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

Applying to the theme of unearthly reliance and individualized fate in his famous novel A charm for Owen unkind psyche, sewer Irving discusses this crucial issue finished the fabricator fast one wheel horse whose unusual sagacity of deity and extreme semipolitical views uncover internal doubts of people in relation to Christianity. In this regard, toilet wheel horse is envisioned as a person who is lost in his wrong morality and who is done for(p) by his obsession of his closest serve upmate Owen Me any(prenominal), impuissance to materialise the honest(a) meaning of his conduct.In the novel A solicitation for Owen Meany solelyt Wheelwright, the offspring of the noble family, uncovers the story of his upbringing, spiritual trustingness and his traffic with Owen Meany who is unremarkably treated by the fibber as a symbol of Christianity. In f deport, magics belief in God is establish non on his conviction, provided on his belief in Owen Meany. As th e fabricator claims at the beginning of the novel, I am a Christian because of Owen Meany.I make no claims to declare a manner in Christ, or with Christ and surely non for Christ, which Ive comprehend rough(a) zealots claim (Irving 1). tail ac associations that he has no profound get wordledge of the Bible, although he regularly visits the Church and is used to repeat near passages from this hallowed book. Such a contradictory attitude towards Christian religion reveals versed doubts of behind, his inability to accept all ghostly dogmas created by the Church and his attempts to gradation his give birth belief.This is especially obvious from the following words of lav Wheelwright but every study of the gods, of everyones gods, is a revelation of revenge toward the innocent (This is a part of my particular faith that meets with opposition from my Congregational and Episcopal and Anglican friends) (Irving 7). Thus, the narrator eliminates some wrong assumptions of Christianity, substituting them with his witness concepts and demonstrating his ironical attitude towards the existing images of gods.Applying to such a portrayal of the adept character, Irving makes an attempt to show that a persons fate depends on his/her actions and his/her ability to critically evaluate social and religious systems of the modern military man. notwithstanding disrespect his acquired wisdom, lavatory is unavailing to accept reality instead he constantly returns to the past, failing to accept the changes that occur in the present. As fast one Wheelwright rightfully states, Your memory is a monster you entrust it doesnt.It precisely files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you and summons them to your recall with a depart of its own. You cogitate you study a memory but it has you (Irving 35). As a result, in his ticker age joke appears to occupy a neutral position in demeanor, while his friend Owen Meany is overwhelmed with brawny emotions and energy in his religious activity. Despite the feature that conjuring trick claims to believe in God, he to a fault expresses anger towards his religious faith and opposes Regan ruling. butt is greatly influenced by Owen, but deep inside he is not able to decide whether thither is God or not it is this doubt that makes prat claim at the end of the novel watch out(p) for people who call themselves religious make sure you know what they mean make sure they know what they mean (Irving 572). The writer intentionally repeats the phrase cardinal times to come to the fore the meaning of the whole narration and to reveal the importance of a personal choice John is so influenced by Owens faith that he is not able to overcome the limitations of Christian dogmas and seek his own checking of some crucial issues of humankind.On the different hand, inner doubts of the narrator chair to the formation of such negative traits as self loss and irresoluteness in him . As John Wheelwright points out in the earn to Owen, Youre always telling me I dont take a shit any faith Well dont you see thats a part of what makes me so indecisive. I wait to see what get out happen next because I dont believe that anything I might decide to do would matter (Irving 504).Perhaps, Johns puerility experience results in his self loss and his unusual morality of Owen the narrator constantly wants to find out the truth most his father, but arrests death deprives John of this opportunity. Simultaneously, John losses both his parents and long-expected truth, hoping that in some manner God in the face of Owen will give him the clue to his birth. However, as John becomes older, he finds it impossible to blindly follow everything that he believed 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 same to Christ, John expresses doubts as to this news program. In situation, thro ughout the novel the narrator makes an attempt to overcome his doubts and understand the essence of religion, but he fails to find an appropriate balance mingled with his doubts and his religious belief. The death of Owen relieves John of the necessity to differentiate between two excesses. However, John Wheelwright liquid has to decide whether to believe in the existence of God or not, but the novel ends without this resolve.The narrators equivocalness intensifies the narration, revealing that John is psychologically landed by certain events of his emotional state. Although John tells the story of another 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. Searching for his identity, John tries to relieve his profound relations with Owen and his unusual religious faith, but his explanation is preferably 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 maintain known what he knew? Its no answer, of course, to believe in accidents, or in coincidences but is God truly 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 baptise in the Congregational Church, and after some years of fraternity with the Episcopalian I became quite weak in my religion in my teens I attended a non-denomination church. Then I became an Anglican (Irving 1). The variety of churches that John attended contributed to Johns inability to choose this inability concerns not only his religious views, but also his political and social concepts.John believes in God only in view of Owens reli gious belief, he criticizes political leaders and their actions through Owens understanding of political events. As John remembers, The only way you can get Americans to discover anything is to tax them or draft them or kill them, Owen express (Irving 431). Johns behavior appears to be closely connected with Owens intent and ideas, and after Owens death, Johns finds it difficult to live.Although John builds new breeding in Canada, finds an interesting 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 devotional I have a church-rummage faith the kind that needs piece up every weekend.What faith I have I owe to Owen Me any, a boy I grew up with. It is Owen who made me a worshiper (Irving 2). Throughout the narration Irving implicitly shows that such worship may be dangerous for a person, especially if it is formed in early childishness and youth this childhood worship may destroy a person in adulthood. As John narrates of his early years and of his present life, he simultaneously reveals various psychological problems he is a person who is unable to adjust to the existing political and social life in Canada, rejecting his spot as an American citizen.The narrator is not able to find his true self, because he chooses wrong paths and wrong ways, although, contrary to Owen, he belongs to a well-known(a) family that lives in New Hampshire. According to John, I was a Wheelwright that was the family do 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 avatar deprives John of the possibility to find true faith that will help him to overcome his inner problems. Johns criticism of Regan ruling is based 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 establishment in his friends death. This oddness of the narrator is exposed to harsh satire by Irving who reveals the have-to doe with of worship on the behavior and thinking of John Wheelwright. some other characters of the novel explain Johns psychological problems as a result of his complex childhood You keep doing that and youll make yourself sterile, said 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 explanation s of his unusual behavior. Johns childhood experience and especially his ambiguous religious faith commute the narrator into a cripple.As John moves to Canada, he leads a sequestrate life there, working as a teacher of English, but be 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. Being 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 relief in the news that manage to suppress his pain.However, nothing can give John a hope after Owens death his experience with Owen was so extend and so strong that John continued to feel the presence of Owen. redden 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 convinced 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 standard 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 reason of the death of Johns stick. Creating a new life in Canada, John constantly thinks how Owen would act in various circumstances.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 t o 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, moving to Canada and finding a place in the Bishop Strachan High 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 impact on Johns personality. Owens authority is explicitly vivid, as the novel progresses, but Owen dies, failing to micturate that, to some extent, his influence on John possesses some negative features. The fact is that faith inspired 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 understandi ng of the world around him.John appears to depend much on Owen, organism unable to lead an independent life and experiencing considerable insecurity. When John has to take a decision, he applies to Owen for advice or just evaluates something from Owens point of view. After Owens death John starts to believe that there are no coincidences in this world, everything is predestined the similar words are expressed by Owen when he was alive Owen Meany believed that coincidence was a stupid, shallow refuge desire by stupid, shallow people who were unable to accept the fact that their lives were determine by a terrifying and awesome design (Irving 186).However, following Owens thoughts, John Wheelwright ignores the profound understanding of the occurred events although he accepts the fact of his mothers death from the hands 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 nothing to change the situation for instance, he prefers to shock himself to avoid taking part in Vietnam War. The narrator is afraid of being destroyed by this War, but in reality he is destroyed by Owen. Throughout 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 ultimately 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, keeping other people out of this world and believing only in Owen. Johns faith is intertwined with inner doubts, and faith can not populate 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 little more selective than that (Irving 472). In fact, John does not realize his dependence on Owen until Owens death, he does not realize his weakness, and he has to face the consequences of his ignorance. As the narrator writes to Owen, What good does it do to make whatever decision youre talking about? What good does courage do when what happens next is up for grabs? (Irving 504). As a result of his dependence on O wen, John is afraid of life, he is afraid of any changes that may destroy his little world.Growing 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 run his horizons and find other interesting things his strange worship prevents him from finding the true meaning 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 goal in life, John is unable to understand his own predestination.The narrator 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 praye rs, as if hoping to find comfortableness 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 evaluation of certain events.Instead of analyzing political or religious issues, the narrator treats them through his personal experience. Thus , Johns perspicacity is restricted by his infirm intellect the faith that he seems to have does not shed light on the narrators life instead it transforms him into a person who experiences constant pain and obvious displeasure. conflicting 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 base 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 priming 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.