A Son of the Circus echoes images and concerns that Irving has addressed throughout his writing career. Its circus imagery recalls the zoo in Setting Free the Bears (1969); its concern with gender identity recalls The World According to Gar p (1978); its over-the-edge sexual content and chaotic plot seem most like The Hotel New Hampshire (1981). Where The Cider House Rules (1985) pursues the orphan theme by connecting it to abortion and A Prayer for Owen Meany (1989) pursues it in Johnny's search for the father, A Son of the Circus pursues it in all the orphaned children of India. Like The World According to Garp and The Hotel New Hampshire, A Son of the Circus foregrounds issues of violence against women and sexual identity and like A Prayer for Owen Meany, it foregrounds questions of religious faith.