"The story is told by Johnny Wheelwright, a middle-aged American who lives in Canada, teaches English at a girl's school, goes to the Anglican church and has never known love with a woman. He looks back in flashes over his life, starting at his childhood years until his mid-twenties. His memories feature his best friend, Owen Meany.
Owen is a tiny person who is extemely religious and has an exceptional shouting voice. He accidentally kills Johnny's mother during a baseball game. Owen foresees his own death, as a hero, and the story moves irresistably to that event.
The story is set during the Vietnam era, and features some cutting insight into the nature of war and American politics, and the results."
John Samson, Resident Scholar
"Adult teacher John Wheelwright recalls the accidental death of his mother at the hands of his childhood best friend, Owen Meany - a physically disabled boy who believes he is God's instrument. John recounts their subsequent upbringing and friendship over the course of the next 20+ years, unravelling the mystery of his mother's life, his friend's death, and his own paternal heritage, in explanation of his religious faith.
"
Jennifer Selk, Resident Scholar
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Review Analysis of A Prayer for Owen Meany
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- very sensitive (sigh)
Time/era of story
- 1960's-1970's
Kids growing up/acting up?
Yes
Kids:
- religious influences
Internal struggle/realization?
Yes
Struggle over
- religious issues
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Coping with loss of loved one(s)
Yes
Loss of...
- mother
Brain/Body disability?
- physical disability
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- teacher
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric/Mental
Yes
Eccentric:
- eccentric
- obsessed
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- society
Age:
- a teen
Profession/status:
- killer
Eccentric/Smart/Dumb:
Yes
Eccentric:
- deluded
- wild
- emotionally unstable
- dumb
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
- a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Intelligence
- Dumb
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 6 (an above average amount)
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
- Midwest
The Americas (not US):
Yes
The Americas:
- Canada
City?
Yes
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
- fort/military installation
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
- explicit references to deaths
Sex in book?
Yes
Unusual Style:
- a lot of flashback and forwards
- a lot of stream of consciousness
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
