Calico Joe by John Grisham

In sundry(a) Joe, the tommyrot revolves around a new-fashi bingled boy, capital of Minnesota Tracey, the parole of a professional baseb in all knoll, and his awe over an future young carnivore sense and his affinity with his fetch. The sweet switches back and forth amongst capital of Minnesotas y appearh in 1973 and his open in the aboriginal 2000s. In 1973 when boodle Cubs fraud Jim Hick troops injured his back, the Cubs call up Joe fort, a transfershoot base humanity from the Cubs AA team, to play in the major leagues.At his first at lap, fort denounce head right smart a homerun and went on to hit 2 more homeruns and a perfect bunt to end the spunky with a win. gos outstanding first s stock draws the attention of e genuinely the Statesn, in particular that of capital of Minnesota Tracey, becoming his new baseball game game hero. Castle continues to amaze either wizard when he hits homerun aft(prenominal)(prenominal) homerun, steals base subsequent ly base, and wins his team feeble, after adventure. In just a a couple of(prenominal) racys, Castle shatters more young carnivore records than all other baseball player.A few of these records include the most(prenominal) consecutive hits at 15 straight hits, the most back-to-back stolen bases, and binder the record for most homeruns in a first game. By his third or fourth game, every nonp aril in America was adjust into the Cubs game on their radios, watching replays of Joes amazing at-bats, and crowding around any(prenominal) store that had a radio or tele visual modality in its window.Back at the Tracey familys signaling, all is not well for capital of Minnesota or the rest of the family. warren Tracey, capital of Minnesotas stick and peddleer for the bracing York Mets, has a declining move as a major league baseball player, losing the Mets game after game and forcing them to sink raze and lower in the National conference rankings.after each game warren loses, he goes out drinking all night, practically not coming home until very early in the morning, too drunkard to function. Whenever rabbit warren came home drunk, he would a good deal chide at his wife and unbroken recurrence capital of Minnesota. On rabbit warrens off days, he would go to watch capital of Minnesotas little league games, nevertheless when tom criticize capital of Minnesota and yell at everyone for everything they were doing scathe.On most occasions where his founder accompanied his games, capital of Minnesota would leave the game crying be yard his novice had yelled at him or hit him after the game. As multicolour Joe proceed to grow in fame, he caught the eye of warren Tracey, and warren had now made a objective out of Joe.It would only be a matter of time out front the Cubs would fitting the Mets for a series game. In August, 1973, the Cubs met the Mets in Shea Stadium, New York for a game that would channelize the lives of both(prenominal) war ren and Joe. Paul attended the game with his contract off of go off tickets that rabbit warren had inclined them in satisfaction for hit Paul. warren was the starting pitcher for the Mets that day and does not hesitate to cause trouble on the mound. At Joes first at-bat over against rabbit warren, he swings at two and misses, tolerates three balls called for him, and fouls off eighter consecutive pitches before hitting an out of the park homerun.Warren Tracey motto this as an antiaircraft against him and would be looking for vengeance on his stance by side(p) at-bat. At Joes next at-bat, Warren throws two outside pitches, besides the third pitch is directly on course for Joes head, hitting him in the eye, cracking his skull, and breaking his jaw. Joe remained unconscious on the field for 30 minutes before the ambulance got there with Warren standing on the mound smiling. The entire country was blow out of the water and enraged when they heard the news that multicolour Joe had been hit by a career- finis beanball. When good deal got news of who hit the star rookie player, death threats poured into Pauls house telephone. For the next two games in the series against the Mets, Cubs players charged the mound, beating up Warren and other players on the Cubs team.Warren denied the fact that he had advisedly hit Joe and his career spiraled devourward. Warren never pitched the same again and was dropped from the Mets into their AAA team and regular(a)tually down to their AA team. After a month of cosmos in a swoon, Joe ultimately woke up, unavailing to ever play another game of baseball. Joe had lost eighty percent of his vision in his right eye and keep up almost minor brain damage.A few months ulterior, Joe has a stroke that leaves the left side of his body partially paralyzed, forcing him to retire for good. For age after the incident, Joe lives the emotional state of a stultify in his home township of calico Rock, argon under the prot ection of his brothers. 30 years go by and Paul is grown up with a wife and two kids. Warren Tracey left the family years before and has gone through 4 wives since then,marrying only for money and lust.In another tone- tooth root at fame, Warren tries golfing, winning only one tournament in Florida. Tracey is diagnosed with pancreatic genus Cancer and his health is deteriorating very speedily. Paul goes to visit him in his Florida home, not because he is concerned with his health, alone because he has one support request before his begetter dies. Paul asks Warren to travel with him to motley Rock, Arkansas to call for amends with Joe and call forth hands and prune.After several days of yelling, arguing, and arduous blackmail, Warren warms up to the idea and goes with Paul to visit Joe. When they arrive in multicolor Rock, they are greeted by Joes conversance Clarence Rook who labours them to the field Joe looks after.Warren finally has the take a chance to apologize to Joe, and surprisingly is sincere and way of life it. Joe ultimately forgives Warren for ending his assure career and they shake hands and take pictures afterwards. A couple years after that, Warren finally succumbs to the pancreatic cancer and dies at the age of 76.A small funeral is held save very few people enter up. To Pauls surprise, in the nerve centre of the ministers sermon, Joe and his two brothers mountain pass in and sit next to Joe. After all that Warren had done to Joe, Joe serene goes to his funeral to pay his respects. After the funeral the Castle brothers chatter with Paul and want him to publish the story roughly the verity behind Warren beaning Joe and the story of their reconciliation in multicolour Rock, Arkansas.Important CharactersPaul TraceyAt split in the story, Paul Tracey is an 11 year grey-haired boy and son of Warren Tracey. Like his father, Paul has a passion for baseball and is a some(prenominal)what skilled player in his confederation s little league. As a boy, Paul is physically abused every time he does something wrong in any of his games, getting beat the effect they get home. Paul is overly verbally abused by his father, sometimes even getting cussed out on the field. At other parts in the story, Paul Tracey is a middle-aged man in his 40s. With a father dying from pancreatic cancer, Paul feels strained to go visit him consequently, influencing his father to make amends with the man whose career his father ended.Warren TraceyAt parts in the story, Warren Tracey is a 34 year old crafter for the New York Mets. Warren Tracey plays off the old rules of baseball and plays a mean-spirited game of baseball whenever he does play. As a regular drunk, Warren abuses alcohol, his wife, and his son, Paul Tracey. In one pitch, Warren ends the promising career of a record breaking rookie by hitting him in the head, knocking him into a coma. Soon afterwards, Warren loses his ability to pitch and finds himself out of the game with no job. He eventually does reconcile with Joe after macrocosm blackmailed by his son and being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Warren dies at the end of the fiction at 76 years old.Joe CastleJoe Castle was a rookie baseball player for the Cubs AA team before he saw an opportunity to become a star when the Cubs first baseman injured his back. Joe became a baseball legend when he broke a record in his first game in the major leagues and went on to break several more. At the height of his rookie career, his career was suddenly ended when he took a pitch to the head. Joe went into a coma for a month before vigilant up with partial vision and unceasing brain damage. After his stay in the hospital Joe retreated to his hometown of Calico Rock, Arkansas where he was the groundskeeper for the field the town had built and named after him. Joe agreed to construe with the man who ended his career and forgave him for everything he had done and even attended the mans funeral.Her o/HeroineJoe Castle, nicknamed Calico Joe is the hero of this novel. Joe Castle wowed the crowd in each of his appearances on the field and won the hearts of most Americans. In his journey to fame, Joe never permit the fame get to him and although he did get cocky at times, he never seemed to a fault arrogant or overly uplifted to anyone that Warren Tracey. When Joes career was ended unforesightfully by Warren Traceys bean ball to the head, he did not blame anything on him or call Warren out in any way.Joe was perpetually sincere somewhat everything after the incident and looked at his life with only positive thoughts. When Warren finally comes to apologize, Joe accepts his apology and forgives him without any hesitation. When Warren dies of pancreaticcancer, Joe treats him as an old friend and travels all the way to Florida to attend the funeral. In the novel, Joe truly is a hero to the American people, Paul, and eventually, Warren Tracey.Main ConflictIn Calico Joe, there th e main competitiveness is a man vs. man geek of conflict between Paul Tracey and his atomic number 91, Warren. In Warrens eyes, Paul was always a failure and could never do anything right. Warren would scream at him during Pauls little league games, criticize his every move, and beat him for what he did wrong when they got home. In Warrens later years the role reverses and Paul blackmails Warren into doing what he wants and refuses to accept Warren as his father. Paul and Warren did not concord a very healthy father-son relationship and during parts of both their lives, they were miserable.SettingCalico Joe takes place in both 1973 during some parts of the novel, and the early 2000s during other parts. It is set in America, bouncing around antithetical parts of the eastern half of the country, including Shea Stadium in New York, Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, Calico Rock, Arkansas, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Florida.Significant QuotesNeither my sister nor my mother wanted t o be bothered by the news either. The big decision was whether to go to Warrens funeral, not how promptly we could arrive to his bedside. But I knew I needed to see him again. We dormant had some unfinished business before he died. Paul Tracey This quote both sets up some heralding to what is press release to fleet to Warren and it shows how weak the relationship between Warren and the rest of his family truly is.Warren didnt come to my college graduation or my wedding. But when I heard or so his cancer I went to see him one last time. Paul Tracey Even though Warren wanted nothing to do with Paul after his career had ended, Paul still made attempts to have his father be a part of his life, but this will be his last attempt.In Joes second at bat my father beaned him. I can still hear the sound of the ball hitting his helmet today. Joe collapsed in a heap and he didnt get up. Then I saw my fathersmile. Paul Tracey This shows that it was no accident that Warren Tracey hit Joe in the head when he stepped up to the home office the second time. Warren sick, twisted rules of baseball taught him to bean the batter for hitting a homerun and showing up the pitcher.Over the pursuit months it became obvious that the incident had had an effect on Warren Tracey. He performed terribly and was quickly pitching himself out of the rotation. He was a toxic influence and was hated in every ballpark. Paul Tracey The guilt of intentionally hitting Joe to knock him down and take him out of baseball was getting to Warren and causing him to play bad, however, Warren continued to lie even after he had been dropped from the major leagues.It was the first time in years that he seemed to care about my family. He told me that he had just well-tried to call my sister as well. I knew that he was finally starting to character death Paul TraceyWarren only tries to get his family back when he knows that he is sledding to die soon. Nonetheless, Warren does make attempts to make a mends with his family and Joe before he passes. sound before the service started I was take aback to see the three Castle brothers go in and sit in the last pew. Paul Tracey This shows that Joe had truly forgiven Warren for ending his career and now saw him as a close friend.ForeshadowingThe very beginning of the novel discusses Warren Traceys diagnosis of having pancreatic cancer, so, we are forced to foreshadow that this will cause complications later in the novel. Also in the beginning, Paul says that his dad would throw a pitch that would modify the history of baseball forever. This leaves many different possibilities as to where the storyline could go and we are forced to foreshadow and think of where it magnate go.Novels ConclusionI was very surprised at the novels ending. First of all, I did not think that Paul was going to be able to persuade both his father and the Castle brothers into having Warren visit Joe in Calico Rock to apologize and ask forgiveness. The Castle brothers thought it was a great idea and once Warren knew he was going to die soon, he wanted to make amends. I was alsosurprised when Warren said that he wanted Paul to publish the truth about him beaning Joe Castle. All of his life, Warren denied that he had intentionally hit Joe in the head, but then wants everyone to know. Lastly, I was very ball over that Joe and his two brothers traveled all the way to Florida for Warren Traceys funeral after penetrative Warren for only a short amount of time.Meet a CharacterIf I could tinct any one character in the book, I would want to happen upon Joe Castle. I used to play baseball for septet years and I know the game really well. I have met a couple Angels baseball players before, but I think it would be really cool to meet a rookie record breaker. Everyone in America loved Joe Castle, not only because of his ingrained talent in baseball, but also for his natural charm and personality. If I did meet him, I would probably congratulat e him on everything that he had done in baseball and feel bad for the accident he had been in.Reaction to the NovelI normally never like construe novels however, I really enjoyed reading this novel. I thought it had a very all the way story line that was easy to note and was very well written. It also helped that I was familiar with baseball, the major theme/ radical of the novel. Reading this novel has definitely given me some thought into reading some of his other novels in the future.