"The World According to Garp" Characters Analysis

List of Characters in "The World According to Garp"

Role Identification and Key Functions

Character Descriptions

T.S. Garp

Jenny Fields

Helen Holm

Duncan Garp

Walt Garp

Roberta Muldoon

Ellen James

Dean Bodger

Michael Milton

Alice Fletcher

Ernie Holm

Character Traits

Character Backgrounds

T.S. Garp

Garp is the illegitimate son of Jenny Fields, a strong-willed nurse. Raised at the all-boys Steering School, Garp grows up surrounded by unconventional influences. His mother’s independence shapes his attitudes toward gender and family. He becomes a novelist, wrestling coach, and eventually a husband and father.

Jenny Fields

Jenny comes from a wealthy family but rejects her privileged background. She chooses to raise Garp on her own, refusing to marry or conform to social expectations. She later becomes a feminist icon after publishing her autobiography, "A Sexual Suspect."

Helen Holm

Helen is the daughter of Ernie Holm, the wrestling coach at Steering. She meets Garp as a child and later marries him. Helen is a reserved and intellectual woman, fiercely independent and committed to her career as a professor.

Duncan Garp

Duncan is the eldest son of Garp and Helen. Sensitive and thoughtful, he becomes the emotional center of the family after a tragic accident. His loss of an eye is symbolic of the family’s suffering and resilience.

Walt Garp

Walt, the youngest Garp child, is known for his innocent joy and vulnerability. His tragic death in a car accident marks a turning point in the family’s life and deeply affects Garp’s worldview.

Roberta Muldoon

Formerly Robert, Roberta is a famous football player who transitions to a woman. She becomes a close friend to Garp and Jenny, embodying the novel’s themes of transformation and acceptance.

Ellen James

Ellen is a young girl whose tongue is cut out by rapists. She becomes a symbol for the "Ellen Jamesians," a group of women who cut out their own tongues in protest. Her trauma and silence serve as a critique of both violence and the extremes of activism.

Dean Bodger

Dean Bodger mentors Garp at Steering. He provides stability and tradition, balancing the unconventional aspects of Garp’s upbringing.

Michael Milton

Michael is Helen's lover. His affair with Helen leads to the car accident that kills Walt, making him a pivotal figure in the family’s tragedy.

Alice Fletcher

Alice is a wrestling student and one of Garp's lovers. Her relationship with Garp exposes the complexity of desire and the consequences of infidelity.

Ernie Holm

Ernie is Helen’s father and a wrestling coach. He represents traditional masculinity and provides a link between Garp’s athletic and family life.

Character Arcs

T.S. Garp

Jenny Fields

Helen Holm

Duncan Garp

Walt Garp

Roberta Muldoon

Ellen James

Dean Bodger

Michael Milton

Alice Fletcher

Ernie Holm

Relationships

In-Depth Character Analysis

T.S. Garp

Garp is the heart of Irving’s novel. His life is defined by his mother’s unconventional choices and his own struggle to protect those he loves. His arc moves from innocence to experience, marked by fear and tragedy. Garp’s writing style mirrors his unpredictability and humor. He is both a loving father and a flawed husband, whose infidelities mirror the complexity of human desire. His anxieties about safety are a response to loss and violence, both personal and societal.

Garp’s relationships, especially with Helen and his children, are central to his development. His friendship with Roberta Muldoon challenges his assumptions and expands his capacity for empathy. In the end, Garp’s attempts to shield his family from harm prove both futile and profoundly human. His legacy is one of resilience, love, and a relentless quest for meaning.

Jenny Fields

Jenny stands as a feminist icon, unwavering in her beliefs and actions. Her decision to have a child without a husband sets the tone for the novel’s exploration of gender roles. Jenny’s integrity and compassion inspire those around her, while her stubbornness sometimes alienates others. Her writing and activism shape the world Garp inhabits, and her death cements her as a martyr for the causes she championed.

Jenny’s relationships are defined by her maternal instincts and her refusal to compromise her values. She supports Roberta and Ellen James, creating a community for those rejected by society. Her dynamic with Garp is complex, blending fierce love with ideological differences.

Helen Holm

Helen is intellectual and introspective. Her marriage to Garp is passionate but fraught with conflict. Helen’s affair with Michael Milton exposes the limits of love and fidelity. She is deeply affected by the tragedy that unfolds but ultimately seeks peace in her own way. Helen’s bond with her children is strong, and she endures loss with quiet resilience.

Helen’s relationship with Garp is both a source of strength and pain. Her independence and honesty challenge traditional notions of marriage and motherhood.

Roberta Muldoon

Roberta represents transformation and acceptance. As a transgender woman, she defies stereotypes and becomes a rock for the Garp family. Her warmth and humor provide comfort, while her courage inspires others. Roberta’s arc is one of self-acceptance and advocacy for tolerance.

Roberta’s friendship with Garp and Jenny highlights the novel’s inclusive vision. She cares for the Garp children and protects the family, embodying the idea that chosen family can be as powerful as biological ties.

Ellen James

Ellen’s trauma is central to the novel’s critique of violence and activism. As a symbol, she is both powerful and exploited. Ellen’s journey toward reclaiming her voice demonstrates the importance of agency and self-expression.

Duncan and Walt Garp

Duncan and Walt serve as symbols of innocence and loss. Duncan’s maturity after losing an eye and Walt’s tragic death underscore the unpredictability of life. Their relationships with their parents are tender and formative.

Michael Milton, Alice Fletcher, Dean Bodger, and Ernie Holm

These supporting characters provide depth to the world of Garp. Milton’s affair serves as a catalyst for tragedy, while Alice’s vulnerability highlights the consequences of Garp’s actions. Dean Bodger and Ernie Holm represent tradition and mentorship, grounding the novel’s more unconventional elements.

Thematic Connections

Conclusion

"The World According to Garp" is a novel of profound character depth. Each figure is intricately drawn, with arcs that mirror the book’s themes of love, loss, and resilience. Through its characters, Irving explores the complexities of gender, family, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. The interplay between personal tragedy and social change gives the story lasting resonance, making its characters unforgettable in the landscape of American fiction.