Trying to grow: An exploration of John Irving's use of childhood development, sexual angst and the immaculate protagonist as social critic in 'The Hotel New Hampshire', 'A Prayer for Owen Meany', and 'The World According to Garp'

In the works of John Irving, bizarre characters and outlandish plots are the norm. That being said, Irving works also carry with them a weight of seriousness and intense purposefulness that lead to an examination of Irving's ability to weave the outlandish landscape of fanciful characters and events with the eye of a social critic and caring citizen. In his works, Irving emphasizes the importance of childhood and its role in self-determination and sexual preferences through the motif of violence, which ultimately leads to the formation of unusual but strikingly poignant fiction.