Hester Eastman Character Analysis

John Wheelwright’s female cousin, who is younger than her two brothers, Noah and Simon Eastman, but one year older than John. Being younger and smaller than her brothers, she can never beat them in their endless athletic competitions. They make fun of her for being a girl and generally make her feel inferior. Hester’s parents, Alfred and Martha Eastman, also treat her as inferior to her brothers when they won’t let her attend a private high school or a university like the boys do. She takes her revenge on her family for their sexist attitudes by flouting every rule of female modesty and chastity they expect of her, and sleeping freely with whomever she pleases—including most of her brothers’ friends. She later becomes involved with Owen Meany for the last several years of his life. After he willingly martyrs himself and dies, she refuses to attend his funeral in protest of his choice, but grieves him for the rest of her life, believing that Owen was truly her soulmate. In his memory, she becomes a famous anti-war rock star, and never seriously dates again.