Chapter 7 & 8

            Chapter 7 begins with the marriage of Garp and Helen.  Garp moves back to America where he and Jenny get there books published (Jenny’s A Sexual Suspect; the life story of Jenny Fields, and Garps The Pension Grillparzer).  The publication of A sexual Suspect made Jenny Fields a feminist leader.  Much of the following chapters deal with feminism, such as the introduction of the Ellen James Society (A group of women who cut out their tongues in support of a 5 year old girl who was raped and had her tongue cut out of her mouth), and of Roberta Mouldoon (A man who received a sex change to become a woman, and an ex-tight end of the Philadelphia Eagles).  Garp is unsupportive of the feminist movement but he does befriend Roberta Mouldoon. 

             Garp and Helen have two children, the older named Duncan and the younger named Walt.  While Helen is at work at the university where she teaches and Garp is out running errands or jogging they get a baby sitter.  This is when the topic of sex is re-introduced.  Garp sleeps with one of the baby sitters when he drives her home, which Helen does not find out about for a while.  Garp also sleeps with Helen’s best friend’s wife, and Helen sleeps with her co-worker from the university.  The story demonstrates how unfaithful lovers can be, and how weak the marital bond can be as well.

            The topic of sex is not only discussed in a positive way, but also in a negative way.  When the Ellen James society is introduced it introduces rape, and when Garp and Helen cheat on each other it introduces disloyalty in sex, and there is another time when rape is discussed.  When Garp is running through the park he comes across a young girl who is raped and saves her, then chases down the rapist.  Life According to Garp discusses sex in many regards and is a major topic discussed in the novel.