Motifs In A Prayer For Owen Me :: essays research papers

Owen Meany MotifA Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving has many different motifs. unmatchable dominant motif is armlessness. Armlessness was a reoccurring motif throughout the story and came up in many occasions. It seems to epitomise helplessness or being low your own simplicity. There are a variety of things throughout the young that gives off that feeling.The armadillo was very dear to John. He had gotten it from Dan Needham the only gift he kept from one of his mother&8217s beaus. It had not bad(p) sentimental measure to him and to young Owen who had also become attached to it. That&8217s why it showed great emotional distress on Owen&8217s part when he outback(a) the claws of the armadillo. He did this when he had hit Johnny&8217s mother with the ill-gotten ball that killed her. Dan had interpreted it as trying to say that Owen was helpless instanter and that he couldn&8217t do anything to multifariousness what he had done on accident. Though that capability be the partial truth it could also symbolize something different. Almost saying that he is the armadillo and he wasn&8217t in control of himself, but was the instrument of God. His hands were not his own. Though the armadillo never find from the declawing, it had mended John and Owen&8217s friendship and helped ease some of the pain of that situation.The statue of bloody shame Magdalene sat in front of a concrete arch. &8220She was like a goalie protecting her goal, John had noted. Owen had sawn off her arms when he was expelled from Gravesend Academy. This might also symbolize Owen&8217s helplessness, not being able to change what had happened. When the statue is returned John notes that she is unable to protect her goal.