Friday, February 25, 2005

Healing (World According to Garp II)

Garp's mother was a nurse, and so there's a whole thread of healing that runs through her life. All the women who hang around her estate are there because they're healing wounds in some way... whether they're rape victims, transsexuals, or what have you. It's like an outpatient hospital for the emotionally damaged.

Garp and his wife, Helen, are in a bad car crash that's caused partially because she was having an affair with one of her students (long story). One of their sons is killed, the other loses an eye.
Garp and Helen are both damaged physically and emotionally. They recover at the mother's estate. Garp just can't let it go, so he doesn't speak to Helen and continues to do mean things to her (I'm sad to say this sounds familiar).
Here's the dialogue:

After Garp tries to slam Helen's hands in a piano:
Helen speaking to Garp: “What the hell’s a matter with you? You think you’re the only one around here with a broken heart? Is that what you think? Well you’re not. Look around you. This house is full of them. And mine is one.”

Garp walking on the beach with his mother:
Mother speaking to Garp: “I’ll tell you honestly son. I think you’ve been behaving very badly. I’ve been watching you and I’ve been talking to Helen. What happened happened. Your blaming her isn’t going to change that. She’s hurt and you’re hurt. And you just keep pouring salt on the wounds. That’s no way for the son of a nurse to behave. Heal yourself, dammit! And help her heal herself, before it’s too late for both of you.”

I need to heal myself.

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