Once a Garp, then an Arp, now only an Ar; she knew he was dying. He had just one vowel and one consonant left.
John Irving The World According to...
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The quote from John Irving's "The World According to Garp" encapsulates a sense of impending loss and the fragility of identity. The transformation from 'Garp' to 'Arp' and finally to 'Ar' symbolizes the gradual fading away of a person, highlighting how memories and identities can diminish over time, particularly in the face of mortality. It suggests the reduction of life to its most minimal and essential elements, capturing the essence of decline.

This poignant imagery evokes deep emotions, reflecting on the past and the connections that define us. As the character confronts the reality of dying, the words illustrate the transition from a full existence to a stark simplicity, emphasizing the impact of time and the inevitability of change. Ultimately, it reminds readers of the transient nature of life and the significance of how we remember those we lose.

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The World According to...
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John Irving
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Other quotes in The World According to Garp

But Vienna was in its death phase; it lay still and let me look at it, and think about it, and look again. In a living city, I could never have noticed so much. Living cities don't hold still.
John Irving The World According to...
But Vienna was in its death phase; it lay still and let me look at it, and think about it, and look again. In a living city, I could never have noticed so much. Living cities don't hold still.
Once a Garp, then an Arp, now only an Ar; she knew he was dying. He had just one vowel and one consonant left.
John Irving The World According to...
Once a Garp, then an Arp, now only an Ar; she knew he was dying. He had just one vowel and one consonant left.
In the words of Garp, "a man grows only by finishing one and starting another".
John Irving The World According to...
In the words of Garp, "a man grows only by finishing one and starting another".
And naturally, to be fair, the best of the ellenjamesianas had consisted of making known the general dread that threatened women and girls. For many Ellenjamesianas, the imitation of the horrible discharge had not been "entirely political." It had been a very personal identification. Of course, in some cases the ellenjamesianas were women who had also been raped and what they wanted to say was that they felt as if they were missing their language. In a world of men, they felt that they had been reduced to silence forever.
John Irving The World According to...
And naturally, to be fair, the best of the ellenjamesianas had consisted of making known the general dread that threatened women and girls. For many Ellenjamesianas, the imitation of the horrible discharge had not been "entirely political." It had been a very personal identification. Of course, in some cases the ellenjamesianas were women who had also been raped and what they wanted to say was that they felt as if they were missing their language. In a world of men, they felt that they had been reduced to silence forever.
They were involved in that awkward procedure of getting to unknow each other. That
John Irving The World According to...
They were involved in that awkward procedure of getting to unknow each other. That
though there was nothing wrong with Garp's hands – they just seemed to be clumsy at masturbation. 'Garp!
John Irving The World According to...
though there was nothing wrong with Garp's hands – they just seemed to be clumsy at masturbation. 'Garp!
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
For me the curse is a crutch, but the con is everything.
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For me the curse is a crutch, but the con is everything.
I don't have anything against God. Far from it. But I don't understand Him. And I don't trust a lot of the people that go around claiming that they're working in His best interests.
Jim Butcher Grave Peril
I don't have anything against God. Far from it. But I don't understand Him. And I don't trust a lot of the people that go around claiming that they're working in His best interests.
Now that you're an adult, you might still feel a pang of guilt when you decline a dinner invitation in favor of a good book. Or maybe you like to eat alone in restaurants and could do without the pitying looks from fellow diners. Or you're told that you're "in your head too much," a phrase that's often deployed against the quiet and cerebral. Of course, there's another word for such people: thinkers.
Susan Cain Quiet: The Power of...
Now that you're an adult, you might still feel a pang of guilt when you decline a dinner invitation in favor of a good book. Or maybe you like to eat alone in restaurants and could do without the pitying looks from fellow diners. Or you're told that you're "in your head too much," a phrase that's often deployed against the quiet and cerebral. Of course, there's another word for such people: thinkers.
I found Esau's field guide at the bottom of my pack. Taking a candle into the bedroom, I read his book until my eyes grew heavy. From his vast notes, it seemed that almost every plant and tree in the jungle had a reason for existing. I caught myself wishing there was a page in his guide that had my picture on it with the reason for my existence written underneath in Esau's neat hand.
Maria V. Snyder Magic Study
I found Esau's field guide at the bottom of my pack. Taking a candle into the bedroom, I read his book until my eyes grew heavy. From his vast notes, it seemed that almost every plant and tree in the jungle had a reason for existing. I caught myself wishing there was a page in his guide that had my picture on it with the reason for my existence written underneath in Esau's neat hand.
Here's a nifty solution: Each couple that marries should take on an entirely new surname, chosen however they want as long as both agree to it, so that a day after the wedding, both husband and wife can hold hands and joyfully journey off to the municipal offices to change their passports, driver's licenses, signatures, initials, bank accounts, etc.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Dear Ijeawele, or A...
Here's a nifty solution: Each couple that marries should take on an entirely new surname, chosen however they want as long as both agree to it, so that a day after the wedding, both husband and wife can hold hands and joyfully journey off to the municipal offices to change their passports, driver's licenses, signatures, initials, bank accounts, etc.
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