Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

1994

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Coyle, William

Abstract

Games and sports in life reveal the lifestyles, beliefs, and rituals of man. Games and sports in literature, then, become important tools for the author as he uses them as metaphor, as a game for himself, and as a game for the reader. In John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany, three types of games and sports are used. First is the game Irving plays to entertain himself. He creates a whimsical, playful novel characterized by absurd characters and situations. The second category is the use of sports and games as metaphor, using pretend games, organized games, and the Arts as a game. The third game is the game of the author playing a game with the reader by changing recognizable standards. The reader plays by figuring out the new rules. The protagonist, Owen Meany, is a whimsical Christ-figure who comes of age through playing games and sports, and serves God through his perfection of the slam dunk.

Extent

65 p.

Comments

Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1994.|Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters

Identifier

FADT15043

Format

pdf

Download

Share

COinS