A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving Essay

A popular theme in literature concerns the concept of growing up, a painful process by which a disposition achieves maturity, self- fox a go at itledge and agency. In the sweet, A Prayer for Owen me both by turn outhouse Irving, the character of Owen Meany achieves this painful process. Owen Meany is introduced in the novel as a remark sufficient individual and doneout it burn down be observed how the resplendent s bewilderr evolves into the memor qualified individual that he turns into. In the novel, A Prayer for Owen Meany, by toilet Irving, Owen Meany matures, gains self- go to bedledge and self-assurance to be total the miracle that his character was.Owen Meany was obviously a brilliant child, however was still able to meliorate on his excellent character as he was growing. This stop be turn overn through Owens maturity level. He was ceaselessly remarkable advanced and mature for his age, only if as he became older, he dumb reconstruct up more than than be fore. His best agonist was greyback Wheelw remedy. In their friendship, Owen looked after insurrectionist. He gave him advice and even helped him out academically.When Johnny was acidulous slightly his mother non unveil to him who his father was before she died, Owen came up with a mature response, Of course of action, as Owen pointed out to me, I was besides eleven when she died, and my mother was only thirty she probably thought she had a lot of time left to govern me the story. She didnt tell apart she was outlet to die, as Owen Meany put it. (Irving 10) In the rule of irrationality, Owen found it easy to point out the logic. The easy way he comes up with intelligent responses to difficult enquirys ar create of this childs brilliance. Later on his vitality, the reader sees that Owen has matured in regards to his place workforcet on Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy. Kennedy had been some(prenominal)what of a hero in Owens perspicacity and he had felt betray ed by him. He is able to later recover from this stall and analyze the situation differently.Shes besides like our squ be country non instead young anymore. however not old either a d contendfish breathless, truly beautiful, maybe a humble stupid, maybe a lot more smarter than she seemed. And she was looking for some social occasion I think she cherished to be good. appearance at the men in her life Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller, maybe the Kennedys. musical note at how good they seem Look at how desirable she was She was never quite happy She was besides like our whole country Those famous force playful men did they really love her? Did they take carefulness of her? If she was ever with the Kennedys, they couldnt have love her they were just using her . People buzz take out do and say anything just to get the power then theyll use the power just to get a billing . The country is a sucker for ruling men who look good, we think theyre moralists and then they just use us. Thats whats going to happen to you and me were going to be used. (Irving 431)Owen Meany is rattling good at analysis, and he uses these talents to ferment conclusions on many things. It is an excellent exercise of his maturity. When Owen first discovered that JFK exponent be having an affair with Marilyn Monroe, he was shocked. Now, he is able to rationalize it and see JFK in a different light. He is able to come up with educated ideas concerning JFK and Marilyn Monroe. His metaphor of Marilyn Monroe and the get together States is an excellent one. Both Marilyn Monroe and America have a ample deal in common because of their mutual exploitation by the rich and powerful.Owen Meany learns a great deal rough himself through the course of his life. He is convinced that at that place are reasons for all things. One of his strongest conviction stems from what his parents told him about him being born in the said(prenominal) way as Jesus. Due to this, Owen feels ve ry convinced and assured of himself. He is a highly intelligent childI k outright three things. I inhabit that my share doesnt change, and I bed when Im going to die. I wish I knew why my voice never changes, I wish I knew how I was going to die further God has allowed me to know more than virtually nation know so Im not complaining. The third thing I know is that I am Gods instrument I have faith that God entrust let me know what Im hypothetical to do, and when Im supposed to do it. (Irving 366)Owen has complete faith that there are reasons for his being the way he is. This is an example of Owens self-knowledge. He knew these things with a complete certainty and accepted them. a couple of(prenominal) people forget have projection screen faith in something. Owen had questions, hardly he still put his faith in God, bowing to his superiority. He knows who he is. He pick ups his purpose. He is told by many that he is crazy and insane for mentation that there is a plan for why he has the voice he has. He is withal told that he should run far on struggled from what he thinks his destiny is, provided Owen is not some people. He knows what his destiny is and runs towards it.Owens self-awareness and knowledge is what allows him to feel that he is headed towards the right path. In the end, Owen was right. He is able to stay fresh the Viet come tose children, It was not only because he spoke their language it was his voice that compelled the children to get wind to him it was a voice like their voices. That was why they trusted him, why they listened. DOONG SA, he said, and they halt crying. (Irving 612) In the end, Owen is to be admired for his self-knowledge. Johnny would now be wrong in thinking Owen to be strange for thinking that his odd voice had a purpose. It did have a purpose. Owens voice helped him assert open the Vietnamese children.Owen Meany has a great deal of confidence in himself. If he sets his principal to do something, he c an do anything. Owen Meany desperately cherished to join the army and be able to fight so that he could do his purpose that he discovered in his dream. If theres a war and Im in the army, I gestate to be in the war I dont compulsion to spend the war at a desk. Look at it this way we suss out that Harry Hoyt is an idiot. Whos going to keep the Harry Hoyts from getting their heads blown off? (Irving 462) The way that Owen ended the statement, almost makes him get cocky. In a way, he is, but another term to describe it would be that Owen is confident. He places total trust in God that what will happen will happen. He is confident that he is going to die, fulfill his purpose in life and be a hero. It is uncanny how strong Owens faith is.Most people are unable to practice what they preach, and Owen does what he thinks is right. He does live by his rules. It is unbelievable that he is willing to throw out-of-door his life because of his faith in God. He does not even have any pr oof of authorisation that God does exist, but in his mind he does not need any. When Owen would be practicing his basketball flavour with Johnny and it would get dark, he would ask Johnny if he could still see a statue of Mary Magdalene after it became completely dark.He would ask Johnny how he could be certain that she was still there, if he could not see her, You abruptly know she isnt there even though you cant see her? Well, now you know how I feel about God I cant see Him but I absolutely know he is there (Irving 451) Owen explains to Johnny that he just knows in his bowel and instinctively that God exists. In the akin way that people can understand and accept that other things exist without somatogenetic proof, Owen is convinced of the existence of God. His confidence is daunting. It is queer for a person to be so rationally convinced about divinity and at the same time be willing to go to extremes in the name of God.When he was getting closer to the twenty-four hour period of his death, he had doubts, I dont know why hes here I just know he has to be here But I dont even know that not anymore. It doesnt make sense Where is Vietnam in all of this? Where are those poor children? Was it all just a terrible dream? Am I simply crazy? Is tomorrow just another day? (Irving 604) Owen is growing up. He is scared and confused. He doesnt know why Johnny has to be there for his dream to come true. He doesnt know if anything is going to happen. His doubts are the most important step to his growing up. In the end, he was right all along.The character, Owen Meany, was a miraculous one, due to his maturity, self-knowledge and confidence, in the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Owen was always mature for his age, but he was able to improve on it and make better judgements. He understood that although Kennedy was someone who had been a hero to him, that things are not always as you want them to be. He was able to open his mind to this, and e ventually accept the possibility that Kennedy might have behaved inappropriately.Owen had an extreme amount of assurance in himself. He just knew some things and did not feel the need to question them too much. He knew that there was a reason for his voice and although, he cute to know why, he did not feel daunted by this. He had faith in his ability to do things, even some that he did not fuck to do, such as, going to war. Owens confidence is the last important point in his path to growing up. He had doubts and fear, but in the end his confidence in God and himself won out. Owen finally grew up, when he did what he was meant to do by God.