A Prayer For Owen Meany 's theme of religious faith versus doubt is prominent throughout the entire novel. Both Owen and John encounter many odd characteristic for mortals that show to each other that Owen is indeed God's instrument. The events in Owens's life that contribute to the outcome of the book are encountered through the many similarities between Jesus Christ and Owen Meany.
The many religious characteristic leads the reader t easily foreshadow his fate. Owen accidentally kills Mrs. Wheelwright during a game of baseball, and through the novel, it becomes obvious that this death was fate. "He had interrupted the angel of death at her holy work; she had reassigned the task...to him" (Irving 103). During one of Owens visits to Mrs. Wheelwright's room, Owen claims to have disturbed the angel of death and prevented it from killing her. Owen describes the event as "The fated Baseball". This is one of the first signs that Owen is God's instrument. This is fate's way of dealing with her escape from death.
Owens shares similar characteristics with Jesus Christ. Both attempted to draw on followers just as Owen did with John. Owen believed that "coincidence was a stupid, shallow refuge". In contrast, as a child, John has no particular religious beliefs or faith. He learns to believe in God through Owen's seemingly miraculous life and death. Owen becomes the director of the Christmas pageant, it becomes apparent that he has a large influence over the play just as Jesus had over humanity. " A GREAT ACTOR DOESN'T NEED TO TALK" . It is ironic that during the Christmas pageant, Owen places himself in the role of the man who sacrifices himself for humanity. " I CAN FIT IN THE CRIB". As Owen take the role of Jesus, John take the role of Joseph. It becomes obvious that John is a not a doer. Everyone is getting a role in the birth of Jesus and it reflects the type of people they are. Joseph is witness to the miracle of Jesus and John is witness to the miracle of Owen. The book quotes Owen in capital letters because Owens voice is irritating due to the fact that eh is always right. Prophets are irritating and Owen is indeed a prophet. At Owens burial, a Sunday school student recalls how light Owen was " He was so light- he weighed nothing at all". Owen weighed so light because God already had his hands on Owen. " Now I know why you had to be there, Owen said to me ' Do you see why'? He asked me "knew this was inevitable. Everything that happened matched up to that one day.
The many religious characteristic leads the reader t easily foreshadow his fate. Owen accidentally kills Mrs. Wheelwright during a game of baseball, and through the novel, it becomes obvious that this death was fate. "He had interrupted the angel of death at her holy work; she had reassigned the task...to him" (Irving 103). During one of Owens visits to Mrs. Wheelwright's room, Owen claims to have disturbed the angel of death and prevented it from killing her. Owen describes the event as "The fated Baseball". This is one of the first signs that Owen is God's instrument. This is fate's way of dealing with her escape from death.
Owens shares similar characteristics with Jesus Christ. Both attempted to draw on followers just as Owen did with John. Owen believed that "coincidence was a stupid, shallow refuge". In contrast, as a child, John has no particular religious beliefs or faith. He learns to believe in God through Owen's seemingly miraculous life and death. Owen becomes the director of the Christmas pageant, it becomes apparent that he has a large influence over the play just as Jesus had over humanity. " A GREAT ACTOR DOESN'T NEED TO TALK" . It is ironic that during the Christmas pageant, Owen places himself in the role of the man who sacrifices himself for humanity. " I CAN FIT IN THE CRIB". As Owen take the role of Jesus, John take the role of Joseph. It becomes obvious that John is a not a doer. Everyone is getting a role in the birth of Jesus and it reflects the type of people they are. Joseph is witness to the miracle of Jesus and John is witness to the miracle of Owen. The book quotes Owen in capital letters because Owens voice is irritating due to the fact that eh is always right. Prophets are irritating and Owen is indeed a prophet. At Owens burial, a Sunday school student recalls how light Owen was " He was so light- he weighed nothing at all". Owen weighed so light because God already had his hands on Owen. " Now I know why you had to be there, Owen said to me ' Do you see why'? He asked me "knew this was inevitable. Everything that happened matched up to that one day.