Garp

Garp's life is marked by a series of tragic and bizarre events. He faces personal loss and undergoes numerous challenges, including dealing with never knowing his father, a feminist mother who is a prominent figure in the women's movement, and the complexities of love and relationships. He arranges a meeting between a prostitute and his mother (a feminist) and it displays the humanity of the stranger and then unravels into comedy as Garp admits attraction to the woman and goes through with a transaction as mother leaves. As a character, Garp is known for his resilience, perseverance, and determination in the face of adversity. He possesses a strong moral compass and is willing to fight for what he believes is right. Garp's experiences shape his worldview, and he often questions societal norms and confronts issues such as sexuality, gender roles, and the consequences of violence. Upon reflection, the Garp character (and mother) were ahead of the curve with Garp’s best friend being transgender (former professional football player). Garp's character embodies a blend of seriousness and playfulness, with moments of introspection and moments of humor. He is driven by his desire to create meaningful stories and leave a lasting legacy. Garp's journey throughout the novel explores themes of identity, family, love, and the complexities of the human condition. It is funny his desire to be an important writer while his mother had no such plans but greatly exceeds Garp. The book is so rich with the details of Garp’s life - one part I remember is how he cooked peppers on the gas burners of a stove (and later peeled them). He loved his children while being very involved. As a couple, the experiment with an open marriage (in the book not the movie) with disastrous results for one young man. Anyway, my attraction was Garp’s life and all the details in the book.