Review by hallebit - The World According To Garp

hallebit 's review for:

The World According To Garp by John Irving

4.5

challenging dark emotional funny medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

‘What do you mean, “This is Chapter One”?’ Garp’s editor, John Wolfe, wrote him. ‘How can there be any more of this? There is entirely too much as it stands! How can you possibly go on?’

‘It goes on,’ Garp wrote back. ‘You’ll see.’
(373)

This is one of those books that speaks for itself. And John Irving isn’t one to hold back, so please note CONTENT WARNINGS AHEAD… and also irony.

… this was exactly how Garp’s story was interpreted. Lurid, sensational violence and sex of no redeeming value whatsoever
(375)

… and also irony.

Self mutilation, infidelity, rape, split beavers and bit dicks aside, this book writes extreme tragedy for a writer with an overactive imagination. And yet it is funny. As Christopher Lehmann-Haupt wrote in his NYT review of the book back in 1978, it makes us laugh “at some of the damndest things.”

The only reason for something to happen in a novel is that it’s the perfect thing to have happen at that time
(385)

What about wearing drag for the first time to attend your mom’s memorial service? What about denying a fictional bear the joy of riding his fictional unicycle? Were those the perfect things to have happen at the time?

As Alice Fletcher would say, “Oh yeth.”

I have never understood why ‘serious’ and ‘funny’ are thought to be opposites. It is simply a truthful contradiction to me that people’s problems are often funny and that the people are often and nonetheless sad.

I am ashamed, however, that you think I am laughing at people, or making fun of them. I take people very seriously. People are all I take seriously, in fact. Therefore, I have nothing but sympathy for how people behave - and nothing but laughter to console them with.

Laughter is my religion… In the manner of most religions, I admit that my laughter is pretty desperate.
(195)

There are dark and deeply disturbing dangers in the world. Laugh at the Under Toad, and you just might not drown in them.

Content Warnings