initiation to life
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Everyone knows that life has its ups and downs, but in the novel, The World According to Garp, the main character Garp's life seems to be all in the dumps. A hard lined feminist raises Garp, and death is no stranger to his life. As a father, Garp loses his son in an automobile accident, and witnesses many other violent acts in his life. Through his trials and tribulations Garp realizes that life is harsh, but it goes on. He deals with death and failure and eventually matures to become a quite successful writer. John Irving's novel, The World According to Garp, illustrates the theme of initiation through the development of its characters.
John Irving has led a life with extensive education on his way to becoming a successful writer. Born in 1942 in the town of Exeter, New Hampshire, Irving was the first of four children. His father taught Russian at the Phillips Exeter Academy, where Irving also attended school. Irving struggled as an undiagnosed dyslexic, and was nothing short of a mediocre in his schoolwork...