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Trent Owens
Mrs. Renner
AP English Literature
27 June 2014
Literary Analysis: A Prayer for Owen Meany
A.

John Irving wrote the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany based on many
experiences from his own life. There are parallels between the life of John Irving and the
narrator in his novel, John Wheelwright. They both grew up in a small town in New
Hampshire, were raised by their mother and step father, and attended a private academy
in the town they grew up in. The also both attended the University of New Hampshire
where they studied literature. They were both born around the same time and therefore
grew up in the same era (John Winslow Irving).
John Irving was also influenced by the world events going on at this time. This is
where he developed his strong opinions about American politics, which he displays
through John Wheelwright in the novel. His strong objection to the war in Vietnam was
likely caused by friends lost to the war. It can be inferred that Irving had specific people
from his life in mind when creating characters such as Harry Hoyt, Buzzy Thurston, and
Hester Eastman.

B.

The novel A Prayer for Owen Meany is a long book that is very detailed in its
telling of the story. For such a long novel, there are a relatively few number of chapters.
Each chapter is based around one major event or story that is told in flashback. All of the

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parts of the story containing Owen Meany are told as if the narrator, John Wheelwright, is
reminiscing on old memories from his younger years. Many parts of the novel begin with
the narrator talking about some current event in his life in Canada that then leads into a
flashback or story from his childhood and adolescent years that involves Owen Meany.
All of these events with Owen Meany that are depicted in the memories have in some
way shaped the life of John and are told in parallel to the current story in which the
influence is shown.
The story is told mostly in chronological order, with two different timelines
running at once. The first timeline is the one of his memories with Owen Meany and the
second is his current life in Canada. In the first timeline, the one told in retrospect, the
narrator does jump out of chronological order at times to tell one short story or another,
but he keeps the general timeline consistent. This timeline covers most of Johns
childhood, teen, and very early adult years, so it spans about twenty-five years. The other
timeline from his current life in Canada covers a timespan of about 3 years. There are
many parallel events between the two eras. Foreshadowing is also employed frequently
to let the reader start to form their own ideas about what is going to happen later in the
novel. This foreshadowing is very direct and believable because of the fact that John is
telling the story in flashback and therefore already knows how it ends.
C.

The novel A Prayer for Owen Meany is written in first person point of view. The
narrator, John Wheelwright, was actually involved in and witnessed all of the stories that
he tells and tells them with his own bias attached. The part of the story that is based
around the life of Owen Meany is a reminiscence and is told in past tense. The part of
the story that takes place in Toronto is told from a recent perspective and is sometimes

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told in past tense and sometimes told in present tense.
D.

The protagonist in A Prayer for Owen Meany is none other than Owen Meany
himself. He is a very dynamic character who changes throughout the novel as he
discovers and learns more of what Gods plan for him is. It is hard to believe everything
that John says about Owen, but most of the core aspects of the character of Owen Meany
are believable. It is clear that Owen is idealized and it appears that John unconsciously
embellishes on some of the things that Owen did throughout his life. This is likely due to
the fact that John is reminiscing about events that had happened so long ago, and the idea
of Owen Meany has transformed into something more than the actual Owen Meany
because of Johns such high opinion of him.
Owen Meany is an individual and is defiantly his own person. The only debate to
this could be that he repeatedly states that he is Gods instrument, in which case he
would not be his own person entirely, but rather Gods. He is a caricature because of the
intense focus on his physical qualities such as his size, voice, and overpowering presence.
It is unlikely that all of these features are as extreme as how they are described by John.
His character is directly revealed and focused on by the narrator throughout the entire
novel.
The forces that shaped Owens actions are both internal and external. When he
was told by his parents at a young age that he was a virgin birth, like the Christ child, he
began to believe that he had greater powers and responsibility than he did before. This
caused him to feel a force from God that shaped much of what he would do in his life,
including the scenario that lead to the exact vision in which he would die. Other forces
such as influences from John, Dan Needham, Harriet Wheelwright, and the Reverend

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Lewis Merrill would also define his life. These forces were also caused by the clashes
between John and Owen when John had less faith in a greater power than Owen had. The
unusually strong faith that Owen held was likely a result of his neuroses and psychoses
that included the idea that he had been born with divine power.
Minor characters have a major purpose and function in the novel as well. An
example of a minor character that has an important part is the Reverend Lewis Merrill.
Even before it is revealed that he is actually Johns father, the Reverend Lewis Merrill
serves as a character foil for the Reverend Dudley Wiggin because of their differences in
style and amount of faith. His faith is also compared to that of Owen Meany, with
Owens faith being more sure and undoubting than Reverend Merrill. Another purpose
for the Reverend Lewis Merrill is to serve as someone that John admired, but was also
somewhat unsure about.
Another minor character with an important purpose in the novel is Mr. Meany.
His purpose is to show that Owen comes from an uneducated family and to represent the
differences between the classes. Mr. Meany represents the middle to lower class of
laborers and is compared to the social class of Harriet Wheelwright, who represents the
upper wealthy class. This distinction in backgrounds between Owen and John is
important because it makes Owens accomplishments, especially those greater than
Johns, even more impressive.
E.

There are two main settings in A Prayer for Owen Meany. The first is the town of
Gravesend, New Hampshire during the 1950s and 1960s. Gravesend has a very smalltown feel and atmosphere. Most everyone in the town knows each other and it seems to
be a relatively friendly community. This setting is symbolic of a small-town America in

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this time period. The setting of Gravesend is important because it helps the reader relate
to many aspects of a small community. While it was not explicitly stated in the novel,
one can assume that there was little ethnic diversity in Gravesend. The largest
differences between people in Gravesend seem to be between rich white families and
working class white families. This difference is shown clearly during the conversation
Tabby Wheelwright has with Owen Meany about his attendance at the prestigious
Gravesend Academy. It is obvious that Owen feels that he is not right for the school and
thinks that people of his background are supposed to go to the public school. This
classism is included because it was typical of small towns in the New England area
during this time period.
The second setting in the novel is Toronto, Canada in the late 1980s. The mood in
Toronto is much different from that of Gravesend, but there are some similarities. John
teaches at an all-girls academy in Toronto that is very similar to Gravesend Academy. He
has some close friends in Toronto, but it doesnt have the same small town feeling that
Gravesend has. The people in Toronto seem to be somewhat judgmental of John, due to
his being an American that left the United States during the draft. For much of the novel,
the reader is made to assume that the reason John moved to Canada was to avoid the
draft, but it is later explained that he had no reason to need to run thanks to a severed
finger. It is revealed that the true reason for his leaving the United States was to fulfill a
dying wish of Owen Meany and because of Johns disgust for American politics. Toronto
is symbolic as a way for John to distance himself from the war, the United States and
memories of Owen Meany.
F.

Irving uses diction throughout A Prayer for Owen Meany to make characters more

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realistic and to make the novel clearer. The narrator, John Wheelwright uses a very
informal and personal language with the reader. He speaks as if he were talking to a
friend and tells things as they happened. An example of this informal diction is when he
is confessing about his addiction to the American news that he despises so much. The
author uses a lot of imagery. He vividly describes the scenes and makes the appearance
of all of the characters seem as if they are actually pictured in the novel. Irving also
employs irony throughout the novel. It is ironic that Lydia, the former maid, would begin
to speak using the language and educated tongue that Harriet Wheelwright does.
Language used is generally not concise and tends to ramble on and on about the topic at
discussion. There is also a different diction used for Johns dialogue than is used for his
narration, because of his difference in age and education at the two different times. In his
dialogue, he is younger and less educated than he is in the time where he is giving the
narration.
The diction is also used to differentiate between the different characters. It very
clearly expresses the respective characters social status, education, and region. Owen
Meany spoke with a language that made it appear that he had it all figured out. Harriet
Wheelwright, for example, speaks using a very extensive vocabulary and almost always
manages to sound formal, even when she is just talking to a close friend or family
member. Mr. Meany speaks with bad grammar and uses simple words that are
stereotypical of someone of his education and background. Dan Needham uses language
that shows that he is very smart and educated, yet does not sound as snobbish and formal
as Mrs. Wheelwright. Hester Eastman uses a rough language that includes much
swearing and vulgarity. The Reverend Lewis Merrill speaks with some doubt in his

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language and has a debilitating stutter. The Reverend Dudley Wiggin speaks with great
confidence and talks as if he is never worried or upset with anything. Irvings great use
of diction throughout A Prayer for Owen Meany make the novel much easier to
understand and make all of the characters more believable.
I could kiss him, Mary Beth said softly. I could just bow down and kiss himon
the forehead, I mean.
Well, yes, you could try that, Mary Beth, the rector said cautiously.
Lets see how it looks, Barb Wiggin said doubtfully.
NO, Owen said. NO KISSING.
Why not, Owen? Barb Wiggin asked playfully. She thought an opportunity to
tease him was presenting itself, and she was quick to pounce on it.
THIS IS A VERY HOLY MOMENT, Owen said slowly.
Indeed, it is, the rector said.
VERY HOLY, Owen said. SACRED, he added.
Just on the forehead, Mary Beth said.
Lets see how it looks. Lets just try it, Owen, Barb Wiggin said.
NO, Owen said. IF MARY IS SUPPOSED TO BE PONDERINGIN HER
HEARTTHAT I AM CHRIST THE LORD, THE ACTUAL SON OF GOD A
SAVIOR, REMEMBER THAT DO YOU THINK SHED JUST KISS ME LIKE
SOME ORDINARY MOTHER KISSING HER ORDINARY BABY? THIS IS
NOT THE ONLY TIME THAT MARY KEEPS THINGS IN HER HEART.
DONT YOU REMEMBER WHEN THEY GO TO JERUSALEM FOR
PASSOVER AND JESUS GOES TO THE TEMPLE AND TALKS TO THE
TEACHERS, AND JOSEPH AND MARY ARE WORRIED ABOUT HIM
BECAUSE THEY CANT FIND HIMTHEYRE LOOKING ALL OVER FOR
HIMAND HE TELLS THEM, WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT, WHAT
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ME FOR, DID YOU NOT KNOW THAT I MUST
BE IN MY FATHERS HOUSE? HE MEANS THE TEMPLE. REMEMBER
THAT? WELL, MARY KEEPS THAT IN HER HEART, TOO.
But shouldnt I do something, Owen? Mary Beth asked. What should I do?
YOU KEEP THINGS IN YOUR HEART! Owen told her.
She should do nothing? the Rev. Mr. Wiggin asked Owen. The rector, like one of
the teachers in the temple, appeared amazed. That is how the teachers in the
temple are describedin their response to the Boy Jesus: All who heard him were
amazed at his understanding and his answers.

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Do you mean she should do nothing, Owen? the rector repeated. Or that she
should do something less, or more, than kissing?
MORE, Owen said. Mary Beth Baird trembled; she would do anything that he
required. TRY BOWING, Owen suggested.

In this excerpt, the diction is used to show how each character feels about the situation
and to give information about who is really controlling the production. The Reverend
Mr. Wiggin is very clearly inclined to keep the peace and defer to Owen Meanys wishes.
Owen Meanys words are said in such a way that he can manipulate the people in the
scene, without necessarily being rude or mean to them. Barb Wiggin uses a diction the
makes it clear that she is becoming frustrated and just wants to move on. Mary Beth
Bairds diction shows that she simply wants to please Owen and in some way be more
involved in the moment during the play.
At first, Bette Davis is dying and doesnt know it. Her doctor and her best friend
wont tell her.
THEY SHOULD TELL HER IMMEDIATELY! Owen said anxiously. The
doctor was played by George Brent.
He could never do anything right, anyway, Grandmother observed.
Humphrey Bogart is a stableman who speaks with an Irish accent. It was the
Christmas of 56 and we were watching a movie made in 1939; it was the first
time Grandmother had permitted us to watch The Late Showat least, I think it
was The Late Show. After a certain evening houror whenever it was that my
grandmother began to feel tiredshe called everything The Late Show. She felt
sorry for us because the Eastmans were spending another Christmas in the
Caribbean; Sawyer Depot was a pleasure slipping into the past, for mefor
Owen, it was becoming mere wishful thinking.
Youd think that Humphrey Bogart could learn a better Irish accent than that,
my grandmother complained.

In this passage, the diction used in Harriet Wheelwrights comments about the actors in
the movie on television show her general contempt of anything that was not to the
standard she expected. These comments with this word choice were not added to the

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novel for the sole purpose of explaining her distaste for two movie stars, but rather to add
to the image of her as being someone who was very snobby and exclusive.
G.

The syntax used in A Prayer for Owen Meany is important in that it works along
with the diction to create certain voices for the characters that allow the reader to more
easily identify who is speaking, without the need to be told directly. The sentences in the
narration are predominantly long and complex. They are somewhat longer than the
sentences used in most of the dialogue, although there are some very long and complex
sentences in some of the dialogue as well. They are generally informal in nature but are
sometimes set up more as a general statement, rather than the direct telling of a story.
This makes the tone change frequently. Irving uses syntax to help keep the story moving
without spending too much time on one small detail.
At first, Bette Davis is dying and doesnt know it. Her doctor and her best friend
wont tell her.
THEY SHOULD TELL HER IMMEDIATELY! Owen said anxiously. The
doctor was played by George Brent.
He could never do anything right, anyway, Grandmother observed.
Humphrey Bogart is a stableman who speaks with an Irish accent. It was the
Christmas of 56 and we were watching a movie made in 1939; it was the first
time Grandmother had permitted us to watch The Late Showat least, I think it
was The Late Show. After a certain evening houror whenever it was that my
grandmother began to feel tiredshe called everything The Late Show. She felt
sorry for us because the Eastmans were spending another Christmas in the
Caribbean; Sawyer Depot was a pleasure slipping into the past, for mefor
Owen, it was becoming mere wishful thinking.
Youd think that Humphrey Bogart could learn a better Irish accent than that,
my grandmother complained.

In this passage, Irving uses the syntax of the narration to show Johns questioning of his
own memory. It is like he is thinking of other things as he is explaining the situation. He

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employs the use of hyphenation to allow himself to add small comments to his sentences
such as at least, I think it was The Late Show, and She called everything The Late
Show. He is creating the effect of John debating his own memories in his head.
H.

Irving uses imagery throughout A Prayer for Owen Meany. The main function of
the imagery is to describe, in extreme detail, the various characters throughout the novel.
Although my mother resisted the temptation of my generationthat is to say,
she restrained herself from picking up Owen Meanyshe could not resist
touching Owen. You simply had to put your hands on Owen. He was mortally
cute; he had a furry animal attractivenessexcept for the nakedness of his
nearly transparent ears, and the rodent like way they protruded from his sharp
face. My grandmother said that Owen resembled an embryonic fox. When
touching Owen, one avoided his ears; they looked as if they would be cold to the
touch. But not my mother; she even rubbed warmth into his rubbery ears. She
hugged him, she kissed him, she touched noses with him. She did all these
things as naturally as if she were doing them to me, but she did none of these
things to my other friendsnot even to my cousins. And Owen responded to her
quite affectionately; he'd blush sometimes, but he'd always smile. His standard,
nearly constant frown would disappear; an embarrassed beam would overcome
his face.

In this passage, Owen Meanys appearance is described in great detail. The reader gets a
very good idea of what he looks like from this description and even though some of the
comparisons made are strange, such as to an embryonic fox, it still creates a very vivid
picture of Owen Meany in the readers mind. Irving does not just use this detailed
imagery on main characters. He also describes the most minor of characters with just as
much detail.
Larry's mother, Mitzy Lish, had honey-colored, slightly sticky-looking hair- it
was coiffed in a bouffant style- and her complexion was much improved by a
suntan; in the winter months, when she'd not just returned from her annual
pilgrimage to Round Hill, Jamaica, her skin turned a shade sallow. Because her
complexion was further wrecked by blotchiness in the extreme cold, and
because her excessive smoking had ill-influenced her circulation, a weekend of
winter skiing in New England-even to forward the cause of her competition for
her son's affection- did not favor either Mrs. Lish's appearance or her

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disposition.

This is an extreme amount of detail for a character that would be so insignificant in the
big picture of the novel. There are countless examples of imagery such as this all
throughout the novel.
I.

The novel A Prayer for Owen Meany is highly symbolic. The largest symbol in
the novel is that Owen Meany symbolizes Jesus. This is meant to be very clear and is
almost explicitly stated during the scenes surrounding the Christmas pageant. It is also
made very clear when Mr. Meany claims that Owen was a virgin birth by saying, She
just conceived a child like the Christ Child. This symbolism is supported by Owen
Meanys strong religious beliefs and his visions regarding his future and Gods plan for
him. When he continues to claim that he is Gods instrument, he shows that even he
believes that there is something special about him. His voice is also imagery that is
meant to symbolize how different he is from everyone else. While his small size and
unusual appearance set him apart from most people, his voice is what makes him entirely
different.
Another symbol used throughout the novel is things missing their arms. There are
many times when armless things are brought up and focused on. It begins with the
discussion of the armless totem of Watahantowet, then moves on to the armadillo, which
was not armless until Owen Meany amputated its arms, and the dressmakers dummy.
Owen Meany even cut the arms off of the statue of Mary Magdalene. All of these
armless symbols foreshadow and allude to the way Owen Meany loses his arms in his
final act as Gods instrument.

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J.

Figurative Language is used in the novel to express ideas without having to say
them directly. One idea is the idea of guilt and fear and it is shown in the scene when
Owen Meany swims down under the water in the lake and sends the rope back up without
himself. After no one jumped in to look for him, he swam back to the surface and made
the statement, YOU LET ME DROWN! YOU DIDNT DO ANYTHING! YOU JUST
WATCHED ME DROWN! IM ALREADY DEAD! He then said something that would
stick with John for a long time: REMEMBER THAT: YOU LET ME DIE. Obviously,
Owen Meany wasnt dead. He used this figurative language to convey the severity of
what could have happened because of the actions, or rather inactions, of his friends.
Figurative language is also used when talking about the statue of Mary Magdalene
and the dressmakers dummy. Personification is used to give these two inanimate objects
qualities similar to that of a guardian angel. An example of this is when the narrator says,
Mary Magdalene watched over us; we could feel her silent encouragement. This
personification is also used when Owen talks about how the dressmakers dummy looks
similar to Tabby Wheelwright.

K.

The tone that the narrator uses in A Prayer for Owen Meany changes a lot
throughout the novel. The tone is almost always informal and very personal. The
personal tone is shown by the way John reveals so many embarrassing facts about
himself. Many times when he is talking about his mother or Owen Meany, the narrator
has a somber tone that expresses how much he misses them. During the parts of the
novel when John talked about his real father, and about how much he loved Dan
Needham, John was very serious. An example of this is when he tells his Aunt Martha
Dan Needham is the best father a boy could have. When John is talking about the

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United States during his later years when he was living in Canada, his tone was cynical
and angry. He is also somewhat condescending to the reader in the way he acts as though
the reader should be just as outraged as he is about various things going on within
American politics. He shows this by repeatedly ending his recollections of immoral acts
by the United States with, remember that?.
L.

The central theme in A Prayer for Owen Meany is that faith is more than just
practicing a religion and that miracles do exist. Irving intended to make the reader think
about the idea of faith and wonder about if there is more than meets the eye when
miracles arise. To support this intention, Irving shows the irony in the fact that while the
Reverend Lewis Merrill had witness many real miracles through the actions and life of
Owen Meany, the miracle that finally restores the Reverends faith is merely a trick
played on him by John. This leaves the reader to wonder if all of the miracles
surrounding the life of Owen Meany were real or if they could possibly be just a trick
played on both John and the reader. It could also be argued that this means that it doesnt
really matter whether or not they are true miracles, but rather if they create faith and
belief in the witness. The tile of the work, A Prayer for Owen Meany, mirrors the theme
and supports it. One could infer before beginning to read the novel that it would be
focused around religion and faith.

M.

There are many memorable quotations and passages in A Prayer for Owen Meany.
They help the reader remember the novel and relate with what significance it has to them.
I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voicenot because of his
voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he
was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe
in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany. I make no claims to have a
life in Christ, or with Christand certainly not for Christ, which I've heard

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some zealots claim.

This passage is very memorable because it is the first in the novel and it sets the scene for
the rest of the story. It gives a lot of information to the reader from the very beginning of
the story. It tells us that Owen Meany was extremely small, had a unique voice, and was
somehow involved in the death of the narrators mother. It also tells us that Owen Meany
is either no longer alive or is no longer accessible to the narrator. It tells us that John is
going to have a transformation in faith that is caused primarily by Owen Meany. This
passage foreshadows a lot of important events in the novel.
I CANT FIND IT, he would call out from the closet. I HOPE YOU DIDNT
PUT IT IN THE SHOES, BECAUSE I DONT WANT TO STEP ON IT
BEFORE I SEE IT. AND I HOPE YOU DIDNT PUT IT ON THE TOP SHELF
BECAUSE I DONT LIKE TO HAVE IT ABOVE MEI HATE TO SEE IT
LOOKING DOWN AT ME. AND ITS NO FAIR PUTTING IT WHERE IT
WILL FALL DOWN IF I JUST TOUCH SOMETHING, BECAUSE THATS
TOO SCARY. AND WHEN ITS INSIDE THE SLEEVES, I CANT FIND IT
WITHOUT REACHING INSIDE FOR ITTHATS NO FAIR, EITHER.
Just shut up and find it, Owen, I would say.
NO FAIR PUTTING IT IN THE HATBOXES, Owen would say, while I
listened to him stumbling over the shoes inside the closet. AND NO FAIR
WHEN IT SPRINGS OUT AT ME BECAUSE YOU STRETCH THE
SUSPENDERS IN THAT WAY AAAAAAHHHHHH! THATS NO FAIR!

This passage is significant because it shows one of the symbols in the novel, the
armadillo, in use. They would play this game often. It also shows a lot about the
personality of Owen Meany. He is easily frightened, and is overly worried about the
game being made too scary. This image of Owen as somewhat of a coward is meant to
contrast with the bravery he displays later in the novel when he enlists in the army and
gives his life in order to save a group of Vietnamese children.
Owen? Pastor Merrill asked. Are you all right? Owen shook his head.

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What did you see?
Owen stopped crying and looked up at him. That Pastor Merrill seemed so sure
that Owen had seen something surprised me. Being a minister, being a man of
faith, perhaps he was more familiar with visions than the rest of us; possibly
he had the ability to recognize those moments when visions appear to others.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Owen asked Mr. Merrill.
You saw something, didnt you? Pastor Merrill asked Owen. Owen stared at
him. Didnt you? Mr. Merrill repeated.
I SAW MY NAMEON THE GRAVE, said Owen Meany.
Dan put his arms around Owen and hugged him. Owen, Owenits part of the
story! Youre sick, you have a fever! Youre too excited. Seeing a name on that
grave is just like the storyits make-believe, Owen, Dan said.
IT WAS MY NAME, Owen said. NOT SCROOGES.
The Rev. Mr. Merrill knelt beside him. Its a natural thing to see that, Owen,
Mr. Merrill told him. Your own name on your own graveits a vision we all
have. Its just a bad dream, Owen.

This passage is significant because it shows how Owen Meany is beginning to have
visions and learn things that most people wouldnt. Most people, like Dan is in this
passage, are skeptical of Owens vision and believe that it is just a bad dream. It also
shows the connection that he creates with the Reverend Lewis Merrill, even though the
Reverend also thinks that the vision of Owens name on the grave is also a bad dream.
Yesterday I was kicked out of school. Last night I had a dream. Now I know four
things. I know that my voice doesnt changebut I still dont know why. I know
that I am Gods instrument. I know when Im going to dieand now a dream
has shown me how Im going to die. Im going to be a hero! I trust that God will
help me, because what Im supposed to do looks very hard.

In this excerpt from Owen Meanys diary, he lays out very simply what information God
has given him and also finds out how he is going to die. This is revealed to John after
Owen is already dead. Reading this passage helps John to believe even more in the
miracle of Owens life and believe that Owen had in fact known all along that he was

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Gods instrument.
N.

I enjoyed the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany. Its strengths were that it was a
very interesting and somewhat inspiring story. The characters seem very real and
believable and the imagery used to describe them in great detail is exceptional. A
weakness of the novel is that its length makes it become slow in some places, which
makes the story less enjoyable. This book made me realize how much impact one person
can make on the lives of the people around him even after he is gone.
This book made me think about the novel A Separate Peace. There are some
parallels between the function of Owen and the function of Finny in their respective
novels. They both could be called a symbol for Jesus and both die at the end of the story.
Gene in A Separate Peace also has some parallels to John Wheelwright. This connection
made the story more interesting as well.
I think that I will remember the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany for many years
because I enjoyed reading it and was fascinated be all of the connections made
throughout the story. I think that it will have lasting effects on me and that I will continue
to recognize various themes from the novel throughout my life. I would defiantly
recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany to a friend.
Works Cited

"John Winslow Irving." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2014. Web. 08 Aug. 2014.