Story: Fiction

Owen Marshall, 2008

Owen Marshall, 2008

While Owen Marshall has also written novels, he is best known for his mastery of the short story. He writes of small-town New Zealand, relationships, families and questions of identity. Eccentrics and outsiders, those who fail to conform, recur in Marshall's work, as do unlikeable characters. In this 2008 painting by Deidre Copeland, Marshall holds a copy of his poem 'South Island prayer', which asserts the importance of place. 

Using this item

Deidre Copeland
Oil on canvas by Deidre Copeland

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Lydia Wevers, 'Fiction - New writers of the 1970s and 1980s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/41944/owen-marshall-2008 (accessed 9 May 2024)

Story by Lydia Wevers, published 22 Oct 2014, updated 1 Aug 2015