55 pages • 1 hour read
Keeper
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Symbols & Motifs
The Spider’s Web
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of animal death.
An important symbol in the novel is the spider’s web, which represents the soccer goal and the complexities of goalkeeping. The first time the web is introduced, Gato sees a spider catching a fly in the corner of the goal in the forest. He describes how “one of the flies that storms conjure up was struggling in the sticky threads of the web, and the spider was making her way swiftly toward it”; Gato then thinks, “I wondered whether I was the spider or the fly” (45). Initially, Gato is not sure whether he is in control of the situation, as the spider is, or whether he is more of a fly caught in the Keeper’s game.
However, as the novel unfolds, the goal itself becomes represented by the spider web and it becomes clear that Gato is the spider. The Keeper tells Gato, “[I]f you can make this goal, this web, your own, you can make any goal your own” (46). Later, Gato tells Faustino, “I had made that goal web my own. My eyes were good at knowing where the ball was and where it was going to be” (58). Then, when Gato describes the final kick in the World Cup, he says that “the path the ball was going to take went past him, straight into the web” (202), reaffirming that Gato has come to view his soccer goal as a “web.”
This symbol emphasizes the theme of The Importance of Nature. Gato uses the spider he first sees, as well as the Keeper’s explanation, to better understand his role as a goalie. The spider is not a traditional predator, as it does not seek out its prey; rather, it builds its web and then protects its home. For this reason, people often assume that the insects simply fall into the trap that is set, with the spider doing little more than waiting. In the same way, people often view the soccer goal similarly: The goalie waits in the net for the ball and simply stops it.
The Keeper teaches Gato that a soccer goalkeeper has much more responsibility than this. He teaches Gato how to read the field, read the shooter, and even play mind games to intimidate those who want to score on him. Similarly, a spider has to skillfully build its web, choose a correct place based on its environment and the prey it wants, and then act to secure its food, quickly and effectively. Through this natural symbolism, Gato learns to view the goal differently, gaining a stronger understanding of his responsibility and ultimately becoming a better goalie.
The World Cup
The World Cup trophy symbolizes the important role that sports play in people’s lives, reflecting The Power of Sports. The trophy itself is criticized at several points in the novel, being called “not very beautiful” by Faustino and “not especially attractive” (214) by Gato. As a physical object, the World Cup is not important, simply a piece of metal. However, what it symbolizes for soccer players, fans, and the country that wins is the honor and achievement that comes with being the best soccer nation in the world.
For Gato specifically, the trophy also saves the Keeper and his team by allowing them to finally find peace in their afterlives. When the Keeper leaves, Gato picks up the trophy, which is described as “a worthless, priceless, and magical chunk of metal” (224). This paradoxical juxtaposition—putting the words “worthless” and “priceless” together—highlights the importance of what this trophy symbolizes. While it may just be “worthless” in its physical form, what it does for Gato, his country, and the Keeper is “priceless,” conveying the importance of sports in the world.
Nicknames
Nicknames are a recurring motif in the novel, reflecting the characteristics of the person. When Gato plays in his first match for the Camp team, he recognizes a child he used to play soccer with in the village. Gato learns that now, he is called El Carnicero (“The Butcher”) because of how he plays on the soccer field. Throughout the match, Gato sees Carnicero break the rules of the game, aggressively tackling several players and attempting to injure them. After one save, he runs at Gato, fixated on stepping on his face. However, Gato narrowly avoids it, rolling out of the way at the last minute.
Similarly, Larsson, the player that the DSJ sends to the camp to test Gato’s nerve, is known as El Ladron, “The Thief.” Throughout the game, Ladron slyly plays back, rarely attacking the goal until the last moment or until he can “steal” a ball when no one sees him coming. After he scores on Gato, Gato notes how he “came out of nowhere and earned his nickname. He arrived at great speed from [Gato’s left], went past [his] amazed left back” (129), and stole the ball from the defenders to score. Both of these nicknames are an important part of South American culture: They use nicknames on the soccer field to emphasize the player’s special abilities.
Gato’s nickname also reflects who he is as a player. Initially, he is called La Cigüeña, “The Stork,” due to his size and his awkwardness on the soccer field. However, as he grows and develops his body with the help of the Keeper, he eventually earns a new nickname after his first game with the Camp team. When he arrives at work the next day, Estavan calls him “El Gato,” explaining that “this is what everyone is calling [him] now, after the game on Saturday” (106).
Despite getting this nickname working at a job Gato hates, he keeps it throughout the rest of his soccer days. His decision emphasizes how fitting the nickname is for Gato: He has reflexes and instincts on the soccer field like a cat, reacting to players and balls that other goalkeepers could not. Additionally, it serves as a reminder of where Gato comes from: Even though he disliked his job and did not fit in his village—and is glad to have been able to leave—it is still a part of who he is, as the camp soccer games were a key part of him being able to pursue his dreams.
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