A character analysis of john irving’s novel ‘a prayer for owen meany Essay

Applying to the melodic theme of ghostlike credence and mortalal fate in his famous refreshing A petitioner for Owen Me any(prenominal), tush Irving discusses this crucial issue through the vote counter pot wheel horse whose uncommon discernment of idol and uttermost(a) political views unc over cozy doubts of commonwealth in relation to Christianity. In this regard, thaumaturgy Wheelwright is depicted as a person who is lost in his persecute righteousness and who is undone by his fixing of his closest fri shutd let Owen Meany, failing to figure the veritable(a) nastying of his deportment.In the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany prank Wheelwright, the offspring of the noble family, uncovers the tarradiddle of his upbringing, sacred cartel and his relations with Owen Meany who is unremarkably treated by the cashier as a symbol of Christianity. In f symbolize, hind ends printing in graven image is ground non on his trustingness, precisely on his vo x populi in Owen Meany. As the fabricator claims at the graduation exercise of the novel, I am a Christian because of Owen Meany.I make no claims to get under ones skin a breeding in Christ, or with Christ and surely non for Christ, which Ive hear some zealots claim (Irving 1). tooshie acknowledges that he has no profound knowledge of the Bible, although he regularly visits the church building and is used to reprise some passages from this beatified book. such(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) a contradictory attitude towards Christian righteousness reveals inner doubts of caper, his inability to accept all apparitional dogmas created by the Church and his attempts to form his throw belief.This is fall inicularly obvious from the take placeing words of throne Wheelwright plainly e rattling study of the gods, of everyones gods, is a revelation of vengeance toward the innocent (This is a part of my particular trustingness that fit break throughs with opposi tion from my congregationalist and Episcopal and Anglican fri arrests) (Irving 7). Thus, the storyteller eliminates some wrong assumptions of Christianity, change them with his own concepts and demonstrating his ironical attitude towards the existing images of gods.Applying to such a portrait of the principal character, Irving makes an attempt to denominate that a persons fate depends on his/her actions and his/her ability to criti ejaculatey evaluate societal and ghostlike systems of the modern innovation. But despite his acquired wisdom, canful is uneffective to accept reality instead he incessantly returns to the past, failing to accept the changes that occur in the present. As derriere Wheelwright right beaty states, Your memory is a monster you forget it doesnt.It merely files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you and cognitive process them to your recall with a will of its own. You gauge you have a memory stick outd it has you (Irvin g 35). As a resolvent, in his shopping center age keister appears to operate a neutral position in vitality, eyepatch his friend Owen Meany is overwhelmed with powerful emotions and energy in his spectral activity. patronage the fact that arse claims to accept in matinee idol, he overly expresses elicit towards his apparitional faith and opposes Regan impression. illusion is greatly influenced by Owen, provided deep inside he is not suitable to decide whether in that location is God or not it is this doubt that makes arse claim at the end of the novel watch away for people who call themselves religious make sure you know what they mean make sure they know what they mean (Irving 572). The author intentionally repeats the phrase two times to heighten the implication of the whole narration and to reveal the impressiveness of a own(prenominal) choice tin can is so influenced by Owens faith that he is not able to curb the limitations of Christian dogmas and im aginek his own instinct of some crucial issues of existence.On the another(prenominal) hand, inner doubts of the cashier contribute to the formation of such negative traits as self-importance loss and indecision in him. As caper Wheelwright points out in the letter to Owen, Youre always say me I dont have any faith Well dont you see thats a part of what makes me so indecisive. I wait to see what will happen avocation because I dont hope that anything I might decide to do would matter (Irving 504).Perhaps, flush toilets childhood experience results in his self loss and his unusual worship of Owen the narrator endlessly wants to palpate out the truth active his father, but mothers remnant deprives John of this opportunity. Simultaneously, John losses both his p arnts and long-expected truth, hoping that somehow God in the face of Owen will give him the clue to his birth. However, as John gravels older, he finds it impossible to blindly follow everything that he b elieved in youth for instance, when at the end of the narration Mr.Meany tells that Owen appeared as a result of a virgin birth and, thus, was alike to Christ, John expresses doubts as to this risings. In fact, throughout the novel the narrator makes an attempt to overcome his doubts and understand the essence of devotion, but he fails to find an appropriate balance surrounded by his doubts and his religious belief. The destruction of Owen relieves John of the necessity to key out between two excesses. However, John Wheelwright slake has to decide whether to believe in the existence of God or not, but the novel ends without this answer.The narrators ambiguity intensifies the narration, revealing that John is psychologically set downed by certain events of his life. Although John tells the story of some other person, he implicitly expresses his views on some religious and political issues, demonstrating his inability to overcome the events that occurred with him in the past. seek for his identity, John tries to explain his profound relations with Owen and his unusual religious faith, but his explanation is rather complicated.John makes an attempt to understand Owen and his belief in God, but everything that the narrator manages to achieve is intricacy. As John claims at the end of the novel, How could Owen Meany have known what he knew? Its no answer, of course, to believe in accidents, or in coincidences but is God really a better answer? (Irving 571). Thus, on the one hand, the narrator challenges the necessity to believe in God, but, on the other hand, John Wheelwright continues to pray for Owen Meanys resurrection.To some extent, John explains this ambiguity at the beginning of the narration I was baptized in the Congregational Church, and after some years of fraternity with the Episcopal I became rather weak in my religion in my teens I tended to(p) a non-denomination church. and so I became an Anglican (Irving 1). The variety of churches tha t John attended contributed to Johns inability to choose this inability concerns not still his religious views, but also his political and social concepts.John believes in God only in view of Owens religious belief, he criticizes political hunt downers and their actions through Owens understanding of political events. As John remembers, The only way you can get Americans to notice anything is to task them or draft them or kill them, Owen tell (Irving 431). Johns life appears to be most connected with Owens life and ideas, and after Owens cobblers last, Johns finds it difficult to live.Although John builds new life in Canada, finds an evoke job and constantly visits church, he feels that he lacks something important, the sense of life that he had while Owen was alive. In his middle age the narrator has no family and no sexual relations with women he criticizes Iran scandal and the Vietnam War. His worship of Owen destroys Johns personality, depriving him of the possibility to create a personal life as John admits, I make no claims to be especially godly I have a church-rummage faith the large-hearted that needs patching up every weekend.What faith I have I owe to Owen Meany, a boy I grew up with. It is Owen who made me a believer (Irving 2). without the narration Irving implicitly shows that such worship may be dangerous for a person, especially if it is formed in proto(prenominal) childhood and youth this childhood worship may destroy a person in adulthood. As John narrates of his early years and of his present life, he concurrently reveals various psychological problems he is a person who is unable to adjust to the existing political and social life in Canada, rejecting his status as an American citizen.The narrator is not able to find his authentic self, because he chooses wrong paths and wrong ways, although, contrary to Owen, he belongs to a well-known family that lives in New Hampshire. gibe to John, I was a Wheelwright that was the family name that counted in our town the Wheelwrights (Irving 6). However, growing up in a rather unconventional family, John follows the faith chosen by his best friend Owen, but his belief in God is different from Owens belief.John believes in a person who embodies God, but not in God, and this personification deprives John of the possibility to find true faith that will help him to overcome his inner problems. Johns criticism of Regan ruling is establish on the fact of Owens death rather than on any specific political ideology. He does not want to accept Owens death and he implicitly accuses American giving medication in his friends death. This oddness of the narrator is exposed to harsh satire by Irving who reveals the seismic disturbance of worship on the behavior and thinking of John Wheelwright.Other characters of the novel explain Johns psychological problems as a result of his entangled childhood You keep doing that and youll make yourself sterile, express my cousin Hester, to whom every event of our shared childhood was either sexually exhilarating or sexually damaging (Irving 54). Thus, Irving applies to some aspects of psychoanalysis in his portrayal of John, trying to find several explanations of his unusual behavior. Johns childhood experience and especially his indeterminate religious faith transform the narrator into a cripple.As John moves to Canada, he leads a insulate life there, working as a teacher of English, but being obsessed with his thoughts and recollections. Johns criticism of social and political life conceals his anger as to Owens death although he accuses American government and God in this tragedy, he hurts himself for this death. cosmos a virgin in his middle age, the narrator reveals powerful emotions only when he reads some facts about crimes in the United States, as if seeking sleep in the news that manage to suppress his ail.However, zero can give John a apply after Owens death his knowledge with Owen was so prolonge d and so strong that John proceed to feel the presence of Owen. Even after death Owen influences John and controls all his actions, although only on a spiritual level. John Wheelwright believes in Owens support as if Owen is God in fact, the narrator identifies Owen with an image of God, hoping that one day they will meet again. When Owen implicitly helps him to find his father and his identity, John is win over of Owens divine origin, feeling that Owen Meany was very near (Irving 542).The mystery of his birth troubles the narrator, he is in search of various ways to find out the truth, because he feels that he is not able to lead a normal life without recognizing his origin. Johns faith in Owen is so powerful that he believes that Owen saves his life several times throughout the narration. Owen is Johns closest friend, despite the fact that Owen is the instinctual of the death of Johns mother. Creating a new life in Canada, John constantly thinks how Owen would act in various c ircumstances.In this regard, Irving demonstrates that Johns faith in Owen is intensified after Owens death John is unable to forget a person who accompanied and supported him for many years. Through Owen, John tries to find answers to some crucial issues of existence. In his early years John makes constant attempts to repeat everything after his friend however, he feels that he is not able to be like Owen, although he admires him. In his adulthood John also follows Owens advice, sorrowful to Canada and finding a place in the Bishop Strachan high gear School. Thus, it is Owen who controls Johns fate, considering that he has such a right.Applying to a rather prosaic speech, the narrator contrasts himself to Owen and his inner power. The narrator even emphasizes Owens words throughout the novel, trying to prove Owens greatness and his feign on Johns personality. Owens say-so is explicitly vivid, as the novel progresses, but Owen dies, failing to realize that, to some extent, his in fluence on John possesses some negative features. The fact is that faith elysian by Owen in the heart of John destroys the narrator, because this faith is a label that is not able to provide the character with real belief and understanding of the world around him.John appears to depend much on Owen, being unable to lead an independent life and experiencing considerable insecurity. When John has to take a decision, he applies to Owen for advice or simply evaluates something from Owens point of view. after(prenominal) Owens death John starts to believe that there are no coincidences in this world, everything is predestined the standardised words are expressed by Owen when he was alive Owen Meany believed that coincidence was a stupid, change refuge sought by stupid, shallow people who were unable to accept the fact that their lives were shaped by a terrifying and awesome design (Irving 186).However, following Owens thoughts, John Wheelwright ignores the profound understanding of t he occurred events although he accepts the fact of his mothers death from the custody of Owen, he does not want to think why God punishes him in such a way. John seems to be the only person who has such a strong belief in Owen and in miracles that are connected with him. In this regard, the narrator evokes sympathy, because his wrong worship saved him only in early years. In adulthood he experiences discomfort over many things although John claims to believe in God, he does not really understand the essence of Christian religion.Although he criticizes some political events, he does zilch to change the situation for instance, he prefers to injure himself to suspend taking part in Vietnam War. The narrator is hydrophobic of being destroyed by this War, but in reality he is destroyed by Owen. passim the narration John expresses contradictory viewpoints as to certain aspects of life in particular, at the beginning of the novel he tells that faith should not be based on any miracles , but finally he accepts these miracles as an integral part of his own faith.Despite the fact that John constantly cites some passages from the Bible, he admits that he does not really know this Holy book he simply wants to support the ideas of Owen with these passages. Thus, the narrator does not sincerely believe in God and he does not take part in any social or political activity. John Wheelwright lives in his own secluded world, retentivity other people out of this world and accept only in Owen. Johns faith is intertwined with inner doubts, and faith can not live on if these doubts are not suppressed. True faith is based on trust, but Owen expresses the contrary idea that evokes doubts in the narrator.According to Owen, That isnt exactly what faith is I dont believe everything that pops into my head faith is a precise more selective than that (Irving 472). In fact, John does not realize his colony on Owen until Owens death, he does not realize his weakness, and he has to f ace the consequences of his ignorance. As the narrator writes to Owen, What good does it do to make whatever decision youre public lecture about? What good does courage do when what happens neighboring is up for grabs? (Irving 504). As a result of his dependence on Owen, John is scared of life, he is afraid of any changes that may destroy his little world. festering up with Owen in New Hampshire, John feels that this friendship is the only thing that supports him throughout his life. The narrator is not able to broaden his horizons and find other interesting things his strange worship prevents him from finding the true significance of life. Johns life is reflected in Owens life, thus, despite the fact that Owen and John share the similar life principles, their ways of life are different, as John has no personal life, he simply makes an attempt to resemble Owen. Contrary to Owen who manages to find the object in life, John is unable to understand his own predestination.The nar rator lives in the light of Owen, failing to find his own light as a result, his life is spiritually destroyed after Owens death. Although John brings up some life issues, he is not able to understand what is crucial in his own life. Thus, at the end of the narration John turns to prayers, as if hoping to find solace in them, to find the meaning of his further life, but he is still full of doubts that prevent him from accepting reality. Although John Wheelwright is already an adult, to some extent, he remains a little boy who is in search of comfort and understanding and who needs another person to guide him through life.With Owens death, John collides with inner conflicts, concerning his faith. Perhaps, these conflicts can be explained by the fact that absolute faith created by Owen Meany is impossible for such persons as John he is not Owen, although he tries to resemble him. Johns upbringing and life experience are different from that of Owens, thus John fails to fully believe in the things believed by Owen. Due to Johns inner doubts and inability to create a personal life, John usually turns to sarcasm in his military rank of certain events.Instead of analyzing political or religious issues, the narrator treats them through his personal experience. Thus, Johns insight is restricted by his infirm intellect the faith that he seems to have does not toss light on the narrators life instead it transforms him into a person who experiences constant pain and obvious displeasure. Unlike Owen who finds power and inspiration in his belief, John is unable to experience the similar inspiration. He appears to be a tool in the hands of Owen who utilizes the narrator to his own liking, persuading John that he is a Gods instrument.It is Owen who performs home tasks for John, it is Owen who makes him receive a major degree in English, it is Owen who saves him from Vietnam and who persuades him to move to Canada. John is so used to this guidance and dependence that he does not realize that Owen manipulates him, depriving John of the possibility to become a mature adult in his middle age. Influenced by Owen, John Wheelwright prefers to keep in the background of Owens life, implicitly challenging the issues of true faith. Works Cited Irving, John. A Prayer for Owen Meany. New York, NY Ballantine Books, 1990.