A Prayer For Owen Meany Analysis

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A Quest for Truth in Politics, Religion, and Oneself Reality often differs from expectations. Namely, John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany demonstrates this theme when the narrator, John Wheelwright, recalls and ruminates about his camaraderie with Owen Meany. Owen, depicted as a Christ-figure throughout the novel, believes that he is God’s instrument. John, on the other hand, is unsure of his religious faith, but his experiences with Owen notably change his beliefs. As John comes of age, he learns more about himself and society. Thomas Hardy’s quote, “Nothing bears out in practice what it promises incipiently,” is significant because it relates to three of John’s quests in the novel: his search for morality in American politics, his search for religious faith, and his search for personal identity. While searching for honesty and morality in American politics, John discovers that his perception of Americans as an adult differs from that as a child. For example, young Johnny confronts this…show more content…
Although Irving’s novel is fictional, the overall theme that reality often differs from expectations still applies to the real world, specifically in American politics. In particular, President Barack Obama’s promises during his presidential campaign contrast with his actions during his administration. For instance, Obama promises to cut federal spending and reduce the budget deficit. However, Obama is not true to his word when he increases the national debt by five trillion United States dollars. Thus, the significance of Thomas Hardy’s quote is not limited to A Prayer for Owen Meany, but rather it also relates to the world
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