Since this novel is fairly long and writing all that happens would ruin someone’s interest in the novel or the sense of surprise that John Irving brings to his novel I will just write about a few important parts of the rest of his novel. One big thing that happened was that Fehlgeburt, meaning miscarriage, told John of the radicals plans. These radicals worked in the hotel New Hampshire. There was about 5 of them not including Fehlgeburt. She mostly worked as a nurse or nanny for Lilly who she adored. The radicals were planning something big to happen in the fall season, also known as the opera season. They were going to blow up the opera, and they were going to use the Berry’s as hostages since Americans would create more publicity. Fehlgeburt was going to drive the car, which had a bomb, and that bomb would set off another. Fehlgeburt warned John as they did a deed the 29 women never experienced. She warned him and he worried. She would not be coming back from her drive in the fall. With this information John and his family prepared to leave, though not enough to raise suspicions. They thought of ways to get money to leave. They got money from Lilly’s book, and they also had an offer on the hotel. They need 15-20 thousand dollars to leave and they would get 15 for the book and 15 for advertising. Though by the time they warned all the whores in the hotels the radicals had all of the Berry’s, Freud and Susie the “bear”. Fehlgeburt was dead and someone had to drive the car, which turns out to be a Mercedes. The bear was untrustworthy and the berry’s were to be kept untouched so all that was left was the fun-loving blind Freud. After a comment was made from the leader, Ernst, Win Berry went loco and slugged Ernst with Freud’s walking bat. Ernst was left on the floor as the other radicals got their plan back together. Freud walked out with one of the radicals to go to the car. He walked after saying bye to all of them and slipping John a message. Freud left to the car and sacrificed himself by setting off the bomb. When the bomb went off john squeeze the radical that was left. The police came and the opera was saved and for there heroic antics they later got medals. Throughout this novel there has been many loses and each one of them could be seen coming. The meaningful deaths came from the first bear (State O’ Maine), Iowa Bob, Mary Berry Bates, Egg, Fehlgeburt, Freud and Lilly respectfully. There deaths could be seen coming though they died for reasons. Everyone lost things and everything came with a cost. Helping Freud, the blind man, hit the bomb in the car caused Win Berry’s blindness, though for many reasons he was already blind.
Quote: “you keep passing the open windows, too”
Reaction: ever since Freud told the story of the clown who was ignored when alive and missed when he jumped out the open window all of the berry children always told each other to keep passing the open windows. John, Franny, and Frank always passed those windows and continued to pass them though one day Lilly couldn’t handle her grip on life and she stopped at one.
