A Prayer for Owen Meany

1. A Prayer for Owen Meany By: John Irving

2. “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.”

3. 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

4. Movie Trailer • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGU8cOHxSxo

5. Foundation • Setting: • Gravesend, New Hampshire • Toronto, Canada • Point of View: • First Person (Limited) • John Wheelwright

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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."

15. Themes • Friendship • Fate/Destiny • Faith • Family

16. Symbols • Armadillo-Friendship • Owen (Christ Child)-Faith

17. 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.”