While Owen Meany is by no means a perfect individual, there is no doubt that his character possesses some divine qualities. It is these qualities that turn Owen Meany into a sort of Jesus Christ figure throughout the novel, and cause people throughout the novel, including Owen himself, to view him as such.
Of all of the lives in the novel that Owen Meany has touched it is quite clear that he has had the greatest effect on Johnny. Johnny even says in the opening paragraph, "I am a Christian because of Owen Meany." Owen has saved Johnny. Of course Johnny never really saw Owen as a Christ figure until after his death. During Owen's life Johnny was always a little skeptical of Owen's claims that he knows how he will die and all of the other prophetic visions that Owen mentions to Johnny. The reader can see this easily from this excerpt, "Owen knew, or at least thought he knew, when he was going to die." Johnny was never sure what was going to happen to Owen and never fully believed his claims until after Owen had died almost exactly as he had predicted it. Johnny then realized that Owen's existence was no accident and begins to view Owen's life as proof of God's existence. Owen has become a personal Jesus Christ for Johnny and all Johnny's questions about God's existence have been answered through Owen. .
From the moment he sees the angel in tabby's room Owen knows that there is something very special about his life. He thinks that he has interrupted the angel of death at work and is destined to be God's instrument for the rest of his life. When he kills Johnny's mother he believes that it was simply because he got in the way. Owen Meany does not believe in coincidence but that God dictates all events on the earth, so it is obvious why Owen thinks that he is God's instrument. It was also around this time that Owen's parents told him that he was of virgin birth. While I doubt that Owen Meany believes this I did think that it was interesting that Owen decided to take up the role of the Christ-child during the Christmas pageant.
The author's main message in A Prayer for Owen Meany was that of religious faith. ... Owen Meany is a person who is unbelievably complex. ... An important part of A Prayer for Owen Meany is set in the time period of the Vietnam War. ... Inside of Owen Meany there is an emotional war that is tearing him apart. ... Owen Meany is a man that is very intelligent, but very confused. ...
In John Irving's novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Irving illustrates the idea of friendship through the characters of Owen and Johnny, which is developed throughout various chapters. ... In Owen's foretelling reverie, Owen envisioned a helpless Johnny as a result of Owen's death, and discovered a resolution to the dilemma. ... Owen gave Johnny his most prized possessions, his baseball cards, and Johnny presented Owen with his treasured armadillo. ... Owen was aware that the move had a special purpose in his life but Johnny never comprehended what Owen meant until the event tr...
"NOW I KNOW WHY MY VOICE NEVER CHANGES," is a quote from John Irving's novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany. ... Many times throughout his life, Owen Meany was ridiculed for his ridiculously high, unnatural, and irritating voice. ... " "DOONG SA," Owen Meany told them. ... Both the play "Oedipus Rex and the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany have main characters who realize the importance of religion and faith. ... Owen Meany was always small and abnormal; his looks were something that most people would normally make fun of. ...
Symbolism At the beginning of the novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving, we are introduced to a character named Watahantowet. ... Throughout the novel, Johnny Wheelwright and Owen Meany refer back to this historical figure. ... The instrument of death was a baseball; the very first baseball that Owen Meany ever hit. ... At least not to Owen. ... Throughout the novel, Johnny and Owen refer back to Watahantowet, and in many ways Owen was just like him; Owen was handicapped by his voice, size and his inability to communicate. ...
Meany Granite business " a small portion of the granite underground is worth getting out; the rest has defects-or if it's good, it's so far underground that it's hard to get ou8t without cracking it"(12). ... Owen Meany's infatuation with is shows how he is in touch with nature, Even with everything else is taken away (trees), granite will always return to the earth. ... I am god's instrument" John, Dan, and Owen are all like the armadillo; they have all lost a part of themselves. (armless totem) Owen intended to say with the armadillo was this Owen was ...
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving is about faith, love and living by what you believe in. This book tells the lives of Owen and Johnny. ... Owen believes he is God's instrument; he is. ... The amount of love Owen has for Johnny is immeasurable. ... Anyone can be touched by Owen's earnest will to be Johnny's best friend. ...
