A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving is a novel in which religion is of great importance. One of the main themes in this novel is faith in God and oneself, and even more, the conflict between belief and doubt. It is this need for religion, and importance of faith that brings the two main characters, John and Owen, together. John and Owen seem to need each other. There is an un-ordinary connection between the two characters, which 'dooms' them to eternal friendship and dependence on one another. There could be many reasons why these two seem to fit together, but few stand out as primary. These are lack of guidance, absence of matter, and religion and faith.

Throughout the story, John and Owen have to rely on each other for leadership, advice and guidance. This is primarily because the have nobody else to turn to. Owen's parents did not care for him, and therefore could never be the parents that a boy requires. At the beginning of the story, when John's mother is still alive, both John and Owen look to her as a mother, and it seems that they both get the love that they need, which gives evidence that their reliance on each other is minimal. However, at the point w

The theme of absence of matter, or armlessness/amputation, in the story seems to draw the two characters together on several occasions. John and Owen appear to have a subliminal fascination with armlessness. The most important of these instances is the armadillo. It is the only link that the two have to John's mother, for it was a present from Dan. The armadillo balances on its claws for without them it would fall down. After the death of John's mother Owen removes the claws to help explain to John that they have both lost something that they love. Another example is the loss of Owen's arms. The shot caused this horrible deformity for Owen. Yet the shot is what Owen and John had been practicing their whole lives to do, which eventually means that the loss of Owen's arms played a major part in the friendship. Finally, the removed finger on John's hand signifies the way armlessness brings them together. Had Owen not taken off that finger, John would not have been able to go to school because he would have been sent to Vietnam. The importance of this is that it is the reason John kept alive and stayed with Owen, because of the loss of matter.

There are many evidences in the novel that show proof of the need John Wheelwright and Owen Meany have for each other. Their friendship goes beyond enjoying each other's company, they have a bond which is not common to many friendships. The simple existence of one another shaped their entire lives forever, and 'dooms' them to remember each other forever.

John, at the start of the novel, is a young boy who does

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Approximate Word count = 1051
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)