Too Great a Loss for Too Little FaithA Prayer for Owen Meany

Too Great a Loss for Too Little Faith

“I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice- not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother’s death, but because he is the reason I believe in God.” (Irving, Pg.1) In A Prayer for Owen Meany, it is with great loss that John Wheelwright gains faith through his friendship with the tiny “saint-hero”, Owen Meany. The legitimacy of the faith John “gained” through this relationship is questionable, which furthers the reader to inquire as to whether or not the personal, and physical losses outweigh the faith gained through both his friendship and lifelong bond with Owen Meany.

John Wheelwright comes from a healthy family. Although the identity of his father is not yet revealed, he receives affection and stability in his single-parent home. As an only child, John is the direct recipient his mother’s love. This trait of John is uniqu...