Friendship
Johnny and Owen have a unique and special friendship. Owen is in a way John’s guardian angel, he helps him to succeed in school and somewhat in life. They both experience almost everything together. Owen even goes as far as to hold his genius self-back a grade in order to stay in the same grade and same school as Johnny.
Fate/Predestination
This novel reflects the theme that fate will determine our future and the tasks we carry out by God. It expresses the notion that everything our lives is predetermined by a “terrifying and awesome design” (Irving 186). Owen has a vision of what his fate will be and because of that he proceeds to do everything possible to complete this vision of his fate. Fate plays with the idea that we have no real control over our own lives because they are already predetermined by God or a higher power.
Religion
Given that the title of the novel includes “prayer”, religion is obviously a well-expressed theme. The theme of the book is that Johnny has faith because of his experience of being friends with the mystical Owen Meany. At the end of the book Owen also scares Pastor Merrill (John’s father) into having faith, therefore he is the reason for both father and son’s belief in fate. The book also alludes to Owen as being Jesus or akin to him in the very least- with his godly powers, appearance in the play as baby Jesus, his fore knowledge of his death and sacrificing himself.
Coming of Age
The genre of this novel being bildungsroman it would make sense that coming of age would be a theme. Both Johnny and Owen have the experience of growing up together and both have many pivotal points of growth throughout the book together despite Owen’s otherworldliness. The book starts out with Johnny narrating the story with him and Owen as kids and eventually progresses to the end of Owen’s life, with flash forwards to Johnny’s current life.
