The Naive vs. The Knowledgeable

" I never killed anybody and I never developed an intense level of hatred for the enemy. Because my war ended before I even put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there. Only Phineas was never afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone.... All of them, all except Phineas, constructed at infinite cost to themselves these Maginot Lines against the enemy who never attacked that way - if he ever attacked at all; if he was indeed the enemy"(Knowles 204). This quote, said by Gene, is suggesting that at some point in our lives, we will all face the reality that the world is an evil place, filled with wicked beings; we will, one day, have to fight those beings. Although the text never actually showed who Gene's enemy was, while we can assume that it was either Finny, or himself, he defeated it before he even went to war. On the other hand, Phineas never defeated his enemy, because he didn't have one. Throughout the novel Phineas was portrayed as an innocent person believing that everyone was just as nice as he thought they were; he basically lived in his own little world, which causes me to believe that because Phineas was so innocent, he lost his life: " 'Investigating Finny's accident!'.... 'Well then, I fell out of a tree.' 'Why?'.... 'Leper was always the type when it came to details... He could of cleared the whole thing up.'.... 'I just don't care.'... 'We haven't got all the facts!' 'You get all your facts!' I had never seen Finny crying, 'You collect every f----ing fact there is in the world!' He plunged out the doors"(168 - 177). This quote shows that Finny didn't want to hear how Gene pushed him off because he does not want to believe it; if he does then his world would end up being a lie. If you don't believe that you have any enemies, you won't have any enemies.

Tone in A Seprate Piece

According to Dictionary.com, tone is: "A particular quality, way of sounding, modulation, or intonation of the voice as expressive of some meaning, feeling, spirit, etc."
Gene's tone in A Separate Piece is detached, dark and gloomy, this tone reveals his inner fears. His fear of not being accepted by his peers, his fear of not being good enough for Phineas, and his fear of being at war with himself. It is important that his tone reaveals his fear because fear is a major theme throughout the story.
Gene says, "The houses along Gilman street began to look more defensive, which meant that I was near the school, and then more exhausted which meant that I was in it" (Knowles 11). This description is dark, gloomy, and negitive. This description portrays the Devon school as somewhere to fear, which is exactly what Gene did. Gene feared Devon school. All he has feared has come from Devon.
Then later on in the story Gene says, ""Do you think I want to hear every glory detail! Shut up! I don't care!..."" (Knowles 151). Gene is rude and frustrated. The tone shows Gene the opposite way he is seen when he is with Phineas, instead of trying to please Phineas and be equal to him, Gene has this rough "I don't care" type of additude.
And lastly, Gene says, "I didn't want to hear any more of it. Not now or ever. I didn't care because it had nothing to do with me. And I didn't want to hear any more of it. Ever" (Knowles 151). Gene's tone here reveals his selfshness. Gene is not the most trustworthy person and can not be left alone even with his own thoughts.

Finny’s Decision

There is a particular scene in the book that shows that Phineas is our Chris Figure. In the courtroom scene when Brinker was trying to figure out what happened to cause Finny’s fall. In the “courtroom” Finny had a chance of finding out the truth. “Did my best friend purposely jounce the limb?”

“Phineas had been sitting motionless, leaning slightly forward, not far from the position in which we prayed at Devon (Knowles 172).” This is similar to Christ praying in the garden before he was crucified. In the garden Jesus was praying to God: “Take this cup from me (Bible).” Jesus prayed that there had to be another way to redeem man kind. When Phineas was in this position he was hoping that he wouldn’t have to reveal his doubts about his best friend. The actions show his relation to being a Christ figure.

“After a long time he turned and reluctantly looked at me. I did not return his look or move or speak (Knowles 172.” He looked at gene because he wanted to see it Gene was tired of the courtroom and if they should leave. This is also like Jesus looking to God for an answer as to what he should do. Jesus wanted to find a way around crucifixion and he was praying that God would give him an alternative but God was silent as was Gene.

“‘Leper’s here,’ he said in a voice so quiet, and with such quiet unconscious dignity, that he was suddenly terrifyingly strange to me (Knowles 172).” The quote reveals that Finny is trying to redeem Gene, by uncovering the truth.

The natural reaction to look for government ?

Is it a natural reaction to want organization for the human race? Organization is supposed to be the difference between regular animals and humans. Humans symbolize structure and animals symbolize chaos. You see the natural need for government in Lord of The Flies when Piggy immediately seeks organization by calling everybody with the conch for a meeting and asks for the boys to choose a leader.Why does he do that: human instinct. With a government though, comes the chaos of looking for that leader. In the book they form two different countries or groups the choir and the larger group.This usually doesn't work because the two leaders will always fight for more power and only one will come out on top. An example of this is President Andrew Jackson and the leader of the Cherokees. One ended up more powerful because two leaders can't co-exist without one overthrowing the other. Animals have a natural instinct for stability structure and government as well. An example of this is is the wolf pack there is always an alpha male who is in charge. As we see the animal instinct and the human instinct the is no difference between the two worlds because they both long for stability.

An Interesting Element To A Separate Peace

What struck me as an interesting affect was the explanation of Phineas’ fall. Binker [The Antagonist] was suspiciously concerned about how Phineas fell and he knew that Gene was climbing the tree with Phineas. Binker then skeptically adds, “there is a war on. Here’s one soldier [Phineas] our side has already lost. We’ve got to find out what happened (Knowles 168).” Then someone up on the platform says, “Just for the record, you agree, don’t you, Gene (Knowles 168)?” Gene knew then that he was being accused. After Binker finished his speech about him never forgetting how his friend got hurt, Gene points out, “You and I are two different people (Knowles 171).” Gene doesn’t want to be compared to Binker because he knows Binker is trying to accuse him of jouncing the limb. Then Gene replies, “Well of course no one’s accusing me --- (Knowles 171)”, with a hint of hesitation. "No, we're not accusing you," a boy on the platform said evenly, and then I [Gene] stood accused (Knowles 171)." Gene is left there with a feeling that he will soon fall...

Memories in the tree

One symbol that is used in A Separate Peace by John Knowles is a tree. I think that the tree symbolizes fear. "Looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear I had lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it" (Knowles 10.) Here, Gene is descibing his visit back to Devon after fifteen years. He realizes a certain fear. Then Gene begins mentioning this tree. "The tree was not only stripped by the cold season, it seemed weary from age, enfeebled, dry. I was thankful, very thankful that I had seen it. So the more things remain the same, the more they change after all-plus c'est la meme chose, plus ca change. Nothing endures, not a tree, not love, not even a death by violence" (Knowles 14.) Here, Gene is expressing the tree as something that never endures, or never continues to exist. Even after fifteen years, the tree still exists. Everything that happened on that tree...all of the "accidents", the laughs and most of all the memories are still there. Whether they be joyful memories...or fearful memories.

In chapters 6 and 7, multiple symbols appeared. Phineas tells Gene, "Listen, pal, if I can't play sports, you're going to play them for me."(Knowles 85) Phineas is almost telling Gene that he will have to give up his own life to become Phineas. When Gene was trying on Phineas's clothes, he talked about being a part of Phineas.(Knowles 62) This is symbolism because it lets readers know that at some point later in the story, Gene will have to become a part of Phineas or act like him.

In chapter 7 towards the end, Gene notes that Phineas is back. The way his tone is portrayed he makes it seem like by Phineas being back, he interfered with plans he had set out to have. Maybe those plans included something with the war. With Phineas back, it's almost as if now Gene can't avoid not becoming like Phineas

Is Finny A Christ Figure?

Phineas consistently shows that he is the Christ Figure. Phineas, just like Christ, was in agony because of he was paralyzed. He had everything in the world going for him. He had popularity, and a happy life. He may not have had the grades but he still pushed through it. But one ignorant act of the human heart ruined his athletic life.
Just as Jesus did, Finny tells many stories or- as the bible says- parables. "Well, in case suitors begin clamoring at the door, you can tell them I'm wearing this as an emblem...I was reading in the newspaper that we bombed Central Europe for the first time the other day" (Knowles 25). Finny has a natural talent for making up stories, and in a very short time. And, no matter how ridiculous it is, his peers believe him.
Finny has a pure heart, soul and mind. He doesn't want to hurt anyone and he doesn't want to believe there is anything wrong in this world, he paints the world in a prettier color than it really is.
Phineas is humble when it comes to sports. He is not interested in titles, he cares about being able to play, the results don't matter, he believes that everyone wins in sports. To him there is never a losing team.

Characterization-A Separate Peace

In a Separate Peace by John Knowles, he creates dynamic characters. Knowles process of forming the charters in ASP is unique and not as explicit as other authors do. A theme that is formed is identity. Gene the protagonist is out to find what kind of person he is and what he is set out to do. Gene makes some bad decisions like jouncing the limb of the tree which took his best friends leg. "I spent as much time as I could alone in out room, trying to empty my mind of every thought, to forget where I was, even who I was...I decided to put on his clothes"(Knowles 62). Gene at this time forgets he is a smart, talented adolescent, and tries to emulate Phineas. Gene is in search of his identity and tries to be someone he’s not creating confusion in his life and also causing him to make mistakes.

The Naguamsett and the Devon... Gene and Phineas

"It was ugly, saline, fringed with marsh, mud and seaweed" (Knowles 76.) This quote from A Separate Peace uses symbolism to describe our main character, Gene, comparing him too the Naguamsett river. Compared to Phineas, Gene feels very insecure. Phineas is like this perfect, innocent person who hates no one, while Gene is filled with hate and competition. The Devon river eventually flows onto the Naguamsett river. While the Naguamsett river is symbolic of Gene, the Devon river is symbolic of Phineas. The Naguamsett river "... Was nothing like the fresh-water Devon above the dam where we'd had so much fun, all the summer" (Knowles 76.) In this quote, one can obviously point out the differences between the two rivers. The Naguamsett river was nothing like the Devon river, just as Gene was nothing like Phineas.

Analyzing "A Separate Piece"

- What does the setting contribute to the work?

~According to Thomas C. Foster in How To Read Literature Like A Professor, literary geography is about humans inhabiting spaces and spaces that inhabit humans.The setting in A Separate piece contributes to the story by revealing more about Gene. In the beginning of the story Gene is older and returns to his boarding high school Devon (Knowles 9-10) Gene visits the school because the school was one of the fearful places he wanted to see. When arriving there, Gene realizes how the schools look more sedate and new with a coat of varnish on the wood works. " Now here it was after all, preserved by some considerate hand with varnish and wax.( Knowles 9)" He implies how the coat of varnish covers up the school like a mask hiding a the past.

~During the time that Gene attends Devon school, World War 2 is going on." Perhaps the school wasn't as well kept up in those days; perhaps varnish, along with everything else, had gone to war." If the varnish were to symbolize a mask on the school and it had gone to war with everything else, than what would be left? In writing and literature class we discussed how if the varnish was a mask and it took good and everything with it to war then that would have to mean that only bad is left. This bad is the fear that Gene states throughout the story, " Fear had surrounded and filled the days , so much of it that I hadn't even known it was there. ( Knowles 9)"

Phineas- A Christ Figure

Phineas is a Christ figure because he is forgiving, doesn't truly accept corruption , and is betrayed by a close friend. Even though Phineas knows that Gene jounced the limb, he still says to Gene,"I believe you. It's okay because I believe you. It's okay because I understand and I believe you. You've already shown me and I believe you"(Knowles 191). Jesus forgave Peter when he told Christ to not sacrifice himself. Although Finny is aware of Gene's betrayal, he tells Gene, "Something just seized you. It wasn't anything you really felt against me, it wasn't some kind of hate you've felt all along"(Knowles 191). He refuses to believe that Gene could have jounced the limb with the intent to hurt him. He doesn't believe Gene is evil by nature. When Peter tells Jesus not to sacrifice himself, Jesus says,"Get behind me Satan "(New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures). Phineas is also betrayed by Gene when it's revealed to him that he shattered his leg."You want to break something else in me! Is that why you're here"(Knowles 184)! It is significant that Phineas is a Christ figure because the tone of A Separate Peace is somewhat dreary and melancholy with Gene as its narrator. With Phineas as the Christ figure, it brings light and hope to the story as he leads the other schoolboys. Essentially, he was "redeeming an unworthy world "(Foster 120).

Kinesthetic imagery in A Separate Peace

A Separate Peace is a beautifully written novel. The images used by the narrator, not only add a realistic touch to the story itself, but they also add a particular mood to the description. Readers feel what the narrator describes, and at the same time, get the clear image defined by the storyteller. Gene, the narrator, used kinesthetic imagery to emphasize how actions of characters adjust the plot of the story. This kind of imagery describes the sense of touch, temperature, movement and most importantly, feelings of characters in the novel.

One way in which the narrator used kinesthetic energy in the novel was, “The room was bitterly cold. I stood trembling in front of Phineas, still holding his crutches in place, unable to turn and face Binker and this joke he had gotten into his head, the catastrophic joke” (Knowles 107). The use of imagery in this quote highlights the tone of the situation. Gene’s plans of enlisting to the Army are forgotten as soon as Phineas comes back from the Hospital. Gene, always dreaming of superiority to Finny, pretends as if nothing changed. Afraid of Finny’s reaction, the boy gets stuck between confessing the truth and continuing his dishonesty. By stating, “the room was bitterly cold”, the narrator is not informing the readers about the temperature of the room. He, in fact, is demonstrating the result of the conversation on Gene, which forces frigid air into his personal bubble. The significance of this observation proves how Gene is unsure of himself, not even being aware his own feelings.

Feelings of the characters of the novel are again mentioned on page 128. “The sky is an empty hopeless gray and gives the impression that this is its eternal shade. Winter’s occupation seems to have conquered, overrun and destroyed everything, so that now there is no longer any resistance movement left in nature; al the juices are dead, every sprig of vitality snapped, and how winter itself, an old, corrupt, tired conqueror, loosens its grip on the desolation, receded a little, grows careless in his watch…” (Knowles 128). This quotation describes the wintertime at the Devon School. The narrator’s choice of words, create an immediate image in the mind of the reader. There is no hope, or happiness. Nothing is boisterous, showing some kind of life. The description gives readers a depressing mood, as if nothing is worth living for. Characters in the book get a similar feeling. It is only Phineas, who adds a twist, by deciding to boost the school spirit up, creating the very first Winter Carnival. This proves that nothing can let Phineas down, not even his peers being overpowered with the depressing feeling of winter.

Another image that the author uses in A Separate Peace, is in chapter 13. “ The old trees surrounding it all were intensely meaningful, with a message that was very pressing and entirely indecipherable. Here the road turned to the left and became dirt. It proceeded along the lower end of the playing fields, and under the pale night glow the playing fields swept away from me…” (Knowles 186). This part of the book is emotional, being one of the climaxes of the story. The image of a life without Phineas, presents Gene with an understanding of his life. The lives of both boys are changed drastically one summer day, when Gene purposely jounces a limb causing Finny to become a cripple forever. Gene realizes that, “I alone was a dream, a figment which had never really touched anything. I felt that I was not, never had been and never would be a living part of this overpoweringly solid and deeply meaningful world around me” (186).

Response to a Separate Peace

So far Phineas has been then perfect character and he possesses traits that his best friend Gene lacks. Phineas has an easy-going attitude. He has the ability to attract everyone he comes in contact with, and they always get a positive vibe from him. Around Finny, people tend to act out of character. They are bubbly and are more vibrant. And Gene envies Finny because of this. "Phineas was going to get away with even this... Mr. Patch Withers' laughter suprised us all, including imself. His face, whose shades we had often labeled, nnow achieved a new one. Phineas was very happy; sour and stem Mr. Patch Withers had been given a good laugh for once, and he had done it! He broke nito the charmed, thougtless grin of a man fulfilled"(Knowles 28). The day he was sure to get into trouble for using the school belt as a tie, nothing happened. Gene was upset because he had been looking forward to Finny getting reprimanded, but it never happened.
Gene was envious of Finny, but mainly for one reason. "It was hypnotism, I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything. I couldn't help but envy him that alittle, which was perfectly normal. There was no harm in envying your best friend a little"(Knowles 35). Gene is saying that being sinful is okay(sometimes). He lies and values money, but throughout the whole book, he has envied Finny. He's saying that envy is a sin that will drive you to do spiteful things. Being envious of Finny gives Gene a hard time finding himself. When Finny was in the infirmary, and Gene put on his clothes, he would always know who he is. "But when I looked in the mirror it was no remote aristocrat I had become, no character out of daydreams. I was Phineas, Phineas to the life. I even had his humorous expression in my face, his sharp optimistic awareness. I had no idea why this gave me such an intense relief, but it seemed, standing there in Finny's triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble through the confusions of my own character again"(Knowles 62). Gene felt like he was apart of Finny, when he put on Finny's clothes he saw himself as Finny. But also saw himself. He would have no trouble finding his character again, he knew now who Gene was.
When Phineas died, Gene had no one to be envious of. Phineas killed perfection when he died. "I never killed anybody and I never developed an intense level of hatred for te enemy. Because my war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there(Knowles 204). Gene didn't develop an advanced level of hatred but he always felt malive towards Finny. When he was gone, there was no point in him crying at the funeral. He wasnted to be like him and sometimes Gene tried to be better, but he did hate him to a certain extent. There's no envy left in Gene. Finny's death brought out the goodness in him. Gene benefitted from his best pal, Finny's death.

A seprate Peace

A seprate peace is a literary novel about the human heart and that which can inhabit it. Envy is one of it's strongest yet one of the ugliest, a emotion that Gene had twords his best friend Finny."He had gotten away with everything. I felt a sudden stab of dissappointment. That was because I just wanted to see some more excitement; that must be it(28),"this is an example of Genes denail of his darker side his uglier emotions for Finny. Before I continue talking about Gene I will tell you about Phineas, he is a pure and simple charachter what you see is what you get "Only Phineas never was afraid, only Phineas never hated anyone." Like the Devon river Finny was pure,clean, almost innocent and never had a synister ounce in him ad most important thing was that he believed in Gene and himself making him invincable and not afriad. On page 204 "In a way this was Finny's view, except he saw is in a comically, as a huge and intensly practical joke, played by fat and foolish old men bungling away behind the scenes" this is the way Finny looked at the world it was so comically. If you have noticed that I have been using past trence for Finny then your guess is right Fin is dead and it took less than a page to announce his death and funaral, it is so ghost like how Gene went through the whole day no the whole process of Finny's second fall. This happened on the last chapter of the novel.

Gene's War for Peace

An aspect of the setting in Knowles' novel A Separate Peace, World War II, mirrors Gene's complex internal struggles.

Gene's envy for Phineas often fogs his narration of the novel. "I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything. I couldn't help but envy him a little, which was perfectly normal. There was no harm in envying your best friend a little" (Knowles 25). This quotation reveals Gene's dishonesty as the narrator because he is lying to himself. Gene really envies Phineas a lot. And a narrator that cannot even be truthful to himself will probably incompletely tell the story of someone they envy.

Gene also has a great deal of self-loathing. "If I was the head of the class and won that prize, we would be even..." (Knowles 52). Gene often scolds himself and devises plans (as shown in the preceding quotation) because of his insecurities. He is always comparing himself to Finny, and attempting to outdo him. And whenever Finny achieves something great, like breaking Devon Academy's swimming record, Gene wonders how he can defeat Finny, instead of congratulating his "best friend".

Another complexity in Gene's struggle is shown in the quotation, "You did hate him for breaking the swimming record, but so what?" (53). Gene just admitted that he hated his best friend then shrugs it off by saying "but so what?" as if it was nothing. As if he was scared to face the truth, and just wanted to do away with it. Gene's character does not really develop throughout the novel because he doesn't allow himself to; instead of facing his reality, he tries to hide it under a coat of varnish. But, putting up a facade doesn't get rid of the problems. If anything, it makes them worse. Gene's bottled-up envy sits inside of him and bubbles until one day, he had to resort to violence to unleash his anger.

Gene jounced the limb of the tree just as Finny was about to jump off, resulting with Finny paralyzed and unable to play sports again. In a twisted way, Gene was happy that he made Finny fall. Now, he wouldn't have any competition. He could finally enjoy his scholastic rewards. and, with the help of Finny, train for the Olympics. Now, Gene's life is great. As long as no one chips the varnish...

A Separate Peace

Finny can be described as Christ figure because in Knowles John, A Separate Peace, states "Phineas in exaltation balancing on one foot on the prow of a canoe like a river god, his raised arms invoking the air to support him, face transfigure body a complex set of balances and compensations, each muscle aligned in perfection, his skin glowing from immersions, his whole body hanging between river and sky as though he had transcended gravity." (75). Also, Thomas C. Foster, How To Read Literature Like a Professor, states that a character that has self-sacrificing, disciples, wounded or marked in the hands, feet, or side can have the characteristic of a Christ figure (119,122). Finny is self-sacrificing because his leg is injured and he can't play any sports or be able to go to war. And he is helping Gene with sports so he can make it to the Olympics. Gene can be considered his disciple and now he is wounded in the legs and is paralyzed.

Conflicts in A Separate Peace

In John Knowles, A Separate Peace a very important symbol is World War 2. The war symbolizes conflicts, the fight against oneself and other. So far the war has shown up several times and has affected many. For example when Leaper comes back from war he is traumatized. Now that Finny is paralyzed and is not able to walk he won’t be able to be in the war, something has been preparing for, for a long time. The war is a big motif n ASP. Little wars/conflicts arise not due to war but because of things that lead to war such as envy and hate. Gene (Finny's best friend) envies Finny’s athleticism. Gene has his strengths but isn't satisfied because he believes that in order to be even with Finny he needs to be better. So even though he has the brains he also wants to be athletic something Finny was basically perfect at. Gene lacks originality because of this and also has created a little war between him and Finny. Gene has now eliminated his competition (Finny) by pushing Finny of the tree. So Genes envy has not only hurt his best friend but has also hurt him. Gene's friendship with Finny is slowly drifting apart, but will Gene allow this to continue?

In A Separate Piece Gene , our narrator , seems to be envious of another major charter , Finny , like when he said. " i was beginning to notice that finny could get away with anything. i became envious that a little. which is perfectly normal (pg.25). he also jousted the tree branch. crippling Finny.

Can Phineas the handsome, taunting,daredevil, athlete be a Christ figure?

According to How to Read Literature Like A Professor for a character to be a Christ like figure they have to have some similarities to Jesus. The first reason Phineas is a Christ Figure is that like Jesus, Phineas was in agony. I know this because he says "I have suffered"(Knowles 16). Another similarity to Jesus that Phineas has is that he uses humble modes of transportation. An example of that is when he and Gene went to the beach he used a bike. A third similarity is that Jesus is portrayed with arms outstretched and so was Phineas when "[Phineas] raised his arms invoking the air to support him" on the bridge. Another example that Phineas is like Jesus is that he has disciples which are the people who always follow what he does just like when Phineas invented Blitzkrieg. Gene one of his many disciples betrays him by jouncing the limb which causes Phineas to shatter his leg just like Judas betrayed Jesus by identifying Jesus in public by kissing him which caused Jesus to be arrested by the Romans and later crucified. The fourth example that Phineas is a Christ Figure is the fact that like Jesus, Phineas also was known to spend time in the woods like when Gene found him snowball fighting.(Knowles 86) My final example is that after saving Phineas from his guilt by letting the truth out about how he shattered his leg he dies, just like how Jesus died after saving he saved the world from sin.

Was it really Gene's fault?!?...

I understand that Gene has felt jealousy towards Phineas, but maybe he had decided to seek out his own sense of revenge. After the jouncing of the limb, Gene comments with, "It was the first 'clumsy' physical action I had ever seen 'him' make.(Knowles 60)" He makes the reader confused as to why it should be Phineas' fault for his actions. Maybe Gene believed that Phineas "couldn't ever fall down(symbolically and literally)",but he did which stormed a blast shock into Gene's realization. Yet still, Gene doesn't want to take the blame for Phineas' fall and ends the chapter saying, "With unthinking sureness I moved out on the limb and jumped into the river, every trace of my fear of this forgotten.(Knowles 60)" Why would Gene, after just jouncing his "best friend" off a limb of a tree and hearing that "...unnatural thud.", want to forget every trace of his fear at that just happened?! Is it his guilty conscience or does he really believe it wasn't his fault???

A Seprate Peace (Leper)

It struck me at this moment the answer to what does fighting for your country mean, it means dieing a death that would soon be forgotten, dieing a death covered with glamor made to seem like you died a saint in a holy army. On army commercials they state"There's strong and the there's is army strong", but what of those people drawn in by false awe at the "brotherhood" and "peaceful smiles" of the army only to find out the bloody truth of what the army and war is really like, people like Leper. On page 9 where it says "perhaps varnish, along with everything else, had gone to war", though Gene is being witty he bring forth an interesting claim. Varnish is a shiny coating of preservation so in a way it's like a wolf in a sheep's mask meaning that the illusion of safty peace is gone ; a mask being pulled off. To wrap this statement up this means perhapses all the good left to go to war leaving a void of fear and ugly truths that is what made Leper go crazy his innocence being stripped away forcing his eyes open onto an ugly reality.

Is Gene a trustworthy narrator???

In A Separate Peace our narrator Gene isn't the most trustworthy person.He is jealous of his best friend Phineas, and this clouds his vision on who Finny really is. Also Gene doesn't have a high opinion of himself, he doubts himself and is constantly comparing himself to Phineas.Gene says, "I was beginning to see that Phineas could get away with anything. I couldn't help envying him that a little, which was perfectly normal. There was no harm in envying even your best friend a little."(Knowles 25)

In the previous quote the reader not only sees that Gene is envious of Phineas but Gene also tries to justify his jealousy by saying that it was normal to be jealous of your best friend. Then later on Gene says, "He had not been jealous of me for a second. Now I knew that there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us.I was not of the same quality as he."(Knowles 59)

This quote shows Gene comparing himself to Phineas and deciding that Phineas was better than him.

Now does this sound like a trustworthy narrator to you? Someone who can't even be trusted with his own thoughts.

Final Chapter Reflection/Response

The final chapter in A Prayer For Owen Meany was full of surprises. John finally figures out who his biological father is which is Rev.Miller. In this chapter Rev.Miller talk about how he feels guilty for Johns mother death. He states that at the scene of the death minutes before it had happened he had prayed to god that he wished Tabitha would just drop dead. Rev.Miller talks about how he had a hatred towards Tabitha because she was the one who decided to cut of their " Fling" although he wanted to stay with her and leave his wife and children. At that part of the story I felt that Rev.Miller should be ashamed of himself. How does a priest want to leave his wife and children to be with another women? Is that just a sin? This is a little similar to Owens reason for killing Tabitha, both Rev.Miller and Owen believe that they were gods instrument.

What Does the Title Mean?

"There's a prayer I say most often for Owen.... 'INTO PARADISE MAY THE ANGELS LEAD YOU'.... I am always saying prayers for Owen Meany(Irving, 616). The title of the book, "A Prayer for Owen Meany", implies that John has been saying prayers for Owen ever since he died, but why would he do that? After Owen dies, John said that he now has faith, that because of Owen's "miracle", that he believes. Owen had put faith in John, to become religious, so he started saying his prayers. But why would you continue to pray,"O God - please give him back! I shall keep asking you"(617). Why does John pray to God to give Owen back? Because he had special characteristics that no one else had! Owen (1) had strong faith, (2) was brave/courageous, (3) was compassionate and sacrificial, (4) was forgiving, and most important of all (5) he was a good friend. In the book, who else is any of these things? No one. All of the characters don't have at least one of these traits, they lack at least one of these traits. For example, Owen was brave/courageous. Rev. Merill was not courageous in claiming John as his son, John was not courageous in looking for his father, and Tabby was not courageous with all of her lies. The list goes on and on with what the characters of this novel lack, and not what they have in terms of good qualities. "O God- please give him back! I shall keep asking you." Please God, for John's sake give him back, for he will not meet another person like Owen ever again.

A Separate Peace

The Devon Scool is an all boys school in New Hampsire, and the two main characters that boarded at Devon is Phineas and Gene. Phineas is very noncholant and impulsive. He attracts everyone he meets and hardly has any enemies besides Gene. But it's weird because in my opinion Finny known that Gene doesn't like him but he calls Gene his best pal. Gene wants to be above Phineas, he wants to prove to Phineas that he is better than him. But he even admitted that Phineas is over higher quality than him, so there was no point in creating conflict. Gene doesn't know how to be his own person, everything Finny tells Gene to do, Gene does it, even though sometimes he disagrees with what he's condoning. He hates the consequnces that cones with it, such as failing on quizzes and missing homework assignments. Finny has a natural glow, and whenever he walks, he has a certain flow to him. This comes with suspicion that Finny could be a Christ figure. He's perfect, described to have a "natural glow", and when him and Gene were coming from the beach, Gene said that he was a copper color. And perceivably, the bible says that God had bronzed skin, and hair of wool. Implying that he is African-American. When Gene jounced the limb, Finny to fell out of the "special" tree. Impulsively, Gene followed. He lost all of his fear when he jumped. But it didn't make any sense, why would he purposefully shake the limb knowing that Finny would fall, then try and jump to his rescue. Gene is not a trustworthy narrator. He focuses a lot on Finny's character, and possibly he is trying to change his ways to be like Phineas.

The Naguamsett and Devon River

After a class discussion, I now believe that the Naguamsett River represents Gene and the Devon River represents Phineas. The Devon is depicted as being pure and refreshing, but the Naguamsett is "something else entirely"(Knowles 86). It is saline and murky. Gene had to take a shower after being baptized in the river. Much like the Devon, Phineas is pure. He is oblivious of corrupt things, such as war and loss. On the other hand, Gene is depressingly insecure. He is usually talking about fear and war. He immersed in the corruptions of his world. The characters are complete opposites, yet are still somewhat loyal to one another.

John Knowles...

"But one which seemed to interrupt the beating of my heart" (82)

"To become part of Phineas" (85)

"I put on a pair of chocolate brown slacks, a pair which Phineas had been particularly critical of when he wasn't wearing them" (86)

"Definite and substantial buttocks" (87)

"Who discovers a sexual secret of yours and promises not to tell a soul" (90)

"I couldn't keep from staring at him" (94)

All of these quotes from A Separate Peace lead to one specific question: Does Gene like Phineas more than just a friend? Surprisingly, the answer is NO. In Literature class, when I asked Mr. McNamar this very question, he explained that one of John Knowles' readers who had a chance to converse with the author, actually asked him about Gene's feelings. It turns out that the boys have no deep feelings for one another, even though the author makes it so believable. John Knowles' novel isn't about a relationship between two boys. The narrator is trying to trick his readers. He succeeds efficiently. Now...the next question is: How else will John Knowles trick most of us?

It is All About Finny!

As the novel progresses Finny's characteristics show him being in agony, just as Christ was. Finny is now paralyzed and trying to hide the fact that he is suffering such a great loss. Phineas was always good at sports and just having all the athletic characteristics, now he is nothing. He is trying to live his life through Gene. "' Well I was. And know I'm not sure, not a hundred percent sure I'll be completely, you know, in shape by 1944. So I'm going to coach you instead.'" How long can Phineas continue to protect himself from reality? He doesn't want to believe all this hatred could exist. Finny is immune to anything realistic, he is in a world all by himself. Is being so hidden under a fantasy varnish going to help him survive?

The last of Owen Meany

God was always present in this novel from the beginning to the end, giving clues, foreshadowing what's going to happen next. At Tabby's wedding Owen gave her a Gravestone, which was used as a door stop this gift had her date of death on it. Shockingly Tabby died from the baseball Owen hit, John says at the wedding"the hail is as hard as a baseball" foreshadowing Tabby's death. Owen died in Vietnam saving children in which he had envisioned years ago at a Christmas pageant playing the ghost of Christmas future. The role he had was given was given by fate he played the ghost of the future and foretold his own future. Then the clue when Owen opened Reverend Wiggins desk with a blank expression finding out who Johns father was(he wrote in the diary where the proof rest's). I realized all of this when God, or so John thought, spoke to him in Owens voice finally revealed the identity of his father. In my opinion I think God sent Owen to possess the Reverend because Owen truly is a Christ figure.

A Separate Peace

"He had never been jealous of me for a second. Now I knew that there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us. I was not of the same quality as he." (59)

In the early chapters of A Separate Peace, readers get the apparent characteristic traits of intellectuals presented by the author of the novel, John Knowles. Phineas, the handsome athlete, not spectacularly built, has the power to get away with basically anything. His charm overpowers the wrong. The boy is exactly five feet eight and a half inches tall, and weights a hundred fifty pounds. Sports are his life. With his intelligence, Phineas both invents the game of blitzball and creates the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session. In general, Finny is a daredevil. On the other hand, Phineas' best friend, Gene, is the total opposite of him. Gene is more lonely, and cautious. Gene, five feet nine inches, and 140 pounds is an excellent academic student. The boy is more of a follower, closely watching his best friends footsteps. From the beginning, he wants to be superior to Finny.

Johnny's Found Father

" 'Father?' I said.
'Forgive me, my s-s-s-son!' Said the Rev. Lewis Merrill.' (Irving 543) "

Johnny was disappointed that his father was Rev. Merrill because of his lack of faith. Merrill had lost all his faith and refused to believe that Owen showed Johnny who his father is, but in all Rev. Merrill had lost all faith after Tabby died. He didn't accept the miracle of Owen's voice speaking to Johnny through him but he told Johnny about the "tired story" of what happened between him and Tabby.
He lost his faith the day of the Little League game; Mr. Merrill prayed that Johnny's mother would drop dead and a moment later Owen's foul ball killed her. Pastor Merrill and Tabby had an affair while Tabby had been singing as the "Lady in Red". He lusted after Tabby thinking he could leave his sad miserable life, but that couldn't be achieved and that shamed him. At the game when Tabby waved at him with no sign of reproach he hated her for it and when she died he was daft enough to believe that God had "listened" to his fervent prayer for Johnny's mother to drop dead. After he lost his faith, he insolently thought that God had turned away from him. Johnny is "moved to do great evil" at the disappointment of who his father is and how hypocritical his father was.

The Life You Save May Be Your Owen

The chapter of this pasage is called The Life You Save May Be Your Own. The main Character's of this story are Mr. Shiftlet, Lucynell, and the old woman, Lucynell's mother. As Mr. Shiflet approaches the desolate home of Lucynell and her mother, the old woman could see, even H from a distance, that he was a "tramp and no one to be afraid of".The text states,"He had long black slick hair that hung flat from a part in the middle to beyond the tips of his earrs on either sid. His face descended in forehead for more than half its length and ended suddenly with his features just balanced over a jutting steeltrap jaw. He seemed to be a young man but he had a look of composed dissatisfaction as if he understood life thorougly." One would agree that Mr. Shiftlet is an experienced and exposed man who is serious when it comes to business and conning. On pages146-147 he seems especially intersted in the car, Lucynell owns. The problem, with what Mr. Shiftlet assumes to a 1928 or 1929 Ford, is it stopped running 15 years ago. There is something that is very secretive and conviving about this man. When the mother asks him where he's from he ignores her. Does he bring danger? Is it his past that has wounded him? As the passage countinues I begin to ask myself what is his purpose for visting this family of women and I begin to doubt his intensions. The passage says, " He asked her what she thought she was made for but she didn't answer, she only sat rocking and wondered if a one- armed man could put a roof on her garden house. He asked a lot of questions that she didn't answer." We find that he is supposedly 28 years old; And he had a varied life. He was a gospel singer, a foreman on the railroad, an assistant in an undertaking parlor, and he fought and bled in the Arm Service for his country. We can assume that Mr. Shiflet has seen a lot in his 28 years of living. I commend Flannery O' Conner for her great imagery descriptions and characterizations for characters. Then we find that in the passage Lucynell, who is deaf, and Mr. Shiflet, get married. However, you could tell he did not want to be married to a girl who had mental disabilties. After the marriage ceremony, the newly married went out on their honeymoon where Mr. Shiflet left Lucynell in a restaurant abandoned in the middle of nowhere. However, he got what he wanted since the beginning. He conned the mother and he got a car. On his way to nowhere he picked up a kid who was running away and was to intentionally give the boy the Lucynell to adopt. To his surprise the boy jumped out of the car. Did he die or did he live? We do not know; But to save himself from any trouble Mr.Shiftlet drove away hastily away from the scene.

wordiness in Ms. Hart's class

This week in Ms. Hart's class, we discussed the topic of wordiness in our writing. This lesson was helpful. Being wordy, or redundant breaks the main rule in writing... Keep your writing as clear and simple as possible. Another rule we discussed was not to write just to fill up line space. This can create repetitiveness, which can make your audience bored (they are basically reading the same thing over and over again). So, writing isn't about quantity, it is about quality. I was surprised when Ms. Hart told us a small tip for the SATs...On the verbal section, when coming across the question: choose the best way to write this sentence... choosing the shortest sentence can almost guarantee you to score in the 90th percentile... so, short and clear is the way to go! Time to fix my essay...

All about sex

Chapter 16 and 17 in How to Read Literature Like a Professor suggest that life is all about the sex... except sex. While Thomas C. Foster started off chapter 17 demanding the reader to write a sex scene, I wondered... How does one write such a thing? But lets go back a little. In chapter 16, Foster suggests that curtains blowing in the wind, bowls, trains, and even keys are symbolic of sexual intercourse. On page 136, Foster mentions the Grail Legends in the twentieth century. A knight is on a quest for a chalice... according to Foster, the chalice is symbolic of female sexuality: the empty vessel waiting to be filled. This then leads us to realize that the message trying to be conveyed here is fertility. So, writing a sex scene can be as subtle as adding curtains blowing in the wind, as does in The Maltese Falcon (1941), or as simplistic as adding keys being put in a bowl. Although, adding violent wrestling could be done, too. Our generation has grown up in a world that is filled with sex. Both in the media and society. The outfits and music videos of Lady Gaga tell us that this is the ideal way to be... Lines like "I wanna take a ride on your disco stick" (Love Game.) So, Like Foster mentions on page 151, you cant really write about modern life without writing about sex... it is almost impossible to skip.

Chapter 8 Reflection/Response

This chapter has challenged my views on Owen. In the chapter Owen reveals to John his dream about dying ( Pg 473-474). He tells john that there's an explosion and it cause him to be blown to the ground. When he opens his eyes Owen states that there are Vietnamese children standing around him looking at him in a worried way. A nun then comes and picks up Owens body and begins to do the sign of the cross on him, Owen tries to stop her but nothing happens.. The nun places Owen on a ground and Owen describes how his spirit rose from his body to the point where he could actually see himself.

John's reaction to this is like all the others( Pg 475): " Its just a dream Owen, nothing is going to happen."

Owen explains how he feels as if this dream is going to come true because he believes that he is "Gods Instrument". Owen also states the fact that John is in his dream too so that would mean that John will soon be drafted into the army.

Both John and Owen don't like the fact that John will soon be drafted into the army, so to prevent that from happening they plan on cutting off one of Johns' finger. This began to get me thinking, why would Owen try to sabotage his dream if he believes that his dream is fate?

We discussed in class that Owen probable does this so that John will not be in the dream, even though Owen knows that he is going to die he probably does not want John to be at the scene where his death takes place. Then again, if he chooses to take the chance of sabotaging his dream to save John, then why does he not do so for himself?

Owen Meany has a dream about how he is going to die. Usually his dreams/visions come true. How is that you may ask yourself? Well Owen Meany is portrayed as a Christ Figure. In How to Read Literature like a Professor a Christ figure is explained and Owen Meany meets many of the qualifications to becoming one. Owen Meany’s dream seems to be not coming true as he decides to cut John’s finger off so he doesn't join the war. John is significant to Owen’s dream because he is in the scene in which Owen dies. The scene takes place in the war as Owen saves children making him a hero. Is Owen’s dream really just a dream or will it come true? Owen has had connections with the devil and GOD for example when he supposedly sees the angel of death and his religious beliefs are very strong. So there is a slight possibility that the dream might come true. Owen has really built up the plot of the story and at first didn't seem like the main character but now he is. Will it just be the end for John as well if Owen dies because Owen has also carried John through all the tough times.

Three Major Themes in A Prayer For Owen Meany

The three major themes in A Prayer For Owen Meany are: Christ, death, and sex. Quite a combination I would say. Using Foster's list on how to identify a Christ figure, in How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Owen seems to be portrayed as a Christ figure or an angel. He has the wounds: his height and voice, he was in agony, he's self-sacrificing, he was employed as a carpenter (to some extent), he is often characterized with arms outstretched, he has "believed to have had a confrontation with the devil, possibly tempted," (Foster, 119) and he is also very forgiving. As for death, it continues to reoccur. Owen believes he has seen the angel of death, (on pgs. 101 & 102), also Owen kills John's mother, Tabby with what Owen calls, "THAT FATED BASEBALL," not to mention the death of Sagamore; Mr. Fish's dog. As for sex, that also continues to reappear. From Johnny having feelings for his cousin Hester, to Johnny kissing Hester and enjoying it, to Owen and Hester flirting and Owen taking her panties, to the point where Owen and Hester are dating and eventually living together as man and wife. And, because Owen and Hester are living together as man and wife, people such as Johnny,Noah, and Simon begin to suspect that they have had sex. This sex theme even progresses to the point where Johnny and Owen end up at a strip club called, "Old Freddy's" (on pg. 343) But, as Thomas C. Foster says in How to Read Literature Like a Professor, "It's all about sex...except for sex."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TO BE CONTINUED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Dream and The Finger-Chapter 7&8

Owen deliberately saws off Johnny's finger so that Johnny isn't allowed to be drafted into the army. What some might not see is that there is more to this little amputation... Owen begins to talk about his dream more and says to Johnny, "I WASN'T GOING TO TELL YOU THIS---I DIDN'T WANT TO WORRY YOU---BUT YOU'RE IN THE DREAM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU COULD BE IN IT, BUT YOU ARE---EVERYTIME, YOU'RE IN IT (pg 508)." Then there's the evidence at the end of chapter 7 where Owen says, "---AND NOW A DREAM HAS SHOWN ME HOW I'M GOING TO DIE. I'M GOING TO BE A HERO (pg 416)!" , that shows how Owen dies will make him a hero. We hear that Owen is also working as a Casualty Assistance Officer in an army base in Arizona and what he refers himself as is a Body Escort. Come to think of it, Owen's dream may be about him in war, but Johnny might be there as well...? But what would Johnny be doing is the question? Owen made it clear before he cut off Johnny's finger that, "THE ARMY REGULATION DOESN'T STATE THAT BEING RIGHT-HANDED OR LEFT-HANDED MATTERS---BUT YOU'RE RIGHT-HANDED, AREN'T YOU (pg 507)?" Then Owen goes on to call Johnny's right finger his "TRIGGER FINGER" which got me thinking that if an only if Johnny was in Owen's dream, than Johnny would be the one who pulls the trigger,and kills Owen, with his "TRIGGER FINGER". The thing is, Johnny's finger is gone now so does that mean Owen's dreams will change, or maybe still be the same?

Geography in APFOM

As the title of chapter 19 in How to Read Literature Like a Professor says "Geography Matters."

The geography in A Prayer For Owen Meany plays a large role. Owen Meany's family is in the granite business, granite happens to symbolize death. Death as well plays a large role in the novel. The name of the town is Gravesend. Grave is obviously related to death, and gravestones in A Prayer for Owen Meany are made by the Meany family granite company. In How to Read Literature Like a Professor on page 164, Thomas C. Foster says, "And we feel that those novels and stories couldn't be set anywhere but where they are, those characters couldn't say the things they say if they were uprooted and planted in, say Minnesota or Scotland" ( Foster, 164. ) The same thing applies in A Prayer For Owen Meany. If Owen were not from Gravesend, New Hampshire it wouldn't be as great a deal that he is in the granite business and makes gravestones, because he wouldn't be the only one in town that doesn't come from a family who help found Gravesend.

THE DREAM

In chapter 7, The Dream, it says Owen had a dream. The dream asserts Owen, how he is going to die by being a hero. In his dream, Owen is at war in Vietnam as a 1Lt. He dies because he saves the lives of the Vietnamese children. Now he knows four things. He knows that his voice is not going to change, but he still doesn't know why. He knows that he is God's instrument. He also knows when he's going to die and now his dream has hinted him how his going to die. Later on in the text, Owen reveals his diary to John. John finds out, what the dream is all about. Owen dies in the arms of a nun, as a 1Lt. Owen's vision had been real, because when he was little, he saw his full name in his own gravestone. It said, "1Lt Paul O. Jr. Meany."

"DONT BE AFRAID"

"DO NOT BE AFRIAD" ,for there is nothing to fear but fear itself. Owen is a luentenent in Arizona and war is taking a toll as the numbers of soldiers that are in Vietnam increases. Hester and Johnny are afraid of the future and what will happen next,what fate has in store for them is a mystery but all I know is that Owne knows his fate and is prepared to face it. John is now majoring in english literiture and has been living a good life until he got drafted,now he's looking for every way to not be sent to war. Juring Owens previouse visit he took Hester and John to the attic they all played in as kids, he was inspired to go there by the quote"Cowards die many times before their deaths;the valiant never taste death but once.... Of all the wonders that I have yet heard it seems to me the most strange that manshould fear;seeing that death,a necessary end,will come when it will come." In this attic they form a cicle where Owen says"DONT BE AFRAID",which means dont be afraid of the future meaning te attic symbolizes the past. They being there would mean that they are going to break from the past so that the can live for the future. Owens next visit is to cut off Johns trigger finger which symbolizes Johns indecision in life. This is to help John not get into the army; at this time John learns that he is in Owens dream of saving vietnamies children and dieing as first luitenant and a hero.

A Prayer For Owen Meany

In Chapter eight, The Finger, we start to explore how Mary Magdalene is a metaphor of Tabitha Wheelright. On page 450 in "A Prayer For Owen Meany", in the first paragraph, it says "Mary Magdalene watched over us; we could feel her silent encouragement". Another thought was that she could relate to Hester, but when Owen re-creates the statue of Mary Magdalene, she is now granite,(which is related to death, and Hester is not dead) just like Tabitha's tombstone. He makes her look like she is ascending from the grave, which Owen says is the definition of a Saint; an emblem of immortality. Mary Magdalene also symbolizes Tabitha because the statue of Mary Magdalene after Owen decapitates her and cuts off her arms, portrays the dress dummy, he put Tabitha on the stage at the school. The statue was tall, and appeared to be watching over them.
In Chapter eight, I got the feeling that John Wheelright was transforming into a Christ figure. Christ was a carpenter, and John begins to work in Uncle Alfred's lumber business. But once Owen comes back, he wants to work at the granite quarry. Owen doesn't seem like he's happy that John wants to be with him at the quarry, that's why he prolongs his job in the shop, taking the orders of tombstone because he doesn't think that job is fit for John.
When they were children, Owen would tie a rope onto him so when he went swimming in the lake he would be able to come back up easily, but one time the rope came back up by itself. No one jumped in to see if Owen Meany was okay, they didn't even call for help, they just stood watching and the still, silent lake. When Owen Meany finally surfaced, he was angry that no one tried to save him. I'M ALREADY DEAD! said Owen Meany. On page 491 at the very bottom Mr Fish explains to Owen that cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once. Why is death plural, you only die once..? Owen said he had already died when they were younger, when he is a grown man, he sees how he is going to die. This pertains to Owen because he "died". They never really happened but he has either felt near death, or has seen it.
Owen is always telling John that he wants to go "some place warm". I didn't quite understand what he was saying or hinting to John. At the end of Chapter eight, I realize that some place warm for Owen is Heaven. In his dream he saves the Vietnamese children, he is in the arms of a nun, he can see all this because he said he "just leaves", but his body is still there.
Not only does sex play a big role in John's character, but there is a lot of geographic/metaphoric language in "A Prayer For Owen Meany". There are a lot of symbols and people being replaced by an object, or mainly, a religion.

Gender roles.Can they be switched?

"If you loved me,Owen!If you loved me,you wouldn't go-.You wouldn't go if you loved me( Irving,John pg.176)"This is what Hester says to Owen right after she "Wrestled him out of his chair--she held his head in the towel in a headlock and she lay on her side across his chest, pinning him to the kitchen floor, while she began to pound him in the face with the fist of her free hand(pg176)" This is a switch in gender roles because when you generally think of domestic violence, you think of the man beating up the women- not the other way around.In reality this type of violence shouldn't happen in a relationship.This is just one example gender roles being switched in the book. Another example of switched gender roles is a married couple, the Dowlings, because "their sexual roles might be so 'reversed' as to make childbearing difficult - and their attendance to Little League games was marked by a constant disapproval of the sport: that little girls were not allowed to play in the Little League was an example of sexual stereotyping that exercised the Dowlings' humorlessness and the fury.(pg. 240)"In this example the gender roles being switched is something appreciated by some, because its true some sports are only played by men, but that doesn't mean that women are incapable just that the men and women in this world think women can't.

A Prayer for the Devil

Owen Meany continues to prove to me that he is not a "Christ Figure". As this story progresses Owen evolves from a sweet funny little guy to a lazy student at the University of New Hampshire. He is losing the atom size of respect that I had for him. Even when John had to send his first Christmas away from his mother all Owen could think about was him not going to Sawyer Depot. (p.147) In chapter 6, when Owen confronts Mitzy Lish and and speaks to her in a derogatory way. He acted only off of his emotions when he spoke to her. I honestly can not wait for his "death date".

Could Johnny Be the Real Christ figure?

In my previous post, I listed the various characteristics that make Owen seem like a Christ figure. However, upon venturing the early pages of Chapter Eight, I discovered a new notion that might take this story for a spin. Could Johnny possibly be the savior of this story, instead of Owen?

In Chapter 8, "The Finger", the author gives you a more detailed glimpse of Johnny's present-day life. As mentioned in earlier chapters, Johnny grows up to be a teacher at an all-girls' school, and he enjoys entertaining his friends' kids at Loveless Lake, thus exemplifying that Johnny is good with kids.

Another connection dawned upon me after reading Johnny's grocery list on pages 423 to 424. Johnny lists fairly mundane items, until the end: "live bait", which reveals that Johnny liked to fish, just as Jesus did.

Johnny's parents share connections with Jesus' parents. Both Mary and Tabitha were not married when they got pregnant, and they wed after having their sons. And Jesus had an "earth dad", Joseph to take care of his physical needs, since his real father, God, could not fulfill them firsthand. Johnny had an adopted father, Dan Needham, who is like Johnny's Joseph, since Johnny doesn't know who his biological father is.

In class, we analyzed the importance of Owen cutting off Johnny's index finger on his right hand. Johnny was right-handed, so his index finger was his trigger finger; his decision finger. On the surface, it seems like Owen is just trying to keep his friend from going to Vietnam. However, Owen cutting off Johnny's index finger is a symbol; for, as we read in chapter twelve of How to Read Literature Like a Professor, "anything that seems like a symbol, most likely is" (Foster 97). Johnny losing his finger, his decision finger to be more exact, symbolizes indecisiveness. Up to this point in the novel, Johnny has not been making any decisions for himself. Instead, Owen tells him what to do. Going on a wild goose chase in Boston searching for Johnny's real father? Owen. Johnny's finger? Owen. Johnny moving in with Hester? Owen. Hence, Johnny is truly God's instrument, he doesn't decide anything for himself, so it's like his life is planned out for him; and Owen is simply his guide. I predict that Owen will die, and Johnny will realize the reason for his existence.

So, Johnny just might be the Christ figure of A Prayer for Owen Meany. But I believe the honor of the big title of Christ Figure will all come down to one last battle: who shall redeem our unworthy world?

Is It Fate, or Free Will...?

In chapter 7 of A Prayer For Owen Meany, Owen realizes 4 things: (1) that his voice doesn't change, but he doesn't know why; (2) he is God's instrument; (3) when and how he is going to die; (4) he will be a hero. He then says: "I trust that God will help me, because what I'm supposed to do looks very hard" (Irving 416). Owen believes in fate, that God has already planned his life, and his life follows it unwillingly, but is Owen's life completely based on fate? On the night of the play, A Christmas Carol, Owen "discovers" his name on his own grave, and since then he has found out that he will die a hero as first lieutenant. So what does Owen do? He gets kicked out of school and joins the army. Now wait a minute, you could say that the things Owen did were a result of fate, or a coincidence, but I think otherwise. Owen wants to believe that his life is fate-driven, so he chooses to do the things that he does to make his "destiny"/"fate" come true. Owen has had and always will have a choice of what he can and can't do, but there are just some things that don't make sense. For example, when Owen "interrupted" the Angel of Death and he was "appointed" to kill Johnny's mother. That could be explained as a coincidence when he hit the ball, and that Owen simply imagined that he saw the Angel of Death; or as fate because he interrupted Tabby's original death, so he was being punished by having to kill Tabby himself. In the end, Owen will die because either (a) the choices he made, or (b) it was his fate. It's all up to the reader.

The Dream

On the last page of chapter 7, Johnny reveals to us what Owen dream was about. In his dream he talks about how the night he was kicked out of school he had a dream, which made him know 4 things about him. One, was that he knew that his voice doesn't change (but he doesn't know why). Secondly, he notes that he knows that he is God's instrument. Third, he knows when he is going to die. Lastly, the dream showed him how he is going to die, a hero. He says the task looks like it is hard. Well does this mean that when he goes to war he is going to die? By being in war does that automatically make him a hero?

The Lady in Red

In chapter 7 of A Prayer for Owen Meany, Tabitha Wheelwright's scandalous past is revealed to us. The red dress she purchased from the store that supposedly burned down was her singing costume every Wednesday night. The store, Jerrold's, never burned down. The whole story was a lie. How does Johnny and Owen view her now that they now she is a liar? On page 347 it reveals, "I was trembling. My mother was a singer- in some joint! She was someone called "The Lady in Red"! She'd had a career-in nightlife! I looked at Owen; he appeared strangely at ease- he was almost calm, and he was smiling." Owen's loving view of Tabby will never change. He understands that all humans have flaws and he forgives her for those blemishes. He proves to be a Christ-like figure once again. On the other hand, John is conflicted by his mother's secret. It seems as if he feels betrayed by the lie.

Symbolism..

Dandelions

Voice

Little Lord Jesus

Baseball

Armadillo

Ghost of the Future/Present/Past

Visions

Dummy

God's Instrument

Angel

Without a doubt, A Prayer For Owen Meany is full of symbols and motif. In chapter 7, readers find out about the "Lady in Red." The question is, why exactly did Tabitha Wheelwright buy a RED dress from Jerrold's? Out of so many colors, why RED? First of all, red is known to have the most sensual associations out of all the colors. The more powerful the shade of the red is, the more energy is stimulated, and therefore red is often worn to draw lots attention to the object. John Irving made Tabitha's dress red for a reason. So was Tabitha trying to draw attention to herself by wearing a red dress? According to color-wheel-pro, the color red represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love. This might be another considerable clue for finding out who John's biological father is.

http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Owen's New Voice-Chapter 6

Owen Meany has decided to pick up a new path in writing articles in his school's newpaper, The Grave. His articles are filled with satire and scorn towards things like "MYSTERY MEAT" for lunch and rules demanded for dates on the nights the school has dances. The students at Gravesend Academy felt as if Owen's voice was everyone's voice. Not everyone was very enthusiastic about Owen's new choice to have control, though. Gravesend Academy's new headmaster, Randy White, was given a subscription of The Grave and to Owen's surprise, Mr. White denied the acceptance of being a "private audience" with the Voice. Mr. White instead found it "more important" to have plenty of time to talk to the department heads. Owen did not take this disgrace very well and decided to write an article mainly on how Gravesend needed a new headmaster with a strong educational background, then called Mr.White's background simply MEAT and no substance. He did eventually get caught by Mr.White and almost expelled without the help of Dan who defended Owen during one of the department conferences.

A Prayer for Owen Meany

Days turn into years and years turn into birthdays,Owen and John are growing up now physically and emotionally. New Christ and his disciple John have now passed their adolescent years trasitioning into thier teen/young adult years. Owen has now become THE VOICE of the grave spreading his liberalist ideas like a weed onto gravestones. He has disrupted the foundation of the Academy by making the headmaster Mr. White furious with THE VOICE. Owen and the headmaster have publicly faced off throughout chapter 6, in my opinion Mr. White will be inputed into a mental hospital because of this war with THE VOICE. This has all happened during the year of John F. Kennedy's reign over the U.S, Owen had became a fan of JFK when he heard the lines "Ask not what your country can do for you ,but what you can do for your country". It's ironic isn't it that a boy who hates Catholics so much is inspired by a well known Catholic but that doesn't matter because ever since John and Owen heard about JFK fooling with Marilyn Owen has loathed JFK.

Owen Meany

On page 220, At the bottom of the page, it writes "She was his slave, at his command. And so together we raised him out of the hay". I interpreted this metaphor as the hay being Owens Grave, and they lifted him out of it. The Hay could represent his grave because that is where The Little Lord Jesus is put to rest, if it was Death, it would be an eternal rest, but in Owens case, eternal was curtailed. This theory of mine also connects to Chapter 9, "The Shot", on page 520 in the second paragraph. "THE GRAVE AS LITTLE OF MY BED". These words came from Owen, he is realting his grave to the hay, which is the crib/bed for baby Jesus.
In High School, Owen began to write on the daily newspaper, called The Grave. And to John, Owen became known as The Voice of the Grave. It's ironic that Owen has appreared in alomost all these deaths, and he then is given then tittle as The Voice of The Grave, especially by his friend John who has been at almost all the death scenes excluding Lydia's. The deaths weren't caused by his own hand, but for example Sagamore the dog died because Owen threw the football and they chased after it. Sagamore led the group. He ran out into the middle of the street and and he was hit by the diaper truck. It's almost as if Owen told them to follow his abnormal, other worldly voice into the Graveyard into their casket. After they have died and it's time for the funeral, it's always Owen to make the Gravestone. He's had enough expercience with death(like Hester said: "With Owen it's all about Death") to eventually perfect, even become better at it than someone who has been in the business longer than he has, His father. Maybe it was just destiny. Everyone's good at something, and Owen majors in Death! This signifies that Owen is clearly "God's instrument" he's leading all these people to heaven, they have all done good. Tabitha, was promiscuous, but a character in the bible was too, Tabitha was just like Mary Magdalene. Owen had no other option but to "kill" them.

Owen Meany - CHANGES

Owen Meany has always been that outsider that everyone questions. Everyone beleives he is other worldly in many peoples eyes. But is what people think of him as he gets older change? I believe he has for the fact that he has become more popular in school. He is portrayed as the tough guy. He writes in a school article called The Grave. He is a very extravagant writer and everyone thinks he can become famous. Owens height isnt really a problem but his voice is. Owen expresses his feelings in words and evreyone is impressed by it. Owen girlfriend is now Hester which is in college. Owen has changed greatly and many people like the changes but he is making enimes along the way.

A Prayer For Owen Meany Chapter 5 : The Ghost of Future

- Owen Meany is the star of the pageant as Baby Jesus. the pageant went on and he was doing great until he saw his parents in the audience. Owen flipped out and started yelling at his parents to get out of the church, and the audience thought that he was speaking to them and everyone left. The same day the preacher asked him if he saw something. He said he saw his own name on a tombstone and most didn't believe him. But when Johnny went home he found that Lydia was dead. Germaine and Lydia heard Owen scream. Johnny called up Owen and told him what happened. Owen told him that he saw his WHOLE name, "St. Paul Owen Meany" and hung up. Johnny called back and asked him if there was a date. He gave himself away by hesitating. He denied it and Johnny felt like crying because it was the first time Owen had lied to him.

A Prayer For Owen Meany ch. 5

In A Prayer For Owen Meany chapter five, I thought that it was not right when Owen Ordered his parents around. Durring the pagent, when he noticed his parents were in the audience he stood up and ordered them to leave the catholic church immediately. They got up and everyone was staring at them as the left the church. Owen should of thought of how that could have embarrassed his parents and made them feel. Also, when the pagent was over he was ordering them to get in the car and drive now. Owen is acting rude to his parents and acting like he is in charge of them when it should be the other way around.

Chapter 5- Response/Reflection

After reading chapter five to A prayer for Owen Meany, my feelings towards Owen has changed slightly after the scene with him during the Christmas Pageant. I really was shocked that he treated his parents in such manner. He dismissed his parents from the Catholic Church in front of the whole congregation as if he were their master. I was also disappointed with the parents, Mr and Mrs. Meany. How could they allow their son to talk to them like that? It's just plain rude and disrespectful. But then I started to see from a different view that maybe Owen was trying to protect them from the church, because in the previous chapters the author did mention that Mr and Mrs.Meany were in some type of conflict with the catholics that was an unmentionable tragedy.

So.... maybe he was trying to protect them, but I still think that he should have done it in a considerable way so that people would not think he was like a brat or something.

The Ghost Of The Future

" 'Are these the shadows of the things the Will be or are they shadows of the things that My be, only?' But the Ghost of the Future was not answering." In this chapter Owen Meany is casted as the ghost of the future in A Christmas Carol. While on stage during his preformance Owen completly frezzes and faints. He later tells Johnny that he had seen his name on the tomb stone. This reenforces the fact that Owen Meany is indeed a Christ Figure because he is some what ompnitient about the future in the way Jesus was ompnitient of his death. After Johnny that Owen said the tomb stone had the whole "thing" on it; he realized the would also have meant the date...
" ' Was there a date on the gravestone?' I asked him. He gave himself away by hesitated.
'NO,' he said."
How will knowing the date of his date change Owen's demeanor? And why is he so reluctant to tell his best friend. Johnny, what will be the time of his death?
I reacted wareily towards his lying to his friend and it peaked my interest into why he didn't tell; or how Johnny felt about knowing the his best friend might die soon.

Johnny & Hester

Is the relationship going on between Johnny and Hester healthy? Johnny has unspoken feelings toward his cousin that are ones one is to have towards a lover. This started with a game that Simon and Noah had created, "Last One through the house has to Kiss Hester." The first time Johnny was forced to do this, and they tied both of them to Hester's bed, he was very reluctant to do it but after a few times Johnny started to lose the game purposely. " 'Last one through the house has to kiss hester'; maybe they realized, later, that i began to intentionally lose the game. And what did they make of the time they untied us and Hester said to me, 'I felt your hard-on'? 'You did not', I said....But Hester and i were dangerous (Iving 60)." In this novel so far there is still a lot of tension between the two cousins. We are no sure at this point if this tension will remain or if he will grow out of it. WE SHALL READ ON AND SEE.

Who will pardon the United States?

In A Prayer For Owen Meany Johnny says "Who can pardon the United States? How can they be pardoned for Vietnam, for their conduct in Nicaragua, for their steadfast and gross contribution to the proliferation of nuclear arms?" United States does get away with misconduct and it is wrong to allow this because we should be judged accordingly to our actions.

Can Owen be a Christ Figure?

Can Owen be a Christ figure? Many say he can't be because of the accidents that have happened such as him being involved in the deaths of Sagamore and Tabby.Many say God wouldn't use someone who has killed, but there are many stories that disprove that.One of these is that God used Moses after Moses had killed the Egyptian to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.God also used David to kill Goliath. Beyond that, in How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster states that a Christ like figure would have some similarities with Jesus -- Owen does.

One of the things Owen has in common with Jesus is that both have endure wounds. While Jesus was nailed on the cross, Owen was hit by a grenade that severed both his arms and was killed.Another thing Jesus and Owen had in common are that both their mothers were
virgins at their birth.The third thing they share in common is that they died saving others lives.Though Jesus and Owen share many similarities they also have differences.

While Jesus is always portrayed with arms outstretched Owen "with his hands clasped behind his back,he looked as armless as Watahantowet(Irving,pg.69)."

In conclusions with these facts in place yes Owen can be portrayed as a Christ figure.

Owen Meany:A Martyr?

Owen Meany is a martyr which means that he would rather die than to give up his religion. I thought he and his family were done with the Catholics? Wasn't that his first belief? But he'snot dead... However, he did tell John to remember that he had killed him when they were about the age of 11. How is Owen Meany a Martyr? Even thought he can't see God, he knows that he is there, he can "feel his presence there". But would he die for a friend, and/ or a dream? Owen Meany doesn't believe in coincidences. No one is ever in the wrong place at the wrong time, it was always meant to happen to one, it is always fate. Death is such a drastic thing, Maybe not for Owen because when it comes it won't be a suprise, he has already seen it and has prepared himself for it even though he's dreading the day. At the end of chapter eight, in his dream, he's rising to the heavens, to the "Warms place" he was explaining to John, and as he rose, he was looking down inspecting his bloodly, armless body being embraced by the nun and having all the children he saved crowed around him. If he can see himself, he can see John, and in my opinion, through out this whole book, Owen Meany, has been John's guardian ANGEL. I had to put emphasis on angel because we have been discussing him as a christ figure, but if he's God's disciple, he can't be God himself. He promised John that nothing bad would ever happen to him, he displayed confidence in his words, but how can anyone(even Owen Meany be so sure? Especially because his dreams are not always one hundred percent).

Motif in A Prayer For Owen Meany

Motif is a large part of A Prayer For Owen Meany.
There are death motifs, sexual motifs, an armless motif, and an angel motif. Take death, it continues to appear time and time again. For example, on page 7 when John Wheelwright explains how Mr. Fish's dog, Sagamore dies after getting hit by a diaper truck. Again on page 33 when John is explaining how the foul ball Owen Meany hit killed his beloved mother. Now, take the sex motif, John has sexual feelings towards his cousin, Hester. He actually kisses her and enjoys it, but on top of that kiss he also gets an erection. A more obvious part of this motif would be "the fling" John's mother Tabby had with John's father, who we do not know. From this fling, John was conceived.

In the beginning of the book A Prayer For Owen Meany there are a lot of motifs present. The motifs are of the fact that all of Owen's last attempts are of significance. For example, the baseball hit. Owen's attempts at hitting a baseball were not achieved. But, the last time he hit the baseball, which was when the ball was fouled and it killed John's mother, it actually went the farthest distance that he had ever hit the ball. My second example of this motif is when Owen and John are at the pond and they are skipping rocks across the body of water. Owen was never able to pass the mud and actually go into the water. But, when he had said something to John, it was almost as if he had said or performed a miracle because the last time he threw the rock it went farther into the pond and actually hit the water. After that him and John sat there staring at the place where the rock landed because it was of that great significance.

Johnny's Father

We are all wondering about Johnny's origin, who is father is, and why his mother kept it a secret from him. When Aunt Martha discovered her sister's pregnancy she was infuriated by it. She complained that grandfather was "already out of it and he died worrying why you mother was overweight." (Irving, 14) Aunt Martha often criticized her sister over the "fling" that lead to her unexpected pregnancy. Even with the many accusations and through questionings people still couldn't drag an answer out of Tabitha as to who the father of her child was. In the beginning of the novel Johnny didn't mind the fact that he had no father he was certain that when the time came the his mother would inform him on who his father was. When his mother died and he still didn't know who his father was, that was the only time that Johnny felt the least bit of anger towards his mother for never explaining who his father was. Johnny had told Owen about his concern about his father, Owen simply said "You might not know your father but God knows your father. Your Father can't hide from God." In this novel Johnny finding his father is not a manger focus but it is one of those aspects o the story that leaves a nagging feeling in the back of your mind.