a prayer fo owen meany :: essays research papers

A Critique of A Prayer For Owen MeanyIn the novel written by lavatory Irving, A Prayer For Owen Meany, the protagonist, Owen Meany, developed an quaint religious significance. Owen experienced visions of future events, he had a unique type of faith in God that is unusual of most people, and he speaks endlessly to inform people about God. Throughout Owens life he demonstrated the same characteristics as a vaticinator by means of his actions and his words.Similar to a prophet, Owen was given precognitive powers that allowed him to see into the future. Owens first vaticination came to him on New Years Eve in 1953 during the friendship production of A Christmas Carol. The most obvious inference concerning the play was that Owen played the part of the ghost of Christmas yet to come. Owen had dehumanized this character to the point that children were divergence the theater crying and some were even wetting their pants. Both of them were told their futures, however Scrooge made and effort to change his, where as Owen did not. Owens revelation came through a vision he experienced during the graveyard scene of the play. He immediately fainted following the vision. The curtains went down, and members of the production all ran to help Owen. Owen believed he had seen his name on a gravestone along with the date of his death and no one could convince him otherwise. The fact that he was correct about the date of his death affirm that he had visions and confirmed his qualities of being a prophet.A prophet uses his visions to not only prove they have powers, but also to benefit others. The second prophecy came to Owen in his dreams when he envisioned the reason and the way Schaefer 2his life would end. Owen wrote his dream in his diary. No one realized how detailed and precise it in truth was until they read it for themselves. Owen stated in his diary, The way they look at me, I know two things. I know I saved them-I dont know how. And I know that theyre afraid for me. The entries in his diary revealed that he died saving Vietnamese children. God died for others too this is why he is considered a true hero. (Sebsteph 1) A prophet uses their prophecies to benefit the world or allow people to learn from their visions and this is a prime example of this.