A Prayer for Owen Meany

Purpose: Our study of John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany will provide us with a forum through which to discuss the genre of the novel. We will pay particular attention to narrative structure, character development, style, motif, and theme, and we will begin to practice the Q3 Open Response Essay. Students will be introduced to literary terms for fiction and will study the “Big 4 +1 Devices”: imagery, figurative language, syntax, diction + tone. Students will complete a Q3 timed essay, practice thesis statement development, use textual evidence to support a claim, and develop a solid familiarity with the terms and process of literary analysis.

Essential Questions:

1. What does it mean to have Faith? What is the root of faith and how does it reveal itself in life? How can one find faith? Is something true simply because someone believes in it?
2. Is there such a thing as Predestination or Fate? Can one fulfill or alter one’s fate if it indeed exists?
3. What does it mean to sacrifice? Is one a true friend because he/she sacrifices for another?
4. What is one’s purpose in life as a human being? Can we affect those around us through our actions?
5. How does one find and use one’s voice?

Learning Activities:

1. Three Levels of Questioning (Analysis)
2. Annotation
3. Close Reading and Analytical Paragraphs
4. Class Discussion and Notes (Speaking and Listening)

Assessments:

1. Q3 Timed Essay (A; WP; SEC)
2. Metacognitive Response to Q3 (WP)
3. Critical Inquiry

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A Prayer for Owen Meany

Vocabulary

List #1:

1. zealot -- a person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their religious, political, or other ideals
2. ecclesiastical -- of or relating to the Christian Church or its clergy
3. pious -- devoutly religious
4. assignation -- an appointment to meet someone in secret, typically one made by lovers
5. rapaciousness -- extreme gluttony
6. fastidious -- very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.
7. sepulchral -- of or relating to a tomb or interment
8. lackluster -- lacking in vitality, force, or conviction; uninspired or uninspiring
9. proclivity -- a tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition toward a particular thing
10. coy -- (especially with reference to a woman) making a pretense of shyness or modesty that is intended to be alluring
11. postulate -- suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of (something) as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief
12. fervor -- intense and passionate feeling.
13. lucid -- expressed clearly; easy to understand
14. seraphim -- an angelic being, regarded in traditional Christian angelology as belonging to the highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy, associated with light, ardor, and purity.
15. errant -- erring or straying from the proper course or standards
16. propitious -- giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
17. mirth -- amusement, especially as expressed in laughter
18. lamentation -- the passionate expression of grief or sorrow
19. countenance -- a person's face or facial expression; support
20. balk -- hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking.

A Prayer for Owen Meany

Vocabulary

List #2:

1. fret -- be constantly or visibly worried or anxious
2. portal -- a doorway, gate, or other entrance, especially a large and elaborate one
3. hapless -- (especially of a person) unfortunate
4. appellation -- a name or title
5. tactile -- of or connected with the sense of touch
6. reverential -- of the nature of, due to, or characterized by respect
7. buttress -- a projecting support of stone or brick built against a wall; increase the strength of or justification for; reinforce
8. espouse -- adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life).
9. quintessential -- representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.
10. facetious -- treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant..
11. genuflect -- lower one's body briefly by bending one knee to the ground, typically in worship or as a sign of respect
12. lascivious -- (of a person, manner, or gesture) feeling or revealing an overt and often offensive sexual desire
13. ardor -- enthusiasm or passion.
14. sacrilegious -- involving or committing a violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred
15. vestibule -- an antechamber, hall, or lobby next to the outer door of a building
16. lugubrious -- looking or sounding sad and dismal.
17. arduous -- involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring
18. myriad -- countless or extremely great in number
19. banal -- so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring
20. obdurate -- stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action