John Irving is a master of his craft. The Word According To Garp, Irving’s fourth novel; captures the reader pulling them into a word full of sex, rape, feminists, death, transsexualism, and of course—lust. The story begins at the main character’s conception in Boston in 1942. Garp’s mother (Jenny Fields), a strong willed and independent woman worked as a hospital nurse. Jenny wants to have a child without the additional burden of having a husband. She finally get’s her wish, and gives birth to a son T. S. Garp thanks to a deranged terminal hospital patient. Garp grew up in an all boy’s boarding school, all the while living with his mother whom had taken a job as the school’s nurse. Garp met his wife, the wrestling coaches daughter named Helen while attending the boarding school. From Helen, Garp was inspired to be a writer. Garp’s first writing was The Pension Grillparzer. While he was writing his first short story, his mother was at work writing too. Jenny was hard at work on her autobiography which she would later publish, and be launched into a world of fame as a feminist leader. When Garp and Helen marry, Helen is the one who works while Garp stays at home, writing full time. She works as an English professor. Garp at the time was an unpublished author and supported by his now very wealthy mother and his wife. Garp and Helen have three kids together, two boys Duncan and Walt and their youngest; a girl whom they named after Garp’s mother, Jenny. Garp published three novels in his life. He did not become well-known until his third which made him known as a feminist icon like his mother. Garp was shot and died in his thirties. Throughout the book Irving reiterates several common themes worth noting, reversed gender roles opposite from what is traditionally acceptable, Death’s ever looming glare, and of course—lust.
Right from the very beginning, a strong independent women is center-stage. Garp’s mother Jenny Fields is set on having things her way. She will not settle with being, “somebody’s wife or somebody’s whore.” Jenny possesses traits males were traditionally known for, this is looked down upon both by her parents and society. She will only settle for things her way, she insists on being in charge of her own life and she will not let her parents, society, or worst of all a man dictate how she will live it. Jenny wanted a child, but a husband just wasn’t part of her plan. She felt that because of her aspiration to be a single mother, she was a, “sexual suspect” at odds with society. Just as women can easily be seen by men as tools for sex, Jenny saw a man as a tool for conception. She would stop at nothing to live life how she wanted, even going as far as to rape a dying, mentally unstable veteran to get it. Another woman portrayed in a man’s role is Garp’s wife Helen. When Garp and Helen are first married, Garp is an unpublished writer and therefore brings in no income to support the family. Helen continues to be the sole provider for the family even after they have their second child. Garp being a full-time writer at home, takes on the responsibilities of taking care of the kids and cleaning the house which are traditionally the woman’s job. Unlike Jenny’s male characteristics, Helen’s dominant financial authority is not as openly opposed by society although it was mentioned as odd on a few occasions. Ultimately, women taking on a mans role is a big part of The World According To Garp, that was key in shaping the characters and scene in the book.
“In the world according to Garp, we are all terminal cases.” Death was another recurring theme and a fascination of the main character. From the very beginning death leaves its mark. On Garp’s father. On Charlotte the prostitute. On Walt Garp’s middle child. On Garp’s mother and finally, death meets Garp himself. Those are just a few of the many instances where death did its deed. Death also has a strong presence in much of Garp’s writing. On Garp’s first story The Pension Grillparzer, death took seven characters and Garp’s final novel The World According To Bensenhaver, a visit from death is a looming predicament for the main character. Instead of seeding the sorrow of death’s actions in his writing, Irving pokes fun at them. Evidence of this is most clearly stated when Irving notes that Garp hates late night phone calls because he expects someone is calling to tell him that a loved one has died. A laughable view of death is also shown again when Irving states that Garp thinks of different ways that his loved ones may die. Although death is a constant presence throughout the novel, death’s actions do not condemn it to read as a tragedy. Somewhere in all of those that fell into deaths arms, a certain optimism is found in the story and death is not dwelt on.
Who doesn’t love sex? It is so easy to fall into the world of lust, to let it pull you in and let it take you away—unless however, you’re Jenny Fields. Lust seemed to have no effect on Garp’s mother. All she ever needed sex for was to become pregnant. For me(and I would imagine I’m not alone), a mentally deranged bed ridden “terminal case” is a turn off, but Jenny was apparently never turned on in the first place. It is clear Garp’s mother, for whatever reason does not understand why lust is so compelling. It is a constant trivia to her which bears great contrast to her son’s constant philandering.
The World According To Garp is so genuine, so down to earth, and so believable. Irving takes a tragic tale and weaves it into masterpiece that reads like a romantic comedy. Irving not only manipulates words to make a compelling story, he manipulates words to truly enthrall the reader, to pull them into Garp’s world where death, feminists, rape, and of course—lust, are just one more reason to laugh. He forces the reader through the sadness and heartbreak to see the light at the end of the tunnel; to see that there is no use feeling sorry for yourself but to look beyond and see the happiness in everything and the humor in the darkest of times; and to think maybe just maybe life isn’t all that bad.
