The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

The six classic conflicts of literature are Man versus Man, Man versus Nature, Man versus Self, Man versus Society, Man versus Technology, and Man versus Fate. Which of these conflicts can you identify in Trisha’s story? How do they interact with one another?

How does King connect the game of baseball to spirituality?

King is a writer known for his works of horror. Would you consider The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon a horror novel? If so, where does that horror come from? What fears does the story draw on?

How does King incorporate a character based on a real person into his story? How would the novel be different if King invented a fictional baseball player instead?

How would the novel change if King had chosen a different narrative perspective? How does the third-person omniscient narration help readers connect with Trisha’s story?

Explore the role of faith in the novel and delve deeper into Trisha’s encounter with the three robed figures in the clearing. What do each of their appearances and messages suggest about the nature of faith?

King uses figurative language prolifically throughout The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Choose one type of figurative language (simile, metaphor, etc.) to analyze in detail. Provide at least three examples and explain how they enhance the narrative.

Explore the symbolism of trails, paths and roads in the novel. What does Tom Gordon mean in Chapter 15, “Postgame,” when he asks Trisha, “what path?”