Owen Meany Fate

Fate and predestination. Both topics are unnerving to most, but they are central to the theme of A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. In Irving's novel, the narrator, Johnny Wheelwright, is stuck in his search for fate and identity. Thankfully, Johnny's friend Owen Meany helps him find both. When Owen accidently kills Johnny’s mother, it leaves Johnny with no one who knows the identity of his father. The story follows Owen and Johnny throughout their childhood as they try to find Johnny's father and as they contemplate religion and fate. John Irving makes many references to Thomas Hardy in a Prayer for Owen Meany because of Thomas Hardy’s belief in predestination and fate. Thomas Hardy says that "Nothing bears out in practice what it promises

At 80th Front Street, Johnny’s home, he is listening to Dan, Harriet and Tabitha discuss the identity of Johnny's father. Dan does not see anything wrong with Tabitha seeing the singing teacher but Harriet and Johnny think that "the most likely position of my father, and my other's mystery lover, was that 'famous' singing teacher" (111). Nothing happens as promised. Johnny's father is not the 'famous' singing teacher he expected nor is it anyone famous at all. Instead, his father is a faithless reverend, Mr. Merrill. This is not the only thing that does not happen as promised. Owen and Johnny are retracing Tabitha's steps when they find the store that Tabitha claimed had burned down. Confused, Johnny thinks back to what Aunt Martha said: "my mother was a little simple; no one had ever said she was a liar" (350). No one thought that Johnny's mother was hiding the truth, but nothing happens as promised. When Johnny searches for his identity he does not get what he is promised which is supported by Hardy's quote.

Similarly, in Johnny's search for faith, nothing happens as promised. In order for Johnny to believe in god, his best friend predicts his own death. Owen Meany predicts his own death and as a direct result gets Johnny to believe in god. He says, "[Owen Meany] is the reason I believe in god; I am Christian because of Owen Meany" (3). Later in the novel, Owen Meany predicts the date of his death and ends up dying on the day he predicts. Sadly, Johnny's best friend has to die in his search for faith because nothing happens as promised. During Johnny’s search for faith he switches churches multiple