Student Question
What information does the "Ex-Basketball Player"'s narrator omit?
Quick answer:
The narrator of "Ex-Basketball Player" omits key details about Flick Webb's character and life choices. The poem highlights Flick's past basketball success and current mundane job but doesn't reveal what kind of teammate he was, why he didn't learn a trade, or the reason his basketball career ended. Additionally, the timing of his past achievements and the narrator's identity remain unspecified, leaving readers with unanswered questions about Flick's life trajectory.
The narrator of "Ex-Basketball Player" leaves out plenty of information. That is not surprising considering it is a poem, and it is a short poem at that. The poem focuses on Flick Webb, and the narrator tells readers how great of a basketball player that Flick once was. Then the poem tells readers that Flick now has a job working in a garage and has done nothing great since basketball.
I do have questions about Flick though. What kind of teammate was he? He might have been a good player, but was he a team player? Or was he a cocky ball hog, and that's why he scored so many points?
Why did Flick never learn a trade? Was it because he never studied? Was it because he wasn't smart enough to learn a trade? Did he not learn a trade because he initially was able to leave the town to play basketball and then that fell through?
One other question that I have is about the timing of the narration. How long ago was 1946? That was Flick's amazing year, but was it a decade ago? Or more? Lastly, the narrator never reveals who he/she is. The narrator could be a former friend, teammate, teacher, coach, etc. None of those questions are answered in the poem.
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