Promoting Sexual Tolerance : A study of Sexual Dissidence in John Irving’s The World According to Garp, The Hotel New Hampshire, and In One Person

University essay from Karlstads universitet/Institutionen för språk, litteratur och interkultur

Author: Daniel Remåker; [2015]

Keywords: John Irving; sexuality; sexual tolerance; sexual dissidence; perversion; John Irving; sexualitet; sexuell tolerans; sexuellt oliktänkande; perversion;

Abstract:

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to show that John Irving uses differentiating sexuality in his novels as a means of promoting sexual tolerance. This is done by using Jonathan Dollimore’s theoretical framework called sexual dissidence, which stems from a deconstruction of the Freudian usage of  perversion, and applying this framework to The WorldAccording to Garp (1978), The Hotel New Hampshire (1981) and In One Person (2012). The results show that, in these novels, Irving uses sexual dissidence through exaggeration and normalization, thereby promoting tolerance of differentiating sexuality. In conclusion, while the usage of sexual dissidence is present in all three novels, In One Person must be considered the so far clearest example of Irving's usage of sexual dissidence.

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