On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, “Jeopardy!” featured a thought-provoking Final Jeopardy question in the category “Literary Characters“. The clue presented was: “In a 1980 National Book Award winner, we learn this title character gets his name from the rank of his late dad– Technical Sergeant“. This clue not only tested contestants’ knowledge of literature but also their ability to connect character details to specific novels.
Who is Garp?
“The World According to Garp” is a pivotal work that brought John Irving widespread acclaim, including the National Book Award in 1980. The novel tells the life story of T.S. Garp, whose initials stand for “Technical Sergeant,” a nod to his father’s military rank. This detail is not merely a trivial aspect of Garp’s identity but plays a significant role in shaping the thematic structure of the book.
Garp’s name is emblematic of his origin and the novel’s exploration of identity and destiny. His father, a technical sergeant during World War II, dies before Garp’s birth, leaving a lasting influence that Garp wrestles with throughout the narrative. This connection highlights the impact of ancestry and the past on personal development and future trajectories.
John Irving employs a unique narrative style in “The World According to Garp”, blending elements of dark humor, tragedy, and absurdity. The character of Garp is deeply complex, embodying both the mundane and the extraordinary aspects of life. Irving’s choice to link Garp’s name to his father’s rank serves as a literary device to anchor the character’s history to his identity, making the name “Garp” a symbol of inherited legacy and unresolved paternal influence.
Irving’s narrative invites readers to ponder the larger question of how much of our identity is shaped by our lineage versus our personal choices and actions. This question is central to understanding Garp’s journey through the novel, as he navigates the challenges of being both a writer and a family man, while also dealing with the shadows cast by his father’s absence.