GARP’S ASCENSION THROUGH THE DIEGETIC WORLD ACCORDING TO GARPBY JOHN IRVING

The main focus of analysis in the article is the evolution of the protagonist in relationto the complex system of characters in the diegetic world of John Irving’s “The WorldAccording to Garp”. Throughout the essay, Garp’s maturation and evolution is beingcontinuously analytically measured against the other characters masterfully alignedwithin the story by author to support the protagonist’s growth, contrast and elucidatehim. A typology of characters by their diegetic function is introduced, separating theminto three main groups: people, creations, symbols. The linking reciprocal elementbetween them is the protagonist, not only connecting all the characters, but alsotraversing through their roles on the way to his own posthumous ascension. Startingthe novel as a regular human being, the protagonist is gradually transformed into awriter – creator of worlds and characters, to finally ascend into a symbol for the newworld upon his death.