| Revision as of 01:16, 1 October 2005 editPoisonouslizzie (talk | contribs)234 edits Responding to the "clean up" tag. This refers to strictly to the novel. The new "Cider" page refers to the film.← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 05:28, 29 April 2024 edit undo216.228.196.177 (talk) →Plot | ||
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| {{short description|1985 novel by John Irving}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ⚫ | {{for|the film adapted from the novel|The Cider House Rules (film)}} | ||
| This article relates to the novel, ] by ]. ] is also a ] ] starring ] and ], directed by ]. | |||
| {{Infobox book | | |||
| ⚫ | | name = The Cider House Rules | ||
| | image = CiderHouseRules.jpg | |||
| | caption = First edition cover | |||
| ⚫ | | author = ] | ||
| | illustrator = | |||
| | cover_artist = | |||
| | country = United States | |||
| | language = English | |||
| | genre = ] | |||
| | publisher = ] | |||
| | release_date = June 1985 | |||
| | media_type = Print (]) | |||
| | pages = 560 | |||
| | isbn = 0-688-03036-X | |||
| | dewey = 813/.54 | |||
| | congress = PS3559.R8 C5 1985 | |||
| | oclc = 1003368413 | |||
| | preceded_by = ] | |||
| | followed_by = ] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''''The Cider House Rules''''' (1985) is a novel by American writer ], a '']'' that was later adapted into ] and a stage play by ]. The story, set in the pre– and post–World War II era, tells of a young man, Homer Wells, growing up under the guidance of Dr. Wilbur Larch, an obstetrician and abortion provider. The story relates his early life at Larch's orphanage in Maine and follows Homer as he eventually leaves the nest and ]. | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| {{spoiler}} | |||
| Homer Wells, an un-adopted ], is the book's central protagonist; Homer grew up in an orphanage directed by Dr. Wilbur Larch. Dr. Larch is also secretly an ]ist, and believes that he is doing the world a service because "one way the ] can help themselves would to be in control of the size of their families." Dr. Larch also refers to abortion as "The Lords Work" and trains Homer in the realm of gynecology/abortions in a paternal sense. The novel continues as Homer decides to leave the orphanage with Candy Kendall and her boyfriend Wally Worthington, a young couple who work at the Worthington family apple orchard. Wally leaves to fight in ], but his plane is shot down over ]. Believing Wally to be dead, Homer and Candy have an affair and Candy subsequently becomes ]. Candy secretly gives birth to a boy named Angel at the orphanage (the first child to go home with its mother). Wally is found alive, so Candy and Homer return home, lying to the family about Angel's parentage (they claim that Homer decided to adopt him). Wally and Candy ] shortly afterwards. Many years later, when Angel is a teenager, he makes friends with Rose Rose, the daughter of Mr. Rose, a migrant worker. Rose Rose becomes pregnant with her father's child, and Homer performs an abortion on her. Homer decides to return to the orphanage after the ] of Dr. Larch, and works as the new director. Homer and Candy eventually tell Angel that they are his bilogical parents. | |||
| ==Plot== | |||
| The novel also follows a sub-plot of Melony, Homer's fellow orphan, and her ]-lover, Lorna. | |||
| Homer Wells is shown growing up in an ]age where he spends his childhood trying to be "of use" as a medical assistant to director Dr. Wilbur Larch, whose history is told in ]: After a traumatic misadventure with a ] as a young man, Wilbur turns his back on sex and love, choosing instead to help women with unwanted pregnancies give birth and then keeping the babies in an orphanage. | |||
| He makes a point of maintaining an emotional distance from the orphans, so that they can more easily make the transition into an adoptive family, but when it becomes clear that Homer is going to spend his childhood at the orphanage, Wilbur trains the orphan as an ] and comes to love him like a son. | |||
| ==Controversy== | |||
| The novel clearly supports a woman's right to an abortion. Dr. Larch, the novel's primary abortion-advocate, feels strongly towards the "]" on the subject because he has witnessed the pain an unwanted child brings a woman who was forced to keep it. Homer is initially reluctant with the subject, but understands Dr. Larch's perception when he must perform an abortion on Rose Rose. | |||
| Wilbur's and Homer's lives are complicated by the abortions Wilbur provides. Wilbur came to this work reluctantly, but is driven by having seen the horrors of back-alley operations. Homer, upon learning Wilbur's secret, considers it morally wrong. | |||
| Many ] groups contend that the uncommon scenario of a father-daughter ] is not a strong argument for the legalization of all abortions. The novel also takes on many other cases of an abortion being a necessary option for a woman, including the extremely poor, ] who are incapable of raising a child, and in one instance a young woman who had a botched abortion and died after her "abortionist" left the ] needle in her uterus. Irving uses her as an example for people who are going to perform their own "back ally" abortions and need medical assistance for their own safety. Pro-life organizations state that the novel is ] propaganda, and the assumption that Homer will grow up to be a ] man if he performs abortions is a poor image. | |||
| As a young man, Homer befriends a young couple, Candy Kendall and Wally Worthington, who come to St. Cloud's for an abortion. Homer leaves the orphanage, and returns with them to Wally's family's orchard in Heart's Rock, near the Maine coast. Wally and Homer become best friends and Homer develops a secret love for Candy. Wally goes off to serve in the ] and his plane is shot down over ]. He is declared missing by the military, but Homer and Candy both believe he is dead and move on with their lives, which includes beginning a romantic relationship. When Candy becomes pregnant, they go back to St. Cloud's Orphanage, where their son is born and named Angel. | |||
| ==See Also== | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| Subsequently, Wally is found in Burma and returns home, paralyzed from the waist down. He is still able to have sexual intercourse but is sterile due to an infection caught in Burma. Homer and Candy lie to the family about Angel's parentage, claiming that Homer had adopted him. Wally and Candy marry shortly afterward, but Candy and Homer maintain a secret affair that lasts some 15 years. | |||
| ==External Links== | |||
| http://thebookhaven.homestead.com/Z_Cider_House_Rules.html | |||
| Many years later, teenaged Angel falls in love with Rose, the daughter of the head ] at the apple orchard. Rose becomes pregnant by her father, and Homer aborts her fetus. Homer decides to return to the orphanage after Wilbur's death, to work as the new director. Though he maintains his distaste for abortions, he continues Dr. Larch's legacy of performing the procedure for those in need, and he dreams of the day when abortions are legal. | |||
| The name "The Cider House Rules" refers to the list of rules that migrant workers are supposed to follow at the Ocean View Orchards. However, none of them can read, and they are completely unaware of the rules – which have been posted for years. | |||
| A subplot follows the character Melony, who grew up alongside Homer in the orphanage. She was Homer's first girlfriend. After Homer leaves the orphanage, so does she in an effort to find him. She eventually becomes an electrician and takes a female lover, Lorna. Melony is stoic, who refuses to press charges against a man who brutally broke her nose and arm. She intends to later take revenge. She is the catalyst that transforms Homer from his comfortable, but not entirely admirable position, at the apple orchard into Dr. Larch's replacement. | |||
| ==Background== | |||
| Wally's experience getting shot down over ] was based in part on that of Irving's biological father (whom he never met), who was shot down over Burma and survived.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/28/books/novelist-builds-fact-reach-truth-john-irving-begins-with-his-memories.html?scp=28&sq=&st=nyt&pagewanted=all|title=A Novelist Builds Out From Fact To Reach The Truth; John Irving Begins With His Memories|date=1998-04-28|author=Mel Gussow|work=The New York Times|access-date=2009-11-07}}</ref> | |||
| ==Film adaptation== | |||
| {{Main|The Cider House Rules (film)}} | |||
| The novel was adapted into a ] released in 1999 directed by ]. It starred ] as Homer Wells. | |||
| ==References== | |||
| <references></references> | |||
| {{John Irving}} | |||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Cider House Rules}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 05:28, 29 April 2024
1985 novel by John Irving For the film adapted from the novel, see The Cider House Rules (film). First edition cover | |
| Author | John Irving |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Bildungsromane |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Publication date | June 1985 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 560 |
| ISBN | 0-688-03036-X |
| OCLC | 1003368413 |
| Dewey Decimal | 813/.54 |
| LC Class | PS3559.R8 C5 1985 |
| Preceded by | The Hotel New Hampshire |
| Followed by | A Prayer for Owen Meany |
The Cider House Rules (1985) is a novel by American writer John Irving, a Bildungsroman that was later adapted into a 1999 film and a stage play by Peter Parnell. The story, set in the pre– and post–World War II era, tells of a young man, Homer Wells, growing up under the guidance of Dr. Wilbur Larch, an obstetrician and abortion provider. The story relates his early life at Larch's orphanage in Maine and follows Homer as he eventually leaves the nest and comes of age.
Plot
Homer Wells is shown growing up in an orphanage where he spends his childhood trying to be "of use" as a medical assistant to director Dr. Wilbur Larch, whose history is told in flashbacks: After a traumatic misadventure with a prostitute as a young man, Wilbur turns his back on sex and love, choosing instead to help women with unwanted pregnancies give birth and then keeping the babies in an orphanage.
He makes a point of maintaining an emotional distance from the orphans, so that they can more easily make the transition into an adoptive family, but when it becomes clear that Homer is going to spend his childhood at the orphanage, Wilbur trains the orphan as an obstetrician and comes to love him like a son.
Wilbur's and Homer's lives are complicated by the abortions Wilbur provides. Wilbur came to this work reluctantly, but is driven by having seen the horrors of back-alley operations. Homer, upon learning Wilbur's secret, considers it morally wrong.
As a young man, Homer befriends a young couple, Candy Kendall and Wally Worthington, who come to St. Cloud's for an abortion. Homer leaves the orphanage, and returns with them to Wally's family's orchard in Heart's Rock, near the Maine coast. Wally and Homer become best friends and Homer develops a secret love for Candy. Wally goes off to serve in the Second World War and his plane is shot down over Burma. He is declared missing by the military, but Homer and Candy both believe he is dead and move on with their lives, which includes beginning a romantic relationship. When Candy becomes pregnant, they go back to St. Cloud's Orphanage, where their son is born and named Angel.
Subsequently, Wally is found in Burma and returns home, paralyzed from the waist down. He is still able to have sexual intercourse but is sterile due to an infection caught in Burma. Homer and Candy lie to the family about Angel's parentage, claiming that Homer had adopted him. Wally and Candy marry shortly afterward, but Candy and Homer maintain a secret affair that lasts some 15 years.
Many years later, teenaged Angel falls in love with Rose, the daughter of the head migrant worker at the apple orchard. Rose becomes pregnant by her father, and Homer aborts her fetus. Homer decides to return to the orphanage after Wilbur's death, to work as the new director. Though he maintains his distaste for abortions, he continues Dr. Larch's legacy of performing the procedure for those in need, and he dreams of the day when abortions are legal.
The name "The Cider House Rules" refers to the list of rules that migrant workers are supposed to follow at the Ocean View Orchards. However, none of them can read, and they are completely unaware of the rules – which have been posted for years.
A subplot follows the character Melony, who grew up alongside Homer in the orphanage. She was Homer's first girlfriend. After Homer leaves the orphanage, so does she in an effort to find him. She eventually becomes an electrician and takes a female lover, Lorna. Melony is stoic, who refuses to press charges against a man who brutally broke her nose and arm. She intends to later take revenge. She is the catalyst that transforms Homer from his comfortable, but not entirely admirable position, at the apple orchard into Dr. Larch's replacement.
Background
Wally's experience getting shot down over Burma was based in part on that of Irving's biological father (whom he never met), who was shot down over Burma and survived.
Film adaptation
Main article: The Cider House Rules (film)The novel was adapted into a film of the same name released in 1999 directed by Lasse Hallström. It starred Tobey Maguire as Homer Wells.
References
- Mel Gussow (1998-04-28). "A Novelist Builds Out From Fact To Reach The Truth; John Irving Begins With His Memories". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-11-07.