Sunday, June 9, 2019

What are 3 things can be taken away when Ray finally meets the ghost of his father?

When Ray sees the ghost of his father, his brother's blindness, his financial burdens, and the tension of his relationship can be taken away.
When Ray builds his field, he can finally meet Shoeless Joe Jackson, the Chicago White Sox player who was banned from baseball for throwing a game. Ray's late father had told him legend about Shoeless Joe. One day, Shoeless Joe appears in the yard, and Ray is inspired to build a baseball diamond (thus sacrificing the land intended for crops to support his family).
Ray's brother, who had up to this point been unable to see the ghosts, can finally see what the others see, and speaks to his father as well, saying "I admire the way you catch a game of baseball," (256).
The baseball field, too, is to be transformed into a tourist destination (at the suggestion of Salinger), which will allow Ray to pay off the debts accrued to maintain the field.
Next, Ray and Richard and their father (who had been serving as catcher in the game of ghosts) enjoy a moment of reconciliation that promises to restore their troubled relationship. The three walk into the outfield as Ray says, "I'll think of all the things I'll want to talk to the catcher about, ' (256). Ray looks forward to resuscitating the relationship with his father, for whom the field, he realizes, has been destined all along.

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