Everything about A Prayer For Owen Meany totally explained
A Prayer for Owen Meany is a novel by American writer
John Irving, first published in
1989.
Plot summary
The novel is told through the eyes of a mature John Wheelwright. Children and adults alike seem drawn to and are almost protective of Owen.
The narrative is constructed as the interweaving of three different stories of past John, present John, and Owen's life. There is the historical retelling.
This novel shares familiarity with Irving's other works. However, other familiar Irving themes and settings (for example prostitutes, wrestling, Vienna, bears, and sexual relationships between young men and older women) are missing, or mentioned only briefly.
The setting is based on
Phillips Exeter Academy, in
Exeter, New Hampshire. Young Johnny Wheelwright is skeptical of Owen Meany's unquestioned belief in the purpose of all things. Since the novel is written retrospectively, much of the novel takes the tone of John's newfound wisdom. Irving setting (based on his own biography) of a New England private school relates the novel to the frameworks
John occasionally withdraws from the past to offer criticisms of the
Vietnam War and the
Iran-Contra Affair.
A real-life
John Wheelwright was the founder of the town of Exeter in 1638.
Adaptations
The
1998 feature-length film
Simon Birch, directed by
Mark Steven Johnson, was loosely based on the novel. The film starred
Ian Michael Smith,
Joseph Mazzello,
Ashley Judd,
Oliver Platt and
Jim Carrey. It omitted much of the latter half of the novel and altered the ending. The movie doesn't share the book's title at Irving's request; he didn't believe the film was a proper representation of the novel.
In 2002, the
Royal National Theatre staged
Simon Bent's adaptation
A Prayer for Owen Meany: On Faith starring
Aiden Mcardle as the title character.
Cultural references
Californian
punk rock band
Lagwagon based the song "Owen Meaney" from their 1998 album
Let's Talk About Feelings on the book.
The band
Jimmy Eat World also based the song "Goodbye Sky Harbor" from their 1999 album
Clarity on the book.
Danish band
Nephew mention Owen Meany in the song "Swimming Time" from their debut album
Swimming Time - ("stacking all the books, sampling Owen Meany").
In the movie
Milk Money, the elementary school is christened Owen Meany Elementary.
Further Information
Get more info on 'A Prayer For Owen Meany'.
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