"Bang the Drum Slowly"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the novel, "Bang the Drum Slowly" by Mark Harris, a fictional story about two major league ball players. The two main characters are Henry Author or Arthur Wiggen, a pitcher who sees himself as bright, witty, and competent, and his friend, Bruce Pearson, a catcher, who is clearly a little slow mentally, although apparently a good ball player. He is also rigid in his thinking, can bat only one way, and is determined that only his friend Henry, whom he calls Arthur instead of Author, knows that he is dying of Hodgkin's Disease. The paper analyzes the predominant themes in the story, which are the strength of their friendship and loyalty and how Arthur must lie to protect his friend's secret.

From the Paper:

"Earlier in the book, Henry has said that life is just one big problem after the other, and his difficulties keeping his promise to Bruce are growing. Henry value's Joe's friendship, but when Bruce, imagining that he can really play the card game, asks to join, Henry stops playing, offending Joe, who starts calling Henry and Bruce "Romeo and Juliet." It ends his close friendship with Joe. Henry is torn by the complications presented by keeping his promise to Bruce. He says, "Suppose you were up to your neck in a barrel of shit and a fellow was tossing baseballs at you. What do you do? Do you duck?" (p. 117) But eventually he has to tell another team member, Goose, so he will have a little backup protecting Bruce from the incessant teasing. Goose has been teasing Bruce, and defends it by saying, "A man has got to have a little fun." "He is dying,") Henry says. (p. 133) Eventually, Goose will tell his roommate."

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