The Art of Fielding

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, illness, antigay bias, mental illness, addiction, and substance use.

The novel’s protagonist, Henry, is a gifted shortstop. He’s from a small town in South Dakota, where he lived with his parents and his younger sister, Sophie. Henry’s parents love him but offer inadequate emotional support, and he isn’t comfortable confiding in them when he experiences emotional distress. Henry’s parents are small-minded and have antigay views, fearing his interactions with his roommate, Owen. Henry isn’t like his parents and treats Owen as he would any other roommate. He’s self-conscious about his small-town background, fearing that his new university peers might exclude him for seeming uncultured or small-minded.

Henry is deeply introspective, often contemplating how the world around him relates to baseball. Though he isn’t terribly academic, he’s intelligent and skilled at making connections. He’s fairly shy and doesn’t demonstrate the same confidence off the baseball field that he does on it. He has a rigorous work ethic, recognizing that long-term commitment and drive are essential to maintaining his skills.

Henry’s relationship with Mike Schwartz is an essential component of his journey. After seeing Henry play in a summer tournament, Schwartz recruits him and pulls the strings necessary to secure Henry a spot at Westish.