35 pages • 1 hour read
Margaret CravenI Heard The Owl Call My Name
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1967A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Besides Mark Brian, the school teacher is the only white man living in Kingcome. How do the experiences, attitudes, and behavior of the two men differ? Why do you think Craven chose to include the school teacher in the story?
In Chapter 1, the Bishop informs Mark that the Indian name for Kingcome, Quee, means “inside place.” Discuss how this meaning relates to Mark’s experiences throughout the novel.
Before he leaves for Kingcome, the Bishop warns Mark that there is no word for “thank you” in Kwákwala. Do you think Mark or the villagers ever express thanks? Give evidence to support your answer.
In Chapter 3, Peter the carver wonders: “How long will [Mark] be here before he knows that I live among the dead?” (32). What does Peter mean by this?
Name three myths, rituals, or gods and discuss their meaning and importance to the village.
When Mrs. Hudson learns her granddaughter, Keetah’s sister, plans to marry a white man, Keetah reassures her that her sister will never become ashamed of the village. Her grandmother replies, “Of this I am not afraid [...] What I fear is that we shall be ashamed of her” (65). What does Mrs. Hudson mean by this?
At the start of the book, Craven reveals that the protagonist has little time left to live, although he himself doesn’t know it. How does this dramatic irony shape your reading of the story?
Keetah’s sister figures in an important subplot in the novel, but no one ever speaks her name. Why do you think Craven chose not to name her?
Shortly after he realizes he is dying of illness, Mark is killed in a landslide that overtakes both him and Jim, who is the same age as Mark. What might be the symbolic significance of this event? How would the meaning of the story change if Mark instead died of his illness?
