The Cry of the Owl

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The Cry of the Owl is a 1962 crime novel by Patricia Highsmith.

1 Plot summary
2 Characters
3 Significance of the owl
4 Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Plot summary

Robert Forester moves to a small town in Pennsylvania to try to escape from his ex-wife in New York. Forester takes solace in stalking a young woman through a kitchen window in her house. For Forester, being a peeping tom of idealized domestic life creates a sort of refuge from his disastrous divorce. Jenny Thierolf, upon discovering Forester as her stalker, does not call the authorities, but instead invites Forester into her life. As he becomes increasingly drawn into her life, the consequences of his involvement disrupt the Pennsylvania community they occupy, as well as the life of Forester's ex-wife in New York. Forester becomes caught up in a series of deaths in which he is, in actuality, the innocent bystander, but is suspected of murder by the community because of a seemingly incriminating criminal investigation of Forester's background and alibi.

[edit] Characters

Robert Forester
Jenny Thierolf
Greg
Nickie
Lippenholz
Jack Nielson

[edit] Significance of the owl

The symbol of an owl in the title is possibly meant to signify death, misfortune, and darkness. ^[1] ^[2] This connotation has most likely risen due to their nocturnal nature. At one point in the novel, Jenny hears the cry of an owl from her kitchen, possibly a moment of foreshadowing, as several deaths will occur in the remainder of the novel.

[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

Highsmith's novel was the premise for the 1987 French film Le Cri du hibou from director Claude Chabrol. ^[3]

Another adaptation is currently in production, to be released in 2009 ^[4], with director Jamie Thraves. Paddy Considine is to play the part of Robert Forester^[4], and Julia Stiles is rumored to play Jenny.^[5] Caroline Dhavernas plays the part of Forester's ex-wife.^[4]