Plot:
The story is sprinkled with the narrator looking back on the life of Joe Jackson as it relates to him. It is also flashbacks of how he came to be a young Iowa farmer. Throughout the story, it alternates between flashbacks and present day. The rising action of this story is building the field for Shoeless Joe. It is the anticipation and waiting of the narrator. The voices he hears reassure him that his dream will eventually come true; "if you build it, he will come." The story then continues to the climax. His wife discovers a man on the lawn, the man, of course, is Shoeless Joe Jackson. The story progresses to the falling action of the narrator watching the game. He is thrilled that his hard work is paying off. Finally, the narrator agrees to expand the field for other players to come."If you were to finish the infield, why, old Chick Gandil could play first base, and we'd have the Swede at shortstop and Buck Weaver at third." (521) This resolution shows how the narrators dream has come true.
Point of View:
The point of view of this story comes from a middle aged farmer who raises his family in Iowa. He has grown up with baseball his entire life. The audience is never given a name of the man telling the story. The narrator has the point of view of a handy man. His "do it yourself" attitude is apparent. " A three hour lecture or a five-hundred-page guidebook could not have given me clearer directions: dimensions of ballparks jumped over and around me like fleas, cost figures for light standards and floodlights whirled around my head like the moths that dusted against the porch light above me." (511) He works hard to maintain his farm, builds a gigantic baseball field, and doesn't rest until it is perfect. This hardworking attitude eventually rewards him.
Characterization:
The narrator is described through indirect characterization. He is described when he elaborates on his love of baseball, his family, and his land. "I count the loves in my life: Annie, Karin, Iowa, and Baseball. The great god Baseball." He puts his family before his land and baseball, but he goes on to compare baseball with a god. The narrator is a man with dreams. We see this also through indirect characterization as he dedicates his money and time to build a baseball field on his own. The narrators wife, Annie, is described directly. "...that slip of a girl with hair the color of cayenne pepper and at least a million freckles on her face and arms, that girl who lives in blue jeans and T-shirts and at twenty-four could pass for sixteen." She is then described as a great mother and wife. This direct characterization shows that the story is focused on figuring out the narrator, and not so much the wife or the daughter.
Setting:
The story takes place on an farm in Iowa around the year 1970. It takes place many years after Shoeless Joe Jackson was suspended from baseball and had passed away. I think that an argument can be made that this story could also take place in heaven. The dreams of the narrator and Shoeless Joe both come true. The narrator builds a beautiful baseball field for his idol and Shoeless Joe returns to his beloved game. They are both at peace and appreciative of each other. "'God what an outfield,' he says. 'What a left field.' He looks up at me and I look down at him. 'This must be heaven,' he says.""I think you're right, Joe," I say, but softly enough not to disturb his concentration." (522) They are both at such peace with they're surroundings.
Theme:
The theme of this story is that if you work hard for your dream, it will come true. The motif of "if you build it, he will come", is a message that is repeated over and over again in the narrators head. As a result, he puts a tremendous amount of effort into building the baseball field that will bring in his ultimate goal. He makes sure everything is perfect for his arrival, and one night, his dream comes true. "'How does it play?' I holler down. 'The ball bounces true,' he replies. 'I know.' I am smiling with pride and my heart thumps mightily against my ribs." It can be inferred that narrator is not a many of money or possessions and that, in the end, is the reason he works so hard for the simple things.
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