Our group chose to read “The Cider House Rules” by John Irving. We expected it to be a good book because it was made into a movie and the author has had various other best sellers. The book involves the subject of abortion. While everyone in the group was for abortion when we began, we wanted to see how the story might affect our beliefs. Was an abortion killing a human or merely destroying the potential for one? It is an important subject because it is relevant to today’s society and is a decision that one of us may someday face, though hopefully not. The girls in our group chose the book for this reason and because Travis seemed so enthusiastic about his favorite author. We expect graphic and vivid descriptions and a more serious tone than other books. Mostly, some of us just wanted to see what was so great about John Irving. Throughout the story we hope to get a good view of small, working class, New England towns and the troubles they may have. From the abortion doctors, to the orchard workers, to the prostitutes, the story will hopefully shows us different aspects of different jobs and their consequences.
Individual Post Chapters 1-5 The first chapters of this book deal with the orphanage at St. Clouds under the careful watch of Dr. Wilbur Larch. Up to this point we have followed the doctor in his many roles as a physician, abortionist, and mentor to the young Homer Wells. The book started out a little slow but drew you in more as every character developed into a seemingly real person. The descriptions of Larch’s work are more than just graphic; they are precise yet tastefully explained. The gruesome atrocities of botched up abortions were sobering to read about. While the majority of women wanting the procedure were of “lower class” origins such as prostitutes and immigrants, a chapter on a wealthy Boston family needing Larch’s services proved that the problems are not only in the lower class. The book has many themes beyond abortion. There are the questions of what children deserve, how to love, and is there such a thing as a necessary evil. With every chapter I read, the book gets better and more complicated. It makes you really think about and remember all the intricacies, which is great. The book revolves around small working towns of Maine. Sure, Larch is a doctor, but his life is far from luxurious and he works more in a day than many do in a week. The fifth chapter of the book ends with the departure of Homer Wells to an apple orchard. Although it happens some 200 pages into the book, this is where the real story, the one about Homer, begins.
This is my sixth John Irving book and like many of his other novels is well written. He likes to start out his books fallowing the main character from his childhood and this book is not different. Like many of his other books the childhood is very twisted, it makes for good reading. Since Irving likes a shock factor there are a lot of good descriptions of type of abortions and their methods. It seems like he did his research on the topic. Another theme of his is sexual tension, this book being no exception is full of it. In relation to our working class studies there are plenty of characters that work for a living. The situation that the one doctor, Dr. Larch, is in is definitely working class. Other jobs are lumber jacks and prostitutes, both of which have rather long hours. The Cider House Rules is a good novel set in a very working class environment. So far so good.
Although we agree that "The Cider House Rules" has lived up to its reputation as a best seller and the basis for an Academy Award winning movie, we had to take on the first nine chapters at a sprinting pace. We have certainly been drawn into the working class communities of the St. Cloud’s orphanage and the Ocean View apple orchard, but the sheer number of pages—445 in the first section of our reading plan—has challenged our time management skills. Fortunately, Irving has presented a readable balance of character development, action, and thematic elements to keep us turning the pages.
Before starting the book, we anxiously anticipated how Irving would address the subject of abortion. In the second chapter, gruesome descriptions of abortions performed “Off Harrison” at an underground abortion clinic are juxtaposed with Dr. Larch’s careful, clinical mental processes (and methods, as he agrees to perform his first abortion). Although most doctors would consider abortions “the Devil’s work,” Dr. Larch considers himself to be doing “the Lord’s work” whether he is delivering a baby into the world or aborting a fetus. It’s not just prostitutes and rape victims who come to Dr. Larch seeking an abortion—he is called to the mansion of an upper class family for one of his first cases. Although Dr. Larch is a flawed character, abusing ether and often lying to the orphans and the board support St. Clouds, his professional approach to the abortion procedure has left our initial opinions towards it fairly intact.
Irving directly ties the book to the Maine working class through the theme of usefulness. As an orphan, an unwanted child, Homer Wells wants nothing more than to be useful. As an aspiring obstetrician at St. Cloud’s and an eager apple-picker at Ocean View, Homer Wells immerses himself in his work. When Melony begins acting out after Homer Wells left the orphanage with Candy and Wally, the nurses assume it was because she didn’t have enough responsibility to make use of herself. Even as he ages into his seventies, Dr. Larch is always being of some use, whether it is with his dilators or his typewriter.
Lower and upper class characters are presented side-by-side to each other, but all can be considered working class. Candy grew up taking swimming lessons at a ritzy country club, then coming home each night to her father’s dilapidated house boat/mechanics shop. The Worthingtons sat on piles of earnings from their apple farm, but the migrant workers who came each picking season owned little and relied on each farm to provide them with shelter and food. The lives of workers we would stereotype as “neck up” (to quote Rose) or upper class are presented in a new light. No matter how much money is in their bank account, the Worthingtons still work for a living and help with the apple picking. Dr. Larch is a doctor, and yet his work is constant, interrupted only by the occasional ether-induced sleep, and he receives little compensation.
From the complex characters to the moral dilemma of abortion to the thematic elements of usefulness and working class life, "The Cider House Rules" has established itself thus far as a literary success. Abortion has recently risen as a controversial issue in both the Church and the upcoming presidential election, making this novel increasingly relevant to today’s society. Even though a thick stack of pages still remains, Travis has informed our group that Irving usually ends his novels with a surprise twist. We are excited to tackle the final pages, and we may even be left wanting more.
Much like many of Irving's other books these middle chapters seem to set up the book for its ending. They introduce new characters who will play a roll in the conclusion of Irving's book. People such as Candy and Willy who are introduced around chapter 5 or 6 become very pivotal in the plot. Along with the various workers in the orchard. Irving seems to write in chunks of a persons life. I first noticed this in The World According to Garp. He starts with the child hood gives a quick run down of the transition and then launches off into the important points of the characters life. I like this style a lot. I seems like the only way to go about writing a book that spans most of a persons life time. In these chapters you can see the ending being set up. Certain situations hint at what will happen Thankfully Irving has a good way of twisting up your theories at the end. I read a article about Irving's writing styles but i will talk about that on my next post. We will see what happens.
These next few chapters follow Homer Wells in his new life at the apple orchard. The character development goes above and beyond, resulting in the length of the book. In essence, the book is no just about Homer, but also about Dr. Larch, Melony, Wally, Candy, and everyone else Homer comes in contacts with. These chapters take us deeper into the twisted, hazy, ether induced dream world of Dr. Larch. The old man, in his love for Homer, creates entire worlds so protect the boy and insure his future. He is so enveloped in St. Clouds and his work that that is all he sees. The book also follows Melony in her escape from St. Clouds and her search for Homer. You gotta admit, the girl is tough and knows what shes doing. Despite her harsh nature, i still felt some pity for her; alone in the world looking for the one person she ever cared about who doesn't care for her. Throughout the troubles of those he was closest to growing up, Homer enjoys a life he never knew. Wally introduces him to the ocean, driving, and drive ins. Despite his efforts to leave St. Clouds behind him he is haunted by a questionnaire from the board of trustees, constant letters, and his highschool classes where he learned nothing new. Life does not got any easier for Homer. Wally leaves for war and hes left to chose between being a loyal friend or being with the one woman he has ever loved. I really liked the contrast of finally having a wanted baby in the story. It brought a shortlived lightheartedness to the story, a welcome break from the general gloom. I fell bad for the position Homer Wells has been put in. Still, he has come to enjoy his life being "of use" as an apple farmer. It has opened new worlds to him, especially working with the migrant apple pickers. These men were a great example of working class in the book and a contrast to the rich, stingy, white population of main. Mr. Rose, the crew boss, showed Homer a thing or two about rules and where they belong. The book, though long, has gone above and beyond my expectations. Its just dark enough for my liking and i would be interested in reading more of John Irving's books in the future. By the end of chapter nine I had no idea what would happen next. The twists and turns make the story all the better.
"The Cider House Rules," came out to be extremely tasteful and completely different from what I imagined it to be. John Irving is a genius and I have never read anything similiar to his way of writting. The book started out telling a heart wrenching story about an orphan that could not seem to find the right home. His name was Homer. After many dissfunctional familes, Homer, and Dr. Larch find that there is not a better home for Homer other then St. Clouds. I really connected with Homer's character and my thoughts on abortion have changed significantly from this book. Dr. Larch, a doctor/abortionist at St. Clouds has an opinion that completely differed from Homer's. Homer leaves St. CLouds and finds a new low paying, working class job. He picks apples at an orchard and goes through the hardships that every working class person faces. John Irving did a great job showing the real life stories of different working class people, and showed the benefits, consequences, and realistic tramas that happen in people's everyday working class job.
Individual Post Chapters 10+11 The last two chapters of the book were my two least favorite chapters. In the turn of one page the books goes through 15 years. I felt like Irving rushed through the ending, not even bothering to show us how the revelations made by Homer to his son really went. After being drawn so close into the lives of all the characters it was annoying to not be allowed to continue seeing everything in their world. In the end, Homer returned to where he belonged, St. Clouds. He was forever to remain what he had always been, an orphan that was never adopted. He was the only person i truly felt bad for. Candy had dug herself into this hole, and if Wally knew the secret the whole time, why didnt he say anything? Homer was a victim of other people's decisions. The only decision he ever really made was to keep his son. His life was controlled by Dr. Larch even after his death. The old man knew what he was doing. While the entire creation of a fictional person for homer to become may seem a little far fetched, it is more feasible when you consider the era and the isolation of St. Clouds. In the end, Homer was not meant to be an apple picker. He was meant to serve the children. A big theme of the book was finding your place in society. Many of the other orphans did well for themselves but never had the chance to become anything more than working class. They made furniture, ran drug stores, and worked as electricians. Homer really got the best chance at success than any of them, though he also did not have a choice. On the matter of choices, Melony had the most to make. Though she made a lot of poor choices in the past, it was nice to see her make some good ones towards the end of her life. On the other hand, Candy, who had every opportunity, made no choice and put herself and everyone she loved in a bad position. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a serious novel that brings up questions both about morality and work. I may not have liked the ending but the rest of the story made it worth it.
The ending of Cider house rules has some similarities to other books Irving has written. In two of the five books of his I read before there was a huge climactic ending. My favorite books by Irving always have very climactic endings. Books such as A Prayer for Owen Meany and the World According to Garp had very definite and surprising endings which you did not see coming at all. In The Cider House Rules you have an idea of what could happen so its not as shocking. In all of Irving books there are various twists before the final ending. The Cider House Rules was no exception, there was the unexpected pregnancy, the return of Wally, the awkward stages. I believe the books or Irving fallow this path due to his writing style. I read a article or some piece of literature that talked about how he wrote his books. How he started by writing the last couple scenes or so and then worked up to them. This tends to make the entire books build up with various adventurers along the way. This is how I like my books to go so it is a good read for me. Its also a good way to keep readers interested and has obviously produced many good novels. This book of his in particular was not as shocking or perhaps random as some of his other works. It fallowed largely the theme of abortion and pregnancy. Along with the workers and various modes of life. The Cider House Rules bring my Irving count up to six now. Even though it is not my favorite I consider it time well spent. It paints a picture of experiences that many people go through and have gone through. I believe it was a good choice for our working class project. Since many of the supporting characters did manual labor or similar work and had the mentality of a lower class person. Also there was the contrast of several people not being of that class and not being working class. I am glad that i got a chance to read the book for school. I cant wait to move on to The Hotel New Hampshire the next Irving book I plan to read. Maybe someone else in my group will catch the bug.
I watched The Cider House Rules and like many other movies did not live up to the book. An author like Irving spends chapters developing characters and makes you care for them. In the film there was perhaps a half hour of character development. Large chunks were either moved to a different part of the story or were taken out completely. Now I give the screen writer credit. I think he did as good of a job as the next guy. The movie itself was good and I enjoyed watching it. But it was not the book and it did not try to be which was nice. Unfortunately i had seen the movie when i was younger and my book has Tobey Maguire on the cover. So my mental image of Homer, the main character, looked much like Maguire when I imagined scene in my head. In this way the movie effected how I saw the book but did not ruin it. For people who cannot get through a several hundred page novel the movie is as good of a substitute as you can get. No matter what it is not as good as the book like so many other book based movies are. A while back I read The World According to Garp and loved it. Its in my top five favorite books of all time. So when I heard there was a movie based off of it I had to see it. And boy was i disappointed. It was a terrible movie, even though a young Robin Williams was in it. They butchered it by adding parts to the story, leaving out important stuff, and just bad casting. In comparison The Cider House Rules was much better. I like both the book and movie, bu i think the book is by far a more superior piece of art.
Although I was familiar with the title from the buzz surrounding the movie release, the primary reason I chose to read “The Cider House Rules” was that I was curious to see how John Irving would handle the issue of abortion. The Christian stance is that a fetus is a living being just as a full-grown human and that abortion is thus immoral, but I question the consciousness of a thing so early in its stages of development and still so dependent on the mother. After reading Douglas Hofstadter’s philosophy book “I Am a Strange Loop” this summer, I am convinced that the fetus is not a being, but rather the potential for a being to develop. The mother’s wellbeing trumps that of her child because her consciousness is certain. Even if the fetus does have some speck of life in it, I would want to choose whether I was having a child or not if I were put in that position. I am eager to see whether “The Cider House Rules” supports my views, or if I am left too shocked by rudimentary abortion practices to continue viewing it as humane.
When I first cracked the cover, I expected “The Cider House Rules” to support abortion since I knew it focused on the life of an abortionist. Dr. Larch, the protagonist and an abortionist/obstetrician, views the abortion procedure with both clinical indifference and careful concern for the mother. It would be better to avoid abortions if the only way of obtaining them were through the unsanitary “Off Harrison” abortion clinic, but Dr. Larch’s medical expertise keeps the mother safe from infection or other mishaps. By showing that abortions can be performed safely and even describing them as “the Lord’s work,” the book meets my expectation by (thus far) showing strong support for abortion.
Because it had been adapted into an Academy Award winning film, I assumed from the start that the novel would be action-packed. Quite the contrary, Irving focuses on character development. Dr. Larch begins the novel with a description of how Homer Wells was named, then continues on to illustrate the life of Dr. Larch up until he delivered Homer at St. Cloud’s. The two main characters are described from birth, as if Irving were adopting the Freudian philosophy that experiences in early childhood affect psychological development. Dr. Larch also philosophizes in “A Brief History of St. Cloud’s” that the life of an orphan will always be affected, even if they are adopted at an early age, by the idea that they were unwanted at birth. He makes two main points: the orphan is compelled to lie in order to lull themselves into a false reality, and also compelled to be useful to others in place of loved by them.
The working class is incorporated into the novel organically as the working lives of the characters become integral to the plot and as the theme of usefulness emerges. Whether you are performing skilled or unskilled labor in the town of St. Cloud’s, chances are that you are lower class. At the bottom of the rung are the prostitutes who provide Dr. Larch with ample work; there are the laborers who work for the logging company; finally, there are doctors such as Larch who earn roughly the same level of income as the “unskilled” laborers of the community. The “working class” of St. Cloud’s includes anyone who has a job (unlike the modern perception which extends only to “lower class” or “unskilled” workers). Dr. Larch’s constant insistence upon being useful also echoes the theme of working class. Although he restrains himself from loving the orphans, he encourages them to be useful around the orphanage. Dr. Larch, too, is always making use of himself—perhaps to make up for his lack of a significant other. Work seems to dominate daily life at St. Cloud’s.
The novel evokes religious tones when Dr. Larch insists that both abortion and delivering babies can be considered “the Lord’s work.” Irving explains, “He was an obstetrician; he delivered babies into the world. His colleagues called this ‘the Lord’s work.’ And he was an abortionist; he delivered mothers, too. His colleagues called this ‘the Devil’s work,’ but it was all the Lord’s work to Wilbur Larch” (67). Furthermore, Larch perceives his calling as an abortionist/obstetrician as a sort of religious vocation, a calling from God, as if he were destined to this work. Larch may have resisted initially, not wanting the burden of performing abortions for all of New England to fall on his shoulders, but according to Irving, “Sometimes, when we are labeled, when we are branded, our brand becomes our calling; Wilbur Larch felt himself called” (64). Finally, the name of the orphanage, “St. Cloud’s,” seems to christen the institution in a holy light. It turns out that the “St.” had only been added to make the clinic fit in with the other hospitals named after saints, and that the apostrophe in “Cloud’s” had been added later as a mistake. Nonetheless, the name suggests that the orphanage belongs to some deity in the sky and that the work done there must have received God’s approval.
Tension between social classes arises when Dr. Larch makes a house call to the mansion of a wealthy family. The Channing-Peabodys had requested Dr. Larch’s services as an abortionist for their daughter, Missy. Although all the women in the waiting room of the underground abortion clinic “Off Harrison” were poor and left with no other options, this shows that women are in need of abortions no matter their social status. Irving writes, “Even rich people, who, in Dr. Larch’s opinion, were the last to learn about everything, even rich people knew about him” (64). The rich people may be in desperate need of Dr. Larch, and yet the Channing-Peabody’s fail to give any indication of such. On member of the family, a young physician, has a dissenting opinion of Dr. Larch until he sees his hands at work: “That class-conscious look of scorn had all but left young Chadwick’s… face when Wilbur Larch went to work with the curette; with the first appearance of the products of conception, the young man’s expression opened—that certain, judgmental air was not discernible in any aspect of his face, which seemed softened and resembled his tennis whites in its color” (65).
In conclusion, I am certainly enjoying everything that Irving has dished out up to this point. The novel has proven relevant to our class discussions on working class through the many types of working life it illustrates. Irving has addressed the issue of abortion by showing, through Larch’s work, rather than preaching. His focus on character development has helped me to connect with Dr. Larch and Homer Wells and inspired me to continue turning the pages to see what will happen to them next.
We all were in agreement that the ending of the book was anti-climactic and slightly disappointing. We were expecting more of a surprise ending. Travis said "I thought someone would get shot or at least there would be some incest." Apparently that’s what John Irving usually does. In "The Cider House Rules" however, Irving tied up loose ends by quickly killing Dr. Larch and skipping over what would have been the most climatic part, when the truth was revealed to Wally and Angel. We thought that Larch accidentally killing himself was too convenient. We expected Irving to find a more creative way to go about his ending. Beth did not like that Irving killed off so many of the characters such as the doctor, and Melony. However we all agreed that we liked the way Mr. Rose died because it was subtle and he deserved it for abusing his daughter. We all wondered why “The Cider House Rules” was the title. Beth said she read a review about how the underlying theme of the book was when it was okay to break the rules. Clearly, throughout the story, many rules were broken, some with good results and some with not so good results. Everyone of course had their own set of rules. The cider house rules that were posted were generally ignored. It was the unwritten rules that mattered most. The ending made all of us angry. Kelsey said she kind of wished she had not read it. We think that Homer should have kept his name because he was a permanent orphan and orphans only get new names when they are adopted. It made sense that he went back to where he rightfully belonged, but we also think he should have taken his son with him.
This Academy Award winning movie was a disappointment to me. If you have never read the book, I can understand how it might be decent. Yet, after reading all the intricacies of Irving’s world, the movie did not compare. It was missing many of the main themes such as love and where children belong. The themes of being of use and what are the rules where all overshadowed by the main thing; abortion. The first half of the book was literally skimmed through within the first ten minutes. I understand that a movie can’t tell the whole story without being 5 hours long, but the producers took so many liberties. They cut and pasted the story so many times that in the end it was barely and outline of the original book. The movie focused much more on Tobey Maguire and Charlize Theron, and yet somehow Dr. Larch was the one who won the academy award. It revolved more around the cider house than St. Clouds. What made me most angry about the movie is that they completely omitted Melony and the affect she had on Homer. At first glance, the story of Melony in the book may have seemed an unnecessary extra, but really she was the one who made Homer want to leave St. Clouds. Melony gave homer his first taste of the real world and years later brought him back to reality and eventually influenced his return to St. Clouds. Leaving this character out of the movie completely was, in my opinion, a mistake. The movie was a nice distraction for a few hours but failed to generate the questions and emotions of the book. The gruesome details of abortion were passed by quickly. The character development was lacking. As usual, the book was significantly better and more worthwhile than the movie adaptation.
I assumed that Irving had established the background for the characters at St. Cloud’s in order to lay the groundwork for a plot in which they would be key players, but the plotline transitions to a new setting and new characters in the middle section of the novel. Homer waves St. Cloud’s and his childhood goodbye as he is invited to spend the summer at an apple orchard in Heart’s Rock with Candy and Wally. Irving maintains his style of character development by describing this new set of characters from their childhoods to the present, as Travis noted in his post on chapters 5-9. This style of writing appeals to me because I am interested in reading biographies of famous artists and poets, studying how their lives influenced their work, and Irving allows me to do so in a fictional format. Take Homer Wells for example: characteristics of an orphan, such as pathological lying and a need to feel useful, still linger as he nears adulthood.
The title of the book is elucidated when Homer comes across the sheet of rules posted in the cider house. Another theme emerges as Homer discovers that it is sometimes acceptable to break the rules. The apple pickers don’t follow the posted rules (perhaps because they are unable to read them), and instead follow the set of unwritten rules established by foreman Mr. Rose. This theme also ties in to the theme of abortion. Dr. Larch chooses to break the law by performing abortions because he feels morally obligated to help desperate mothers who would otherwise turn to shady abortion clinics such as “Off Harrison.”
Although Irving expressed unchallenged support for abortion through Dr. Larch’s values and practices, Homer shows that this stance must be taken with a grain of salt. Even though he claims to support abortion, he refuses to perform one himself. He believes that the mother should have the right to decide if she wants a baby, but he also believes that the fetus is a living being. By leaving St. Cloud’s for the less glamorous work of picking apples, he further demonstrates his rejection of the idea of abortion.
Irving introduces several new types of working class jobs as he describes Melony’s labor in city factories, the lobster fishing on the Heart’s Rock beaches, and the apple picking at Ocean View orchards. Homer proves that “neck down” jobs, such as picking apples, are to be preferred over “neck up” jobs, such as being a doctor, if they make the worker happier. By choosing the Ocean’s View orchards over the St. Cloud’s hospital, he chooses to lead a simpler life, even if it means giving up the prestige of being an obstetrician.
I second Vicky’s opinion that the last two chapters failed to live up to the rest of the book. Although Irving is meticulous in documenting the lives of his characters up until chapter 10, he fast forwards through fifteen years just before the dramatic ending I’d been anticipating was about to unfold. I never got to read such an ending. I’d once complained about the length of the book, but I was left wishing for more when it finally came time to put it down for good.
Although Homer had initially challenged Dr. Larch’s support for abortion by refusing to perform the procedure himself, the book ends on a strongly pro-choice note. Homer has sympathy for Rose Rose when Angel, who has given his heart to her, reveals that her own father had gotten her pregnant. Although Dr. Larch had preached to Homer that most of the women who visited his abortion clinic were victims of incest or rape, the idea that women didn’t always have the choice about getting pregnant only hit home to him when he personally knew the victim. Furthermore, with the death of Dr. Larch, Rose’s only other option would be an unsanitary abortion clinic like “Off Harrison.” Homer could see how Rose Rose’s life would be thrown upside with the birth of another child (her father had gotten her pregnant once before), so he feels compelled to do what he could to help her. After performing his first abortion, Homer decides he might as well continue to help women like Rose by replacing Dr. Larch at St. Cloud’s.
The theme of breaking the rules is played out in the end of the book when Homer breaks his personal rule that he would never perform an abortion. In doing so, he also rebels against the abortion laws. Rose Rose steps over the line when she defies her father’s unwritten rule for the apple pickers about fighting cleanly—no blood or broken bones—by stabbing him to death.
The end of the book confirms that vocational calling isn’t necessarily religious, and that it can occur even at the working class level. By returning to St. Cloud’s after spending most of his adulthood picking apples, Homer responds to his vocational calling. He felt a personal obligation to use his talents as a doctor and a moral obligation to give women a choice about pregnancy. Working class workers are typically stereotyped as taking whatever jobs come their way in order to pay the bills, but Irving (along with Mike Rose) has shown that job selection is often based on a worker’s talents and interests.
Although the DVD case boasted that the movie had received two Academy Awards, I was still unsure if it would due justice to Irving’s book. It didn’t. Having just put down the book, the movie seemed phony and flawed in comparison. Nonetheless, the film stood effectively on its own and held my attention through to the end. I was impressed with Jake Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of Homer and Charlize Theron’s of Candy, even if Michael Cain acted more wholesome and nurturing than I had imagined Dr. Larch.
The plotline, however, suffered the hardest blow in the transition from paper to the silver screen. With such detailed character development and numerous subplots surrounding Homer’s coming-of-age journey, I had expected the movie to drag on for several hours. To my surprise, the plot progressed at a quick, even rushed, pace as the events spread throughout Homer’s lifetime in the book were crammed into a few months. Rather than use different actors to play Homer throughout the stages of his life, the film focused solely on his young adulthood. As Travis noted, the character development that had taken Irving some three hundred pages in the book was reduced to not even a half an hour on film. With the original story butchered and the characters’ lives rewritten, I was shocked to discover in the special features section that Irving had actually written the screenplay himself.
18 comments:
Our group chose to read “The Cider House Rules” by John Irving. We expected it to be a good book because it was made into a movie and the author has had various other best sellers. The book involves the subject of abortion. While everyone in the group was for abortion when we began, we wanted to see how the story might affect our beliefs. Was an abortion killing a human or merely destroying the potential for one? It is an important subject because it is relevant to today’s society and is a decision that one of us may someday face, though hopefully not. The girls in our group chose the book for this reason and because Travis seemed so enthusiastic about his favorite author. We expect graphic and vivid descriptions and a more serious tone than other books. Mostly, some of us just wanted to see what was so great about John Irving. Throughout the story we hope to get a good view of small, working class, New England towns and the troubles they may have. From the abortion doctors, to the orchard workers, to the prostitutes, the story will hopefully shows us different aspects of different jobs and their consequences.
Individual Post
Chapters 1-5
The first chapters of this book deal with the orphanage at St. Clouds under the careful watch of Dr. Wilbur Larch. Up to this point we have followed the doctor in his many roles as a physician, abortionist, and mentor to the young Homer Wells. The book started out a little slow but drew you in more as every character developed into a seemingly real person. The descriptions of Larch’s work are more than just graphic; they are precise yet tastefully explained. The gruesome atrocities of botched up abortions were sobering to read about. While the majority of women wanting the procedure were of “lower class” origins such as prostitutes and immigrants, a chapter on a wealthy Boston family needing Larch’s services proved that the problems are not only in the lower class.
The book has many themes beyond abortion. There are the questions of what children deserve, how to love, and is there such a thing as a necessary evil. With every chapter I read, the book gets better and more complicated. It makes you really think about and remember all the intricacies, which is great. The book revolves around small working towns of Maine. Sure, Larch is a doctor, but his life is far from luxurious and he works more in a day than many do in a week.
The fifth chapter of the book ends with the departure of Homer Wells to an apple orchard. Although it happens some 200 pages into the book, this is where the real story, the one about Homer, begins.
Up to chapter 5
This is my sixth John Irving book and like many of his other novels is well written. He likes to start out his books fallowing the main character from his childhood and this book is not different. Like many of his other books the childhood is very twisted, it makes for good reading. Since Irving likes a shock factor there are a lot of good descriptions of type of abortions and their methods. It seems like he did his research on the topic. Another theme of his is sexual tension, this book being no exception is full of it. In relation to our working class studies there are plenty of characters that work for a living. The situation that the one doctor, Dr. Larch, is in is definitely working class. Other jobs are lumber jacks and prostitutes, both of which have rather long hours. The Cider House Rules is a good novel set in a very working class environment. So far so good.
Group Post
Chapters 1-9
Discussion on October 31
Although we agree that "The Cider House Rules" has lived up to its reputation as a best seller and the basis for an Academy Award winning movie, we had to take on the first nine chapters at a sprinting pace. We have certainly been drawn into the working class communities of the St. Cloud’s orphanage and the Ocean View apple orchard, but the sheer number of pages—445 in the first section of our reading plan—has challenged our time management skills. Fortunately, Irving has presented a readable balance of character development, action, and thematic elements to keep us turning the pages.
Before starting the book, we anxiously anticipated how Irving would address the subject of abortion. In the second chapter, gruesome descriptions of abortions performed “Off Harrison” at an underground abortion clinic are juxtaposed with Dr. Larch’s careful, clinical mental processes (and methods, as he agrees to perform his first abortion). Although most doctors would consider abortions “the Devil’s work,” Dr. Larch considers himself to be doing “the Lord’s work” whether he is delivering a baby into the world or aborting a fetus. It’s not just prostitutes and rape victims who come to Dr. Larch seeking an abortion—he is called to the mansion of an upper class family for one of his first cases. Although Dr. Larch is a flawed character, abusing ether and often lying to the orphans and the board support St. Clouds, his professional approach to the abortion procedure has left our initial opinions towards it fairly intact.
Irving directly ties the book to the Maine working class through the theme of usefulness. As an orphan, an unwanted child, Homer Wells wants nothing more than to be useful. As an aspiring obstetrician at St. Cloud’s and an eager apple-picker at Ocean View, Homer Wells immerses himself in his work. When Melony begins acting out after Homer Wells left the orphanage with Candy and Wally, the nurses assume it was because she didn’t have enough responsibility to make use of herself. Even as he ages into his seventies, Dr. Larch is always being of some use, whether it is with his dilators or his typewriter.
Lower and upper class characters are presented side-by-side to each other, but all can be considered working class. Candy grew up taking swimming lessons at a ritzy country club, then coming home each night to her father’s dilapidated house boat/mechanics shop. The Worthingtons sat on piles of earnings from their apple farm, but the migrant workers who came each picking season owned little and relied on each farm to provide them with shelter and food. The lives of workers we would stereotype as “neck up” (to quote Rose) or upper class are presented in a new light. No matter how much money is in their bank account, the Worthingtons still work for a living and help with the apple picking. Dr. Larch is a doctor, and yet his work is constant, interrupted only by the occasional ether-induced sleep, and he receives little compensation.
From the complex characters to the moral dilemma of abortion to the thematic elements of usefulness and working class life, "The Cider House Rules" has established itself thus far as a literary success. Abortion has recently risen as a controversial issue in both the Church and the upcoming presidential election, making this novel increasingly relevant to today’s society. Even though a thick stack of pages still remains, Travis has informed our group that Irving usually ends his novels with a surprise twist. We are excited to tackle the final pages, and we may even be left wanting more.
Chapters 5-9
Much like many of Irving's other books these middle chapters seem to set up the book for its ending. They introduce new characters who will play a roll in the conclusion of Irving's book. People such as Candy and Willy who are introduced around chapter 5 or 6 become very pivotal in the plot. Along with the various workers in the orchard. Irving seems to write in chunks of a persons life. I first noticed this in The World According to Garp. He starts with the child hood gives a quick run down of the transition and then launches off into the important points of the characters life. I like this style a lot. I seems like the only way to go about writing a book that spans most of a persons life time. In these chapters you can see the ending being set up. Certain situations hint at what will happen Thankfully Irving has a good way of twisting up your theories at the end. I read a article about Irving's writing styles but i will talk about that on my next post. We will see what happens.
Individual Post
Chapters 6-9
These next few chapters follow Homer Wells in his new life at the apple orchard. The character development goes above and beyond, resulting in the length of the book. In essence, the book is no just about Homer, but also about Dr. Larch, Melony, Wally, Candy, and everyone else Homer comes in contacts with. These chapters take us deeper into the twisted, hazy, ether induced dream world of Dr. Larch. The old man, in his love for Homer, creates entire worlds so protect the boy and insure his future. He is so enveloped in St. Clouds and his work that that is all he sees.
The book also follows Melony in her escape from St. Clouds and her search for Homer. You gotta admit, the girl is tough and knows what shes doing. Despite her harsh nature, i still felt some pity for her; alone in the world looking for the one person she ever cared about who doesn't care for her.
Throughout the troubles of those he was closest to growing up, Homer enjoys a life he never knew. Wally introduces him to the ocean, driving, and drive ins. Despite his efforts to leave St. Clouds behind him he is haunted by a questionnaire from the board of trustees, constant letters, and his highschool classes where he learned nothing new. Life does not got any easier for Homer. Wally leaves for war and hes left to chose between being a loyal friend or being with the one woman he has ever loved.
I really liked the contrast of finally having a wanted baby in the story. It brought a shortlived lightheartedness to the story, a welcome break from the general gloom. I fell bad for the position Homer Wells has been put in. Still, he has come to enjoy his life being "of use" as an apple farmer. It has opened new worlds to him, especially working with the migrant apple pickers. These men were a great example of working class in the book and a contrast to the rich, stingy, white population of main. Mr. Rose, the crew boss, showed Homer a thing or two about rules and where they belong.
The book, though long, has gone above and beyond my expectations. Its just dark enough for my liking and i would be interested in reading more of John Irving's books in the future. By the end of chapter nine I had no idea what would happen next. The twists and turns make the story all the better.
"The Cider House Rules," came out to be extremely tasteful and completely different from what I imagined it to be. John Irving is a genius and I have never read anything similiar to his way of writting. The book started out telling a heart wrenching story about an orphan that could not seem to find the right home. His name was Homer. After many dissfunctional familes, Homer, and Dr. Larch find that there is not a better home for Homer other then St. Clouds. I really connected with Homer's character and my thoughts on abortion have changed significantly from this book. Dr. Larch, a doctor/abortionist at St. Clouds has an opinion that completely differed from Homer's.
Homer leaves St. CLouds and finds a new low paying, working class job. He picks apples at an orchard and goes through the hardships that every working class person faces. John Irving did a great job showing the real life stories of different working class people, and showed the benefits, consequences, and realistic tramas that happen in people's everyday working class job.
Individual Post
Chapters 10+11
The last two chapters of the book were my two least favorite chapters. In the turn of one page the books goes through 15 years. I felt like Irving rushed through the ending, not even bothering to show us how the revelations made by Homer to his son really went. After being drawn so close into the lives of all the characters it was annoying to not be allowed to continue seeing everything in their world.
In the end, Homer returned to where he belonged, St. Clouds. He was forever to remain what he had always been, an orphan that was never adopted. He was the only person i truly felt bad for. Candy had dug herself into this hole, and if Wally knew the secret the whole time, why didnt he say anything?
Homer was a victim of other people's decisions. The only decision he ever really made was to keep his son. His life was controlled by Dr. Larch even after his death. The old man knew what he was doing. While the entire creation of a fictional person for homer to become may seem a little far fetched, it is more feasible when you consider the era and the isolation of St. Clouds. In the end, Homer was not meant to be an apple picker. He was meant to serve the children. A big theme of the book was finding your place in society. Many of the other orphans did well for themselves but never had the chance to become anything more than working class. They made furniture, ran drug stores, and worked as electricians. Homer really got the best chance at success than any of them, though he also did not have a choice.
On the matter of choices, Melony had the most to make. Though she made a lot of poor choices in the past, it was nice to see her make some good ones towards the end of her life. On the other hand, Candy, who had every opportunity, made no choice and put herself and everyone she loved in a bad position.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a serious novel that brings up questions both about morality and work. I may not have liked the ending but the rest of the story made it worth it.
The Rest of the Book
The ending of Cider house rules has some similarities to other books Irving has written. In two of the five books of his I read before there was a huge climactic ending. My favorite books by Irving always have very climactic endings. Books such as A Prayer for Owen Meany and the World According to Garp had very definite and surprising endings which you did not see coming at all. In The Cider House Rules you have an idea of what could happen so its not as shocking. In all of Irving books there are various twists before the final ending. The Cider House Rules was no exception, there was the unexpected pregnancy, the return of Wally, the awkward stages. I believe the books or Irving fallow this path due to his writing style. I read a article or some piece of literature that talked about how he wrote his books. How he started by writing the last couple scenes or so and then worked up to them. This tends to make the entire books build up with various adventurers along the way. This is how I like my books to go so it is a good read for me. Its also a good way to keep readers interested and has obviously produced many good novels. This book of his in particular was not as shocking or perhaps random as some of his other works. It fallowed largely the theme of abortion and pregnancy. Along with the workers and various modes of life. The Cider House Rules bring my Irving count up to six now. Even though it is not my favorite I consider it time well spent. It paints a picture of experiences that many people go through and have gone through. I believe it was a good choice for our working class project. Since many of the supporting characters did manual labor or similar work and had the mentality of a lower class person. Also there was the contrast of several people not being of that class and not being working class. I am glad that i got a chance to read the book for school. I cant wait to move on to The Hotel New Hampshire the next Irving book I plan to read. Maybe someone else in my group will catch the bug.
The Movie
I watched The Cider House Rules and like many other movies did not live up to the book. An author like Irving spends chapters developing characters and makes you care for them. In the film there was perhaps a half hour of character development. Large chunks were either moved to a different part of the story or were taken out completely. Now I give the screen writer credit. I think he did as good of a job as the next guy. The movie itself was good and I enjoyed watching it. But it was not the book and it did not try to be which was nice. Unfortunately i had seen the movie when i was younger and my book has Tobey Maguire on the cover. So my mental image of Homer, the main character, looked much like Maguire when I imagined scene in my head. In this way the movie effected how I saw the book but did not ruin it. For people who cannot get through a several hundred page novel the movie is as good of a substitute as you can get. No matter what it is not as good as the book like so many other book based movies are. A while back I read The World According to Garp and loved it. Its in my top five favorite books of all time. So when I heard there was a movie based off of it I had to see it. And boy was i disappointed. It was a terrible movie, even though a young Robin Williams was in it. They butchered it by adding parts to the story, leaving out important stuff, and just bad casting. In comparison The Cider House Rules was much better. I like both the book and movie, bu i think the book is by far a more superior piece of art.
Individual Post
Chapters 1-4
Although I was familiar with the title from the buzz surrounding the movie release, the primary reason I chose to read “The Cider House Rules” was that I was curious to see how John Irving would handle the issue of abortion. The Christian stance is that a fetus is a living being just as a full-grown human and that abortion is thus immoral, but I question the consciousness of a thing so early in its stages of development and still so dependent on the mother. After reading Douglas Hofstadter’s philosophy book “I Am a Strange Loop” this summer, I am convinced that the fetus is not a being, but rather the potential for a being to develop. The mother’s wellbeing trumps that of her child because her consciousness is certain. Even if the fetus does have some speck of life in it, I would want to choose whether I was having a child or not if I were put in that position. I am eager to see whether “The Cider House Rules” supports my views, or if I am left too shocked by rudimentary abortion practices to continue viewing it as humane.
When I first cracked the cover, I expected “The Cider House Rules” to support abortion since I knew it focused on the life of an abortionist. Dr. Larch, the protagonist and an abortionist/obstetrician, views the abortion procedure with both clinical indifference and careful concern for the mother. It would be better to avoid abortions if the only way of obtaining them were through the unsanitary “Off Harrison” abortion clinic, but Dr. Larch’s medical expertise keeps the mother safe from infection or other mishaps. By showing that abortions can be performed safely and even describing them as “the Lord’s work,” the book meets my expectation by (thus far) showing strong support for abortion.
Because it had been adapted into an Academy Award winning film, I assumed from the start that the novel would be action-packed. Quite the contrary, Irving focuses on character development. Dr. Larch begins the novel with a description of how Homer Wells was named, then continues on to illustrate the life of Dr. Larch up until he delivered Homer at St. Cloud’s. The two main characters are described from birth, as if Irving were adopting the Freudian philosophy that experiences in early childhood affect psychological development. Dr. Larch also philosophizes in “A Brief History of St. Cloud’s” that the life of an orphan will always be affected, even if they are adopted at an early age, by the idea that they were unwanted at birth. He makes two main points: the orphan is compelled to lie in order to lull themselves into a false reality, and also compelled to be useful to others in place of loved by them.
The working class is incorporated into the novel organically as the working lives of the characters become integral to the plot and as the theme of usefulness emerges. Whether you are performing skilled or unskilled labor in the town of St. Cloud’s, chances are that you are lower class. At the bottom of the rung are the prostitutes who provide Dr. Larch with ample work; there are the laborers who work for the logging company; finally, there are doctors such as Larch who earn roughly the same level of income as the “unskilled” laborers of the community. The “working class” of St. Cloud’s includes anyone who has a job (unlike the modern perception which extends only to “lower class” or “unskilled” workers). Dr. Larch’s constant insistence upon being useful also echoes the theme of working class. Although he restrains himself from loving the orphans, he encourages them to be useful around the orphanage. Dr. Larch, too, is always making use of himself—perhaps to make up for his lack of a significant other. Work seems to dominate daily life at St. Cloud’s.
The novel evokes religious tones when Dr. Larch insists that both abortion and delivering babies can be considered “the Lord’s work.” Irving explains, “He was an obstetrician; he delivered babies into the world. His colleagues called this ‘the Lord’s work.’ And he was an abortionist; he delivered mothers, too. His colleagues called this ‘the Devil’s work,’ but it was all the Lord’s work to Wilbur Larch” (67). Furthermore, Larch perceives his calling as an abortionist/obstetrician as a sort of religious vocation, a calling from God, as if he were destined to this work. Larch may have resisted initially, not wanting the burden of performing abortions for all of New England to fall on his shoulders, but according to Irving, “Sometimes, when we are labeled, when we are branded, our brand becomes our calling; Wilbur Larch felt himself called” (64). Finally, the name of the orphanage, “St. Cloud’s,” seems to christen the institution in a holy light. It turns out that the “St.” had only been added to make the clinic fit in with the other hospitals named after saints, and that the apostrophe in “Cloud’s” had been added later as a mistake. Nonetheless, the name suggests that the orphanage belongs to some deity in the sky and that the work done there must have received God’s approval.
Tension between social classes arises when Dr. Larch makes a house call to the mansion of a wealthy family. The Channing-Peabodys had requested Dr. Larch’s services as an abortionist for their daughter, Missy. Although all the women in the waiting room of the underground abortion clinic “Off Harrison” were poor and left with no other options, this shows that women are in need of abortions no matter their social status. Irving writes, “Even rich people, who, in Dr. Larch’s opinion, were the last to learn about everything, even rich people knew about him” (64). The rich people may be in desperate need of Dr. Larch, and yet the Channing-Peabody’s fail to give any indication of such. On member of the family, a young physician, has a dissenting opinion of Dr. Larch until he sees his hands at work: “That class-conscious look of scorn had all but left young Chadwick’s… face when Wilbur Larch went to work with the curette; with the first appearance of the products of conception, the young man’s expression opened—that certain, judgmental air was not discernible in any aspect of his face, which seemed softened and resembled his tennis whites in its color” (65).
In conclusion, I am certainly enjoying everything that Irving has dished out up to this point. The novel has proven relevant to our class discussions on working class through the many types of working life it illustrates. Irving has addressed the issue of abortion by showing, through Larch’s work, rather than preaching. His focus on character development has helped me to connect with Dr. Larch and Homer Wells and inspired me to continue turning the pages to see what will happen to them next.
Final Group Post
We all were in agreement that the ending of the book was anti-climactic and slightly disappointing. We were expecting more of a surprise ending. Travis said "I thought someone would get shot or at least there would be some incest." Apparently that’s what John Irving usually does.
In "The Cider House Rules" however, Irving tied up loose ends by quickly killing Dr. Larch and skipping over what would have been the most climatic part, when the truth was revealed to Wally and Angel. We thought that Larch accidentally killing himself was too convenient. We expected Irving to find a more creative way to go about his ending.
Beth did not like that Irving killed off so many of the characters such as the doctor, and Melony. However we all agreed that we liked the way Mr. Rose died because it was subtle and he deserved it for abusing his daughter.
We all wondered why “The Cider House Rules” was the title. Beth said she read a review about how the underlying theme of the book was when it was okay to break the rules. Clearly, throughout the story, many rules were broken, some with good results and some with not so good results. Everyone of course had their own set of rules. The cider house rules that were posted were generally ignored. It was the unwritten rules that mattered most.
The ending made all of us angry. Kelsey said she kind of wished she had not read it. We think that Homer should have kept his name because he was a permanent orphan and orphans only get new names when they are adopted. It made sense that he went back to where he rightfully belonged, but we also think he should have taken his son with him.
The Cider House Rules: The Movie
This Academy Award winning movie was a disappointment to me. If you have never read the book, I can understand how it might be decent. Yet, after reading all the intricacies of Irving’s world, the movie did not compare. It was missing many of the main themes such as love and where children belong. The themes of being of use and what are the rules where all overshadowed by the main thing; abortion. The first half of the book was literally skimmed through within the first ten minutes. I understand that a movie can’t tell the whole story without being 5 hours long, but the producers took so many liberties. They cut and pasted the story so many times that in the end it was barely and outline of the original book.
The movie focused much more on Tobey Maguire and Charlize Theron, and yet somehow Dr. Larch was the one who won the academy award. It revolved more around the cider house than St. Clouds. What made me most angry about the movie is that they completely omitted Melony and the affect she had on Homer. At first glance, the story of Melony in the book may have seemed an unnecessary extra, but really she was the one who made Homer want to leave St. Clouds. Melony gave homer his first taste of the real world and years later brought him back to reality and eventually influenced his return to St. Clouds. Leaving this character out of the movie completely was, in my opinion, a mistake.
The movie was a nice distraction for a few hours but failed to generate the questions and emotions of the book. The gruesome details of abortion were passed by quickly. The character development was lacking. As usual, the book was significantly better and more worthwhile than the movie adaptation.
Individual Post
Chapters 5-9
I assumed that Irving had established the background for the characters at St. Cloud’s in order to lay the groundwork for a plot in which they would be key players, but the plotline transitions to a new setting and new characters in the middle section of the novel. Homer waves St. Cloud’s and his childhood goodbye as he is invited to spend the summer at an apple orchard in Heart’s Rock with Candy and Wally. Irving maintains his style of character development by describing this new set of characters from their childhoods to the present, as Travis noted in his post on chapters 5-9. This style of writing appeals to me because I am interested in reading biographies of famous artists and poets, studying how their lives influenced their work, and Irving allows me to do so in a fictional format. Take Homer Wells for example: characteristics of an orphan, such as pathological lying and a need to feel useful, still linger as he nears adulthood.
The title of the book is elucidated when Homer comes across the sheet of rules posted in the cider house. Another theme emerges as Homer discovers that it is sometimes acceptable to break the rules. The apple pickers don’t follow the posted rules (perhaps because they are unable to read them), and instead follow the set of unwritten rules established by foreman Mr. Rose. This theme also ties in to the theme of abortion. Dr. Larch chooses to break the law by performing abortions because he feels morally obligated to help desperate mothers who would otherwise turn to shady abortion clinics such as “Off Harrison.”
Although Irving expressed unchallenged support for abortion through Dr. Larch’s values and practices, Homer shows that this stance must be taken with a grain of salt. Even though he claims to support abortion, he refuses to perform one himself. He believes that the mother should have the right to decide if she wants a baby, but he also believes that the fetus is a living being. By leaving St. Cloud’s for the less glamorous work of picking apples, he further demonstrates his rejection of the idea of abortion.
Irving introduces several new types of working class jobs as he describes Melony’s labor in city factories, the lobster fishing on the Heart’s Rock beaches, and the apple picking at Ocean View orchards. Homer proves that “neck down” jobs, such as picking apples, are to be preferred over “neck up” jobs, such as being a doctor, if they make the worker happier. By choosing the Ocean’s View orchards over the St. Cloud’s hospital, he chooses to lead a simpler life, even if it means giving up the prestige of being an obstetrician.
Individual Post
Chapters 10-11
I second Vicky’s opinion that the last two chapters failed to live up to the rest of the book. Although Irving is meticulous in documenting the lives of his characters up until chapter 10, he fast forwards through fifteen years just before the dramatic ending I’d been anticipating was about to unfold. I never got to read such an ending. I’d once complained about the length of the book, but I was left wishing for more when it finally came time to put it down for good.
Although Homer had initially challenged Dr. Larch’s support for abortion by refusing to perform the procedure himself, the book ends on a strongly pro-choice note. Homer has sympathy for Rose Rose when Angel, who has given his heart to her, reveals that her own father had gotten her pregnant. Although Dr. Larch had preached to Homer that most of the women who visited his abortion clinic were victims of incest or rape, the idea that women didn’t always have the choice about getting pregnant only hit home to him when he personally knew the victim. Furthermore, with the death of Dr. Larch, Rose’s only other option would be an unsanitary abortion clinic like “Off Harrison.” Homer could see how Rose Rose’s life would be thrown upside with the birth of another child (her father had gotten her pregnant once before), so he feels compelled to do what he could to help her. After performing his first abortion, Homer decides he might as well continue to help women like Rose by replacing Dr. Larch at St. Cloud’s.
The theme of breaking the rules is played out in the end of the book when Homer breaks his personal rule that he would never perform an abortion. In doing so, he also rebels against the abortion laws. Rose Rose steps over the line when she defies her father’s unwritten rule for the apple pickers about fighting cleanly—no blood or broken bones—by stabbing him to death.
The end of the book confirms that vocational calling isn’t necessarily religious, and that it can occur even at the working class level. By returning to St. Cloud’s after spending most of his adulthood picking apples, Homer responds to his vocational calling. He felt a personal obligation to use his talents as a doctor and a moral obligation to give women a choice about pregnancy. Working class workers are typically stereotyped as taking whatever jobs come their way in order to pay the bills, but Irving (along with Mike Rose) has shown that job selection is often based on a worker’s talents and interests.
Individual Post
The Movie
Although the DVD case boasted that the movie had received two Academy Awards, I was still unsure if it would due justice to Irving’s book. It didn’t. Having just put down the book, the movie seemed phony and flawed in comparison. Nonetheless, the film stood effectively on its own and held my attention through to the end. I was impressed with Jake Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of Homer and Charlize Theron’s of Candy, even if Michael Cain acted more wholesome and nurturing than I had imagined Dr. Larch.
The plotline, however, suffered the hardest blow in the transition from paper to the silver screen. With such detailed character development and numerous subplots surrounding Homer’s coming-of-age journey, I had expected the movie to drag on for several hours. To my surprise, the plot progressed at a quick, even rushed, pace as the events spread throughout Homer’s lifetime in the book were crammed into a few months. Rather than use different actors to play Homer throughout the stages of his life, the film focused solely on his young adulthood. As Travis noted, the character development that had taken Irving some three hundred pages in the book was reduced to not even a half an hour on film. With the original story butchered and the characters’ lives rewritten, I was shocked to discover in the special features section that Irving had actually written the screenplay himself.
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