SOURCE: Campbell, Josie P. “The World according to Garp.” In John Irving: A Critical Companion, pp. 71-86. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1998.

In the following essay, Campbell provides an overview of the plot structure, setting, character development, and major themes in The World according to Garp.

John Irving's first three novels have seemed to many critics merely warm-up exercises for his “major” works. Although this is not accurate—the early novels, especially The Water-Method Man and The 158-Pound Marriage, stand up very well on their individual merits—The World According to Garp was in a number of ways Irving's “break-through” novel. Garp became a household word; even for those who may not have read the novel, the movie, directed by George Roy Hill in 1982, made T. S. Garp a well-known character. Garp allowed Irving the freedom to pursue writing as his only “job.” With this one novel, Irving became both...