Owens Fated Impact
Submitted by blaine on May 24, 2008
- Category: Book Reports
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Owens Fated Impact
The existence of fate is an ongoing controversy. John Irving, when writing A Prayer for Owen Meany, gives the audience many encounters with fate to try to sway their opinions. However, he does not force it on the audience, merely educates them in the miracles that could happen and lets them decide for themselves. Owen not only believed his life was fated, but that he is an instrument of God who is there to carry out God's will. His own experiences were obviously believed by him to be fated and the tragedy of John's mother was supposed to occur. He was an indirect, but integral part of the fates of others as well, including John, Hester and Dan.
Despite Owen's belief that life is fated, he believes he must actively pursue that future. Everything he or anyone else does has a reason for happening and that God intends it. Owen's visions of his future were seen as not only assurance, but also guidelines to living his life. Throughout his life, people who were only partially religious, or at least felt they had to be, surrounded him. This negativity toward God never dampened Owen's faith and it became stronger all the time. His belief in fate led him to Phoenix, initially thought to be Vietnam, where his dream became a reality. "IT'S NOT THAT I WANT TO GO TO VIETNAM -- IT'S WHERE I HAVE TO GO. IT'S WHERE I'M A HERO. I'VE GOT TO BE THERE... THE WAY YOU KNOW SOME THINGS--YOUR OBLIGATIONS, YOUR DESTINY OR YOUR FATE. THE WAY YOU KNOW WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO." (Irving, 1989, 471) Some would question if in fact this was his true fate or if he created it himself. Irving likely put this question in the novel to let his audience know that fate is questionable and mysterious. Even with its mysteries, it has its believers and they have all the proof they need. Aside from his fate, Owen believed he is an instrument of God. He believes this because of Tabby's fate, but also because he is fated to save a group of children. This keeps Owen...
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COMMENTS
No Title 06/28/2008 10:48 PM
Grader: AllFreeEssays, Grade: B
i want to read this article fully