John Irving, a prayer for owen meany Essay

In the first chapter of A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving displays an expansive, articulate style that relies heavily on rich descriptions to create detailed portraits of the saucily England of his youth, especially the title character who inspires him to believe in God and Christ. Irvings language throughout the chapter is articulate and his sentences long, perhaps to accommodate his rather abundant, detailed descriptions it is to the highest degree oratorical without being florid or long-winded, reflecting the fact that the fibber is descended from a prominent sunrise(prenominal) England family (including the Puritan minister for whom he is named).He also relies heavily on memories, moving from his recollections of Owen to broader discussions of his own family and hometown, creating a context for the subsequent action and thus giving his memories a deeper meaning. In addition, Irving uses Owen as a symbol of Christ-like idol the boy is something of a martyr for his poor (indeed, he never tells on his peers for their abuses), and yet he takes away the bank clerks engender, however unintentionally, by smasher the foul ball that kills the narrators mother (hence the chapters title, The Foul Ball).Irving avoids sounding childish by using articulate adult language, further he conveys a childs point of view by speaking in a matter-of-fact way about how he and his peers picked on the frail, under sized Owen. He conveys no immediate judgments or apologies for his actions (indeed, as a child he feels no shame for it), and he does not analyze his motivations.For example, when Owen offers a surprisingly mature complaint about church services, the narrator says, To these complaints, and others like them, I could respond only by picking up Owen Meany and attribute him above my head (Irving 23), showing how other children are unable to comprehend Owen. He also implies adults stupidity by mentioning his oblivious Sunday school instructor and how the police chief and coach quarrel over the ball after his mothers death.The author wants the reader to understand his world (hence the detailed discussions of his town, family, and affinity with Owen) and especially Owens complex role in it. Though he mentions his Christianity at the very start, the narrator does not preach or scold the reader, admitting that he is a rather lazy Christian but also making clear that he feels deeply indebted to him (despite Owens role in his mothers death) and makes the reader feel sympathy for the victimized Owen.Irvings language is richly descriptive without becoming tedious, and he recalls Owens characteristics humorously, especially his diminutive size and high-strangled voice (Owens words always appear in capitals). Irving communicates respect for Christianity, but not for the ritual or doctrine he admits his laziness and calls his climb a church-rummage faith (Irving 2). Instead, he believes in the divine power channeled through Owen, whose intelligen ce and deep understanding of God set him apart from his peers.Irving implies that both the narrator and New England, despite their Puritan past, find religion uninspiring until Owen appears, and that Owen has vastly more potential to influence events than is shown in the first chapter. More explicitly, he evokes New Englands provincial values, especially the split between insiders (the descendants of Puritans, like the narrator) and outsiders (later arrivals, like Owens Irish-Catholic family), and Irving contrasts the regions harsh religious past with the narrators spiritual barrenness, for which Owen ultimately becomes a remedy.In the books first chapter, Irving shows the reader a rich picture of his characters world, creating the context in which the narrators transition from nonbeliever to Christian occurs. He presents Owen in a sympathetic light, as a wise yet victimized figure whose suffering and kindness bring enlightenment into a milieu that needs it. Irving, John. A Prayer f or Owen Meany. New York Ballantine, 1989.