& # 8217 ; s A Prayer For Owen Meany Essay, Research Paper
Prayer As A Symbol in Irving s A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY
In John Irving s A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY there are many outstanding symbols. Those of arm-less figures, H2O, and angels are a few of the more outstanding 1s but, there are besides many symbols that are much more elusive than those few. The most outstanding of the elusive symbols is that of supplication. Prayer, in an of itself, is an thought. But, in A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY, Irving uses it to convey many more abstract constructs.
& # 8220 ; THE TROUBLE WITH CHURCH IS THE SERVICE. & # 8221 ; Owen provinces. & # 8220 ; A SERVICE IS CONDUCTED FOR A MASS AUDIENCE. JUST WHEN I START TO Wish THE HYMN, EVERYONE PLOPS DOWN TO PRAY. JUST WHEN I START TO Hear THE PRAYER, EVERYONE POPS UP TO SING ( 23 ) . & # 8221 ; In this transition supplication is viewed merely as a portion of the & # 8220 ; trickery ( 21 ) & # 8221 ; of church ceremonial. It is therefore representative both of Owen s position of church formality and ceremonial, and of the attitudes that both Owen and Johnny hold toward certain facets of the church and its traditions. This becomes of import on a larger graduated table when the reader recognizes the struggle that plagues both Johnny and Owen when it comes to spiritual issues. Johnny states this point clearly when he says, & # 8220 ; I was baptized in the Congregational Church, and after some old ages of fraternity with the Episcopalian & # 8230 ; I became instead weak in my faith: in my teens I attended a non-denomination church. Then I became an Anglican & # 8230 ; ( 1 ) . & # 8221 ; These frequent internal reli
gious struggles showcase an even greater antipathy of the ceremonial of the church, which supplication, at least in this case, is representative of.
Prayer besides becomes representative of the character of Owen Meany in several different ways. The supplication of the angel in the Christmas pageant is a fantastic illustration of this. & # 8220 ; BE NOT AFRAID. FOR BEHOLD I BRING YOU Good NEWS OF A GREAT JOY WHICH WILL COME TO ALL THE PEOPLE ; FOR TO YOU THIS DAY IS BORN IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD & # 8230 ; .YOU WILL Find A BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES AND LYING IN A MANGER ( 149 ) . & # 8221 ; Each of these allusions to Christ do this supplication, that Owen is forced to do as the angel in the pageant, an existent symbol of Owen himself. Which becomes of import when the reader comes to recognize the actuality of Own every bit likened to Jesus Christ as a Jesus, and as a individual. Owen is, after all, the lone character who can & # 8220 ; FIT IN THE & # 8221 ; proverbial & # 8220 ; CRIB ( 165 ) . & # 8221 ; Johnny besides realizes the importance of supplication as a symbol of Owen. He states ; & # 8220 ; I was ever stating supplications for Owen Meany ( 616 ) . & # 8221 ; And by saying this Irving reinforces the fact that Johnny understand that supplication is his method of retrieving Owen for who he was.
In decision, the reader realizes that supplication is an of import, yet elusive, symbol in A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEAN. And as a symbol is allows a simple, yet accurate representation or complex thoughts such as church uniformity and tradition, and besides of complex characters and heroes such as Owen Meany.
