Defining Moment in a Prayer for Owen Meany essays

Defining Moment in a Prayer for Owen Meany essays In some cases, one event or revelation has the power to change a story or even a life. In A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, there is an incredible series of many defining events. Due to the supernatural and spiritual nature of the novel, turning points and incredible events are nearly commonplace. Many ideas and concepts conveyed by Owen are crucial to the heart of the story and the meaning contained within. Of all the insightful realizations and defining moments that confront the reader while progressing through story, one of the most outstanding is Owen"'"s vision during a play in the winter of 1953. Owen had always believed in the strong presence of fate in every aspect of life. He repeatedly preached that every action and decision has a divine purpose. Everything is carefully coordinated and planned to intertwine precisely. According to Owen, '"'There were no accidents'"' (p. 102) He claimed that if something were thrown off course or disrupted, it would find a way to occur anyway. An example of this is when Own '"'scares away'"' the angle of death from the bedside of Tabby. He had '"'DISTURBED AN ANGEL AT WORK, he had UPSET THE SCHEME OF THINGS'"'(p. 102). In return, the angel assigned the death of Tabby Wheelwright to Owen himself, later being accomplished by an '"'accidental'"' baseball. Based on these events, we realize, as a reader, that Owen has spiritual views on life and his faith is strong. He is a fatalist who can convince himself that everything has a purpose. This though, is the extent of our insight into Owen"'"s divine predestination. It takes upcoming events for us to begin to realize that Owen Meany is so much more than a mere boy with strong beliefs. As the featured role in two holiday performances, Owen Meany receives great recognition in December of 1953. About six months earlier, he was used as '"'God"'"s instrument'"' to take the life of Tabby. One of his esteemed roles, the Ghost ...