Irving has stated that The World According to Garp was not shaped by American political and social events of the sixties because he spent half of that decade in Austria. Write an essay using examples from the novel to challenge his claim.

Duncan Garp creates an illustration of "The Pension Grillparzer" with his father. Using your preferred medium (pencils, paints, clay, etc.), create an illustration of a scene or scenes from Garp's short story.

Near the conclusion of the novel, Garp shares his ideas for his next three novels: My Father's Illusions, The Death of Vermont, and The Plot Against the Giant. Write your own first chapter for one of these novels using details from the book.

The Ellen Jamesians inflict self-harm as a protest against violence towards women. Do you think this is a realistic form of protest? What are some other extreme methods people have historically used to protest perceived injustices?

Study and discuss the world of book publishing. What factors do you think contribute to one book becoming a bestseller while another fails? Provide examples of books that have been both critical and commercial successes, and discuss what these books have in common.

Research the official rules of high school and college wrestling. Compare these rules to those of what is currently known as "professional wrestling."