and will always love the game. In the movie, Roy hits the home run while all those betting against him are shocked that they couldn t buy him. Roy says, Let people think what they want, Pop isn t gonna lose this ball club to any bookie Judge. Roy didn t need Miss Paris, but needed Iris. The money meant nothing compared to his love for the game. There are two interpretations presented between the novel and the movie.

Because the characters personalities and roles were changed between the novel and the movie, one might interpret differently between the two. The book leads the reader to believe that Roy s main goal in life is to be the best ball player while allowing himself to be bought out when he is confronted with controversy. He not only looses sight of his goal but allows himself not to see with his own eyes. He is easily fooled and chooses the easy way out. Differently in the movie, Roy still wants to be the best ball player, but allows his heart to fall in love and knows that no amount of money can change the past and what people choose to believe. Truth to him proves to be his toughest game won.

Keep in mind that everyone will interpret the book differently because much move is left to each individuals imagination and sometimes the real human temptations, whereas the movie tells it s own story and gives us the all-American good ending.