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A Prayer For Owen Meany - Term Papers

A Prayer For Owen Meany

Prayer As A Symbol in Irving’s
In John Irving’s there are many prominent symbols. Those of arm-less figures, water, and angels are a few of the more prominent ones but, there are also many symbols that are much more subtle than those few. The most prominent of the subtle symbols is that of prayer. Prayer, in an of itself, is an idea. But, in , Irving uses it to convey many more abstract concepts.
"THE TROUBLE WITH CHURCH IS THE SERVICE." Owen states. "A SERVICE IS CONDUCTED FOR A MASS AUDIENCE. JUST WHEN I START TO LIKE THE HYMN, EVERYONE PLOPS DOWN TO PRAY. JUST WHEN I START TO HEAR THE PRAYER, EVERYONE POPS UP TO SING (23)." In this passage prayer is viewed only as a part of the ...

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with the Episcopalian...I became rather weak in my religion: in my teens I attended a non-denomination church. Then I became an Anglican...(1)." These frequent internal religious conflicts showcase an even greater distaste of the ceremony of the church, which prayer, at least in this instance, is representative of.
Prayer also becomes representative of the character of Owen Meany in several different ways. The prayer of the angel in the Christmas pageant is a wonderful example of this. "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....YOU WILL FIND A BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES AND LYING IN A MANGER (149)." Each of these allusions to Christ make this prayer, that Owen is forced to make as the angel in the pageant, an actual symbol of Owen himself. Which becomes important when the reader comes to realize the actuality of Own as likened to Jesus ...

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A Prayer For Owen Meany. (2008, April 30). Retrieved January 11, 2026, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/A-Prayer-For-Owen-Meany/82896

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"A Prayer For Owen Meany." Essayworld.com. April 30, 2008. Accessed January 11, 2026. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/A-Prayer-For-Owen-Meany/82896.

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 4/30/2008 09:29:55 AM
Category: English
Type: Free Paper
Words: 506
Pages: 2

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