The disappearance of Henry in the final chapter adds a certain ambiguity to Coovers text. Readers must question why Henry is not present and the reasoning behind his disappearance from the final chapter; has he merged to become one person with the players he created, have his players and league progressed to a maturity in which they no longer need him, or has Henry crossed the line of insanity causing the league itself to turn into a chaotic mess.The possibility exists that Henry has merged to become one with his players. Many characters Henry created appear to reflect some of his desires and needs that he is unable to fulfill in his outside life. For example, we can see him "in the character of Paul Trench" who embodies many of the mutual traits between Henry and Sycamore Flynn during the previous chapters (Agelius 171). We sense "Henrys presence. . .through Paul" in the structure of the final chapter (Angelius 172). Henrys thoughts and feelings now portrayed through Paul Trench, who plays Damon Rutherford in the remaking of the tragic death. Henry, having merged to become one with his players, has lost touch with reality completely. No clues exist that the Association is not "the real world":The imaginative recreation of sport as play has become the world. There is not the slightest sign here of any other reality; even the existence of a creator external to the play-world may now only be inferred (Berman 219).Henry crosses the line to insanity he has flirted with for so long, merging with the players in his novel, and leaves no indication that a world outside the game exists. However, the possibility does exist that Henry has not merged with his players, but rather the game has taken on a life of its own.Some would argue that Henry, the creator of the Association, has not merged with his players, but rather they have progressed to a maturity where they have a life of their own, with the God-like presence Henry offers no lon...
