"God has taken your mother. My hands were the instrument. God has taken my hands. I am God's instrument." (87)
Owen claims that he is an extension of God Himself. This is an unusually profound and insightful thing for a child to say. It must be a heavy burden for Owen to bear as well, if he truly believes that God has sent him for a mission. Give examples of what affect Owen's belief has had on his childhood. Does he still retain youthful qualities, or is he more prone to adult-like tendencies? Use specific examples.
Moderated by Yousra and Diana
12 comments:
Owen is pictured as a Christ-like figure throughout Irving's novel and much of the plot is based on this projected idea. Owen is said to have been a "virgin birth" and he is aware of his death years before he is to die. He dedicates his life to bringing injustices such as the "fallacy of Catholisicism" and the lack of faith he sees in those around him. Owen has the ability to orchestrate any situation he finds himself in, such as the pagent or the play, neither of which held a speaking part yet Owen manipulated each for his own purposes. These purposes are to better create an image of faith for his audience, whom Irving protrays as everyone Owen encounters; similar to Christ as he walked this earth and made a believer of those who came to him.
As a child, Owen carries a substantial burden as the self-proclaimed instrument of God. As a result, he is forced to adopt a more serious personality and outlook on life, as he believes that he must serve two purposes: bring salvation to those around him and prove himself as a hero by following through with God’s plan.
Owen takes it upon himself to bring to light those that are in need of saving. As a “descending angel- a tiny but fiery god, sent to adjudicate the error of our ways” (69), Owen finds in every opportunity a chance to assist someone in finding God. As the baby Jesus in the Christmas Pageant, Owen, who is “perfect for the part” (165), takes it upon himself to direct the play and reshape its progression. He certainly feels that as the baby Jesus, he would truly become “the Prince of Peace” (173), and in this sense, he would have the power to bless his audience with the miracle of the virgin birth of Jesus, something that Owen believes he has experienced himself. Years later Owen would try to project the word of God on to others, including Rev. Lewis Merrill, Dick Jarvits, and Johnny.
Because Owen had the premonition of his death, and where and when it would take place, he also carries the burden of following through with the necessary steps, such as joining the army, to create the conditions of his death. By doing this, he hopes to become a hero and to prove himself in the eyes of God. As Leon Bloy once said, “Any Christian who is not a hero is a pig.” Owen truly believes this, so therefore he has to take on a more serious demeanor so that others will take him more seriously as a Christian and a potential hero. Owen knows that he is missing out on his childhood innocence, so at times he compensates by cursing, talking of breasts and sex, and smoking, which to Owen, alleviates his burden. Unfortunately, this inadvertently compromises his God-like image, something that Owen must accept.
From a very early age, Owen has thought that he was an instrument of God. So as a result, when he hit the fated foul ball and killed Johnny's mother, he declawed the armadillo to show how he would rather it be his own hands. Because of this belief that he has, Owen comes off as someone who has an entitlement. For example, during the Christmas play, he essentially re-wrote the entire traditional play. Instead of turtle doves, there were cows. Instead of having Mary kiss the Child, Owen claims that Mary was in too much to do such a thing. During the play, when he saw his parents, he yelled at them to get out of the Church because they did not belong there and he specifically told them not to come. They cowered in fear and walked out of the door, oblivious to the fact that their SON just humiliated them. It is for this reason that I do not believe that he retains a youthful quality. No parent would ever allow their child to speak to them in such a manner. But because they believe that Owen was a virgin birth and he believes to be an instrument of God, Owen feels as if he has an entitlement and it is his duty to run things the way he sees fit.
Owen had a very peculiar childhood since his virgin birth, forcing him to possess characteristics typical of an adult rather than a young boy. Due to Owen hitting a foul ball that killed his best friend's mother, he felt a sense of responsibility and purpose in the world. Quickly he interpreted himself to be "God's instrument." Also, in his childhood Owen had a dream, which gave him the power of foresight; he foresaw the manner in which he was going to die, and the date of his death. This, giving Owen further reason to believe that he had a special connection to God, made him very opinionated on those committing sins, and he became critical of the world around him. For example, Owen was infuriated with the knowledge of President Kennedy having an affair with Marilyn Monroe. Although Owen did not act as a stereotypical child would of his age, periodically he did grow less intense with his assertion that he was the instrument of God. When he and John mischievously rummage around Gravesend Academy they come across porn and condoms from the dorm rooms. Also Owen acquires the habit of smoking in High School, resembling Owen attempting to compensate for his abnormal youth.
Because Owen did see himself as a Christ figure, it was difficult for him to retain his youthful qualities. He automatically denounces anything to do with the Catholic faith and believes he is better than it's followers, whether or not he comes right out and says it. He also shows his adult-like tendencies when he begins orchestrating the entire Christmas play. He is even able to convince the adults to follow his lead and he is able to do the play exactly how he sees it. A typical child would never have that power over an adult, nor would they have the confidence to exert it. His belief in himself as an extension of God also affects the decisions he makes throughout his life. For example, Owen knows he will die saving Vietnamese children so he joins the army simply because he believes that would fulfill his predestination.
Correct me if I'm wrong chronologically, but I believe this was just after Owen's parents revealed to him that he apparently had a "virgin birth". (Age 10) This would have been an extremely confusing period for Owen, as he questions his parents, religion, and the very nature of his existence. The baseball hit, which was such an unlikely possibility, must have surely seemed to the confused Owen as a pointer of God - essentially, the quote is Owen's realization and acceptance of his divinity.
Again, with the rather difficult chronology of the book, it is difficult to tell just which events occur before the great reveal and which after, but it certainly seems that Owen undergoes a great change of character. The self-conscious, shy, humble Owen that doesn't want John's family to pay for his tuition is nothing like the straightforward, firm Owen who changes the entire nativity scene into a play focused on himself. As the novel progresses and Owen, seeing his prophecy, becomes even more self-assured. In fact, his utter belief in the vision that reveals his future forces him to grow mature incredibly quickly, accepting what life throws at him. However, during especially traumatic situations, such as the Randy White-affair or the discovery that JFK is not the shining idol he worshipped, Owen still shows moments of weakness - he attempts to reconfirm his belief by seeking advice from Pastor Merrill. Overall, I believe he has built himself up to be very much an adult, a leader even, but deep down, he is still a child - his confidence can be shattered, and even HE can doubt.
Good job, everyone. Don't forget to use quotes!
-Diana and Yousra
Owen's belief that he is an extension of God's will has a profound effect on his childhood. The most obvious example is his abnormal reaction to his accidentally killing John's mother.
Due to his belief in predestination, he feels that he was destined to kill John's mother and there was no way to avoid it. Prior to this, he also believes that he saves her life when he interrupts an angel of death from its work. These seemingly erroneous convictions of Owen's accumulate throughout his childhood as he learns the date of his death and has recurring dreams of the event. Owen goes through these strange difficult matters as he matures, but he still retains many normal youthful qualities. For instance, his sexual curiosity is on the same level as John, which is intended to create skepticism within readers about whether or not Owen really is something more than human.
Mary, super comment about Owen being able to orchestrate himself in any situation.
Gary, outstanding quotes and comments!I particularly liked your comment about how Owen compensates for his loss of childhood innocence.
Emily, glad you brought up the scene of Owen throwing his parents out of the church.
Grace, good point about President Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe.
David, outstanding and thorough analysis of character.
Ray, a bit late but still great observation about Owen's relationship with John's mother.
Pretty much everything has already been said concerning Owen's role as a Christ and the role it played in his childhood and life. His unfaltering faith and mysterious circumstances concerning his birth lead him into a life led by doing God's will, and fulfilling is destiny - including both killing and being killed - all in the name of God. However, I disagree with a comment Ray made concerning how signs of Owen's humanity question his position as a Christ-like figure. Christians believe that Christ was both one hundred percent God and one hundred percent human. In the midst of all of his God-like actions, Irving rarely emphasizes that Owen is indeed a human. Owen's sexual curiousity merely enhances his role as a Christ figure.
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