Alone on an Irving

[Brett Cottrell]

Am I the only person who disliked The World According to Garp? People recommended it to me for years, and this summer I finally read it. I immediately liked the prose, and the story wasn't bad. But I was extremely put off at how often Irving, in third person omniscient, sexually described pubescent girls. I didn't question Garp's or the world's prurience, but I did debate Irving's propriety.

I'm the last person anyone would call prude, but I also don't like to read about the objectification of children.

Am I alone on this?

Cheers,
Brett

[dfloyd]

but I can't remember what you are blogging about. I remember the book got rather boring after a while, and I had to force myself to finish it. Then the movie was made and I enjoyed it. As I remember, the movie followed the book pretty welll, skiping much of the boring spots. John Lithgow as the transexual ex-footbal player and Robin Williams as Garp, of course, made the movie come alive. This is one time when the movie was better than the book.

[Scheherazade]

I have read only A Prayer for Owen Meany by Irving and I was not very impressed with it (I think we had a Book Club discussion about it a few years ago).

However, I would like to read The World According to Garp as well as because so many people think it is a must... Just to see what the fuss is about.

Would anyone be interested in a group read?

[Brett Cottrell]

It was interesting, but not compelling; almost funny, but off-putting.

[OrphanPip]

I don't remember there being an excessive amount of description of teen girls in the novel either. As for it being almost funny and off putting, it's kind of supposed to be. I don't remember anything particularly disturbing from the novel though.

[Scheherazade]

I have read 1/3 of the book so far and I think I know what you mean about objectification of little girls in the book (at least so far).

I found the whole scene in the park rather unpleasant and wondered why it was told in that manner (or at all).

[dfloyd]

Rip Van Winkle or the Headless Hoseman. Wait until you get to the part where Garp runs into a carparked in his driveway.

[Brett Cottrell]

I have read 1/3 of the book so far and I think I know what you mean about objectification of little girls in the book (at least so far).

I found the whole scene in the park rather unpleasant and wondered why it was told in that manner (or at all).

That's what I was talking about! I'm glad I'm not the only one. I know that the book is supposed to be uncomfortable in places - I get that - but I think this was different.

[Buh4Bee]

Don't read Lolita then, you'll want to throw up.

[dfloyd]

Nabokov is a superb writer, and Lolita is on everyone's list as one of the best 20th century novels. Anyone contemplating being sick after reading Lolita doesn't have the least idea of what the novel is all about.

[OrphanPip]

Nabokov is a superb writer, and Lolita is on everyone's list as one of the best 20th century novels. Anyone contemplating being sick after reading Lolita doesn't have the least idea of what the novel is all about.

Jersea's point was about the uncomfortable sexual matters. Irving's novels often contain explicit mention of youth sexuality. One of his novels, drawing on Irving's own childhood experiences, describes an instance of child molestation quite graphically.

Sex in Irving novels is always sort of problematic. It's prevalent and in your face, but it's always a bit off putting. Sex for Irving seems to be something people are driven to as a way to fill an emotional void, but it always seems to be destructive rather than productive. There's also often these weird asexual characters in his novels, like the mother in Garp, or Owen in a Prayer for Owen Meany.

[billl]

I was a teen when I read it, and so I wasn't aware of this issue.