A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY

By: John Irving

“If you care about something you have to protect it – If you’re lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the

courage to live it.”

John Irving

John Wallace Blunt Jr. is his real name Born: March 2, 1942 in Exeter, New

Hampshire An American novelist and Academy Award-

winning screenwriter. A Prayer for Owen Meany is 17th novel (1989) 5 of his novels became movies He won the Academy Award for Best Adapted

Screenplay (1999) for his script The Cider House Rules

Movie Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGU8cOHxSxo

Foundation

Setting: Gravesend, New Hampshire Toronto, Canada

Point of View: First Person (Limited) John Wheelwright

Main Characters

John Wheelwright: Owen Meany’s best friend and the narrator of the novel. As a young child Owen leads him to believe in God. He is a foil for Owen Meany.

Owen Meany: John’s best friends and was a dwarf. Owen’ parents are poor and don’t like him so he hangs out with John a lot. Owen has a strong faith and he believes everything happens for a reason.

Main Characters

Tabitha Wheelwright: John’s mom. She is killed by a foul ball.

Dan Needham: John’s stepdad. He raises John after his mother dies.

Reverend Louis Merrill: Minister who talks to Owen about his faith. He is John’s real father.

Reverend Dudley Wiggin: Minister of the church that the boys attend.

Minor Characters

Hester Eastman: John’s cousin. Becomes romantically and physically attracted to Owen.

Harriet Wheelwright: John’s grandma and is wealthy.

Martha Eastman: Tabitha’s sister and she is jealous of her sister. She is married to Alfred Eastman.

Noah and Simon Eastman: John’s cousin. Mr. Fish: John’s neighbor. Plays in Dan’s plays. Randy White: The headmaster at Gravesend

Academy.

Minor Characters

Lydia: Mrs. Wheelwright’s maid who loses a leg to cancer.

Mr. Chickering: The Little League coach. Blames himself for the death of John’s mom.

Dick Jarvits: Killed Owen at war when he was saving children.

Ethel: The maid who replaced Lydia. Germaine: The maid hired to take care of Lydia. Mrs. Walker: The Sunday School teacher. Larry Lish: The kid who told on Owen for making

fake ID’s

Minor Characters

Mr. Meany and Mrs. Meany: Owen’s parents who are poor and don’t have much to do with Owen.

Major Rawls: Kills Dick because he killed Owen.

Summary Overview

John, Tabitha, and Mrs. Wheelwright 80 Front Street

John’s unknown dad Owen Meany family owns a granite

quarry Tabitha and Dan Needham meet and get

married Eleven years old, playing little league

baseball Owens give John his baseball cards Christ Church Christmas pageant

Summary Overview

Owen plays Baby Jesus A Christmas Carol, Owen- The Ghost of

Christmas Yet to Come Attend Gravesend Academy Owen gets expelled University of New Hampshire Owen joins the ROTC program Assigned to Vietnam and believes he will die Reassigned to Arizona

Summary Overview

Vietnamese orphans Men’s room and Dick Jarvits Owens death Rev. Merrill revealed John begs for Owen to come back

Quotes

"It was the only decent hit the kid ever made, the only real wood he ever got on the ball. And even then, it was a foul ball. Not to mention that it killed someone."

"Not so fast. Slow down. I'm a miracle, you know."

Themes

Friendship

Fate/Destiny

Faith

Family

Symbols

Armadillo-Friendship

Owen (Christ Child)-Faith

Quotes

"If you care about something you have to protect it – If you’re lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it.”