Owen Meany Compared To Jesus Christ

How Owen Meany is Directly Compared to Jesus Christ Throughout the novel "a prayer for Owen Meany," by John Irving, the main character is portrayed as a very religious martyr. In the Christian faith Jesus Christ is a martyr as well. Although there are many differences between the life of Jesus, as depicted in the bible and Owen Meany, there are many similarities as well, so many in fact, that the reader is forced to ponder if these similarities are intentional. Jesus Christ was a miracle birth: he was born from a virgin. "The virgin will be with child and she will give birth to a son" - Matthew 1:23 To be born from virgin makes the child blessed because the mother is then untouched and pure. Owen Meany was also born from a virgin. "'You're saying Owen Meany was a virgin birth?' I asked Mr. Meany; he wouldn't look at me, but he nodded vigorously. ‘She was a virgin-yes!' he said" According to the bible if a women is with child, but is also
God allows Jesus to see how he is going to die and why he is going to die in order that Jesus knew how he would fulfil the will of God. Owen was similarly informed of his death, ironically at about the same age as Jesus (between 11 and 13, the bible isn't specific) when he reads his own name on the tombstone in the play. Both Jesus and Owen are informed, though dreams, how and when they were both going to die. They were also both given an opportunity to escape this fate. In fact Peter asks Jesus to run from the Roman's, to which Jesus replies "it is God's will for me to die." Similarly Hester begs Owen to not go to Vietnam, saying they could instead move to Canada and live there for the rest of their lives. Owen instead refuses, prepared to meet the plan God intended for him. This act of not running makes both Jesus and Owen a martyr; both having died to save people, both dying as well for their faith, both putting all their trust in