What Does A Prayer For Owen Meany

God works in mysterious ways. Everything that happens in someone’s life is meant to happen and not a coincidence. People like the idea of believing in a religious and stronger power because it’s a reassuring force that allows people to believe in something when nothing seems to make logical sense. This is exactly the case for the narrator, John, in A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. As stated in the beginning of the novel, Owen is the reason John believes in God and makes him a believer. John’s sense and belief in God allow him to make sense of everything that happens in the novel that didn’t seem possible. The things Owen are capable of and the knowledge he knows prior to the events that occur are only possible if there is a higher power

guiding Owen’s life. Many of Owen’s knowledge and actions foreshadow his untimely death; therefore, a major theme that adds to the understanding of the novel is the significance of foreshadowing.
A major scene in the novel that constantly occurs is Owen and Johnny practicing “the shot”. Once the reasoning for the persistent practicing of the shot is known, the pieces of foreshadowing soon come together throughout the story as to why they practice. The practice of “the shot” isn’t significant or clear until Owen’s gracious sacrifice. While they are practicing the shot one day, the basketball coach makes a comment in a joking manner relating to using Owen in a game, but Owen says in all seriousness, “IT’S NOT FOR A GAME…” (303), implying that there is some specific purpose for the shot and Owen knows what that purpose is. Owen’s precognition of this isn’t explained in the novel, except that he is God’s instrument and trying to perfect the shot under four seconds- the amount of time it takes for a grenade detonates. Proving – even if it was subliminal – Owen knows what it’s going to be used for and the timing of the performance is crucial.
A crucial part of the novel is when Owen plays the ghost of Christmas future, and he sees a particularly shocking image that is an important aspect of the novel from that point on.

Johnny finds Owen sobbing backstage, and Owen describes that instead of seeing Ebenezer Scrooge’s name on the gravestone, he sees his own name appear. Not only that, but Owen states that, “IT WASN’T JUST MY NAME… I MEAN, NOT THE WAY I EVER WRITE IT… IT WAS MY REAL NAME–IT SAID THE WHOLE THING… (254). This scene adds immense shock and foreshadowing, because it wasn’t just a vision, but it shows Owen’s gravestone that will be in the future. At this point in the novel, Owen knows when he is going to die and ultimately the gravestone that is at his burial site is created by Owen himself. Furthermore, even though Owen denies his knowledge of seeing a date on the tombstone, John presumably can identify that Owen knows the date of his death. Owen now know the date in which his death will arrive and that he needs to perfect “the shot” for this timely arrival. Owen doesn’t want to admit what he sees because he knows the probability that it will come true and that if John knows about it he may try to protect Owen and prevent the situation from occurring. Johnny later discovers that it didn’t just state Paul O. Meany, Jr., but also states he’s a First Lieutenant. At this point, Owen’s foreshadowing shows him that he’s God’s instrument and that he has a solid grasp of his future and inevitable death. Both

what Owen sees and the reaction foreshadowing his death imply that he knows the date of his death and that the probability of it coming true is likely.
Dreams can be unbelievably realistic and can cause people to wonder if it really was a dream or reality. Déjà vu is come with some people, where they dream something, and it plays out in real life. Owen is in the similar situation where his dream seems so realistic that he can’t help to believe it will come true. He’s seen his death date on a gravestone and other foreshadowing events, so his thoughts and dreams are coming to reality. Owen is confident that his dream will come true, so he does everything in his powers to be deployed to Vietnam simply because he thinks he’s in Vietnam in his dreams. Furthermore, Owen believes he’s God’s instrument, and since he was a hero in his dream, he saw it as his responsibility to make sure he becomes a hero. Prior to John reading Owen’s diary entry depicting his dream, Owen says to John, “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…” (471). Owen knows he’s going to meet an inevitable death, but he believes this is his responsibility, duty, and destiny. Owen doesn’t want to prevent any of his foreshadowing to come true, because Owen has a special connection with God, which means that he is like a Christ-like figure and has a special gift. Thus, the dream foreshadows that Owen is going to die, and even John and Hester know that his infatuation with his dream will lead him to his death. Owen believes he is meant to die and that somehow, he is God’s instrument to follow through with his dream, which ends up killing him. No matter what circumstances and all the risks, Owen is destined to make sure his dream comes true, which foreshadows his imminent death.
Throughout the novel, there are bits where Owen’s actions and statements foreshadow his death, but overall the novel foreshadows his death through other events.

The novel focuses on the aspect of Owen being an unusual, knowledgeable character – a Christ-like figure – which indicates that something will inevitably happen to Owen. When Owen finds out when he is going to die and all the stuff that occurred in his dream, he wasn’t just going to sit back and let life take its course. Owen is aware of his responsibilities as a friend to Johnny and himself, along with his destiny. Owen says to John, “I DON’T WANT TO BE A HERO… IT’S NOT THAT I WANT TO BE – IT’S THAT I AM A HERO. I KNOW THAT’S WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO BE” (471). From that moment on, Owen knew his purpose and mission in life. From that moment he sees his name on the gravestone, his whole life is foreshadowing his death and changes his thought process. All his actions are bringing himself one step closer to God and fulfilling his dreams. The symbolism of foreshadowing reveals John Irving’s greatest intention for this work of

literature.