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The World According to Garp Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The World According to Garp


The World According to Garp is often billed as a coming-of-age novel, but in fact spans T.S. Garp's entire life, beginning with his unconventional conception by his feminist mother, Jenny Fields, and his father, a brain-damaged, dying World War II fighter plane gunner. Much of the novel does focus on his upbringing by his mother, a nurse who later becomes a controversial feminist writer & icon. Jenny's influence is evident in every aspect of the novel; she pushed him to join a wrestling team against his wishes, which leads him to meet his future wife, Helen. Jenny's wishes to pursue writing coincide with Garp's own similar desires, and Jenny even pays a hooker whom she interviews to sleep with her son. Her relationship and influence with her son have far-reaching implications in the novel. Much of the plot also hinges around Garp's marriage with Helen, and the impacts of the decisions each spouse makes.
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The review of this Book prepared by Shelley Livaudais



Chapter Analysis of The World According to Garp

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Plot & Themes

Tone of book?    -   upbeat Time/era of story    -   1930's-1950's Family, struggle with    -   Yes Struggle with:    -   Mother (or standin) Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character

Gender    -   Male Profession/status:    -   writer Ethnicity/Nationality    -   White (American)

Setting

How much descriptions of surroundings?    -   7 () United States    -   Yes The US:    -   Northeast Europe    -   Yes European country:    -   Austrian

Writing Style

Sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   vague references only Amount of dialog    -   significantly more descript than dialog

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John Irving Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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