A Prayer for Owen Meany (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: John Irving
- First Published: 1989
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Bildungsroman
- Time of Work: 1952-1968 and 1987
- Setting: Gravesend, New Hampshire, and Toronto, Canada
- Genres: Long fiction, Bildungsroman
- Subjects: 1950’s, Maturation or coming of age, Teaching or teachers, 1960’s, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Exile or expatriates, Virginity or virgins, 1980’s, New England, New Hampshire, Vietnam War, Single parents or single-parent families, Death or dying, Canada or Canadians, Faith, Amputation, amputees, or prosthetics, Miracles, Citizenship, Dwarfs
- Locales: Toronto, Canada, Gravesend, NH
Characters Discussed
Owen Meany, a midget with a high, squeaky voice who always sees a clear destiny for himself. Because of his size, Owen is always lifted overhead by other children in his Sunday school. He is a bright young man with leadership qualities. He believes that all actions and objects have meaning. He processes all information, forgets nothing, and saves everything. Owen believes that he is God’s instrument. Although he usually is unable to hit a ball, at one little league baseball game Owen hits a foul ball that strikes and kills Tabitha Wheelwright. Owen thinks...
[The entire page is 998 words long]
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