Bernard Malamud grew up in the mid-1900s, a time when baseball played a huge role in the lives of many Americans. Americans loved baseball because it gave them a chance to stop working and simply relax while cheering on their favorite team. It was a time when people played baseball purely for the love of the game and the thrill of hearing fans cheer them on. Today, however, baseball is much more corrupt, and many athletes only participate in it because of their own greed and selfishness. This strong desire for money stems from some notable players of the past, such as Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, who were exceptional athletes and became very confident in their abilities. They became so confident that they started asking for more money than other players. Roy Hobbs, the protagonist of Bernard Malamud's The Natural, is a fictional baseball player based on these legends. His ability to play is almost superhuman as he is able to lead a team to victory almost single-handedly. However, Roy is only in the game to make a name for himself and break records. He would rather build a reputation as the best player in the game than win games for his team. In the introduction to the novel, written by Kevin Baker, he is described as: "Greedy, ruthless, and concerned with making the money he believes his talent entitles him to earn" (Baker, xii). Roy Hobbs is a prime example of a man whose pride and self-confidence ultimately lead to his downfall. Roy Hobbs is a very confident baseball player, so confident in his abilities that he almost gives up on the chance to play in the majors. His confidence is evident throughout the novel at various times and in various situations. For example, when Po... in the center of the card... needs someone's help and quickly becomes a superstar in the eyes of many baseball fans. Roy Hobbs was an extremely greedy and conceited man. However, when examined closely, he also had a caring and kind-hearted side. In the story, Roy does everything in his power to save a boy who is dying in the hospital. His efforts are demonstrated when Malamud says, “He had thought of him from time to time and was anxious to do something for him” (Malamud, 136). Roy doesn't want him to die, so he tries his best and eventually hits a home run for the boy. However, Roy's greed eventually takes over and he is forced to live with the consequences. In the end, when a boy asks him if he really threw the game, all he can answer is cry. Therefore, his downfall was caused by his major flaws: greed, selfishness, and overconfidence.