Bang the Drum Slowly: Analysis of Major Characters
"Bang the Drum Slowly" is a poignant narrative that explores the relationships among a group of baseball players during a season marked by personal tragedy. The story is narrated by Henry Wiggen, the star pitcher for the New York Mammoths, who chronicles the final months of his friend, Bruce Pearson, a third-string catcher diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. As Bruce grapples with his impending death, he begins to appreciate life more deeply, which transforms his performance and brings the divided team together in their pursuit of a pennant.
Henry serves as Bruce's protector, ensuring that his friend is treated with dignity, while also managing the complexities of his own life with his wife, Holly, who supports his efforts. The Mammoths' manager, "Dutch" Schnell, initially frustrated by the team's lack of performance, eventually becomes an ally when he learns of Bruce's illness. Other characters, like the aging catcher Goose Williams and the rookie Piney Woods, contribute to the evolving dynamics of the team as they navigate their personal challenges alongside Bruce's impending loss.
This emotional tale captures themes of friendship, mortality, and the impact of communal support in the face of adversity, making it a rich exploration of both the game of baseball and the human condition.
Bang the Drum Slowly: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Mark Harris
First published: 1956
Genre: Novel
Locale: Perkinsville and New York, New York; Rochester, Minnesota; and Bainbridge, Georgia
Plot: Social realism
Time: The early 1950's
Henry “Author” Wiggen, the narrator, the star left-handed pitcher of the New York Mammoths and author of a novel, The Southpaw. He chronicles the final months in the life of his friend, the Mammoths' third-string catcher, Bruce Pearson. Henry is Bruce's constant companion; he holds out for a contract that stipulates that Bruce can be traded or released only if Henry receives the same treatment. He protects Bruce from Katie, and he tries to keep their teammates from making Bruce the butt of their jokes and tricks, keeping Bruce's condition a secret from everyone except Holly and two teammates. While doing all these things, he pitches the Mammoths to the pennant and a World Series championship.
Bruce Pearson, a journeyman catcher who is told by doctors at the Mayo Clinic that he has Hodgkin's disease and only a few months to live. Bruce is stupid and slow, but under the threat of death, he begins to appreciate life more, taking each day as it comes. He even plays better, helping the Mammoths in their difficult drive for a pennant and becoming more of a student of the game. the divided team comes back together for the pennant race when Bruce's condition becomes generally known; the knowledge breaks down the animosities that grew during the season. Bruce catches the pennant-clinching game and collapses on the field at the end. He returns from the hospital for the start of the World Series, then his father takes him home. He dies, back home in Georgia, shortly after the end of the World Series.
Holly Webster Wiggen, Henry Wiggen's wife, who gives birth to a daughter late in the season. She does Henry's taxes, handles his finances, and supports him in his efforts to help Bruce and keep Bruce's insurance money out of Katie's hands.
“Dutch” Schnell, the manager of the Mammoths. His team does not perform up to its capabilities, causing him great frustration, which he tries to take out on Henry. He knows that something is wrong but cannot figure it out, even after hiring a private detective to find out what secret Henry and Bruce share. He is tough, threatening to release Bruce or trade him for a better catcher, but when he eventually finds out about Bruce's illness, he keeps him in the lineup.
Katie, an expensive prostitute. Bruce has been in love with her, but she has fended him off. When she figures out that he is dying and that he has a large insurance policy, she agrees to marry him if she is made the beneficiary, but Henry prevents this.
“Goose” Williams, an aging catcher who at first rides Bruce unmercifully. He is the first player Henry tells about Bruce's illness, and thereafter he is protective of Bruce.
Joe Jaros, a coach with the Mammoths and Henry's partner in a kind of con game called Tegwar, in which the rules change all the time. He rejects Henry because of the latter's insistence on letting Bruce play the game, which Bruce does not understand.
“Red” Traphagen, a retired catcher and Henry's mentor, now a college professor. He returns to the team as a coach and counselor during the final weeks of the season.
“Piney” Woods, a rookie catcher for the Mammoths who is sent back to the minors but recalled near the end of the season. He plays the guitar and sings the dirge “Streets of Laredo,” which contains the words of the book's title.