2004. Critic Roland Barthes has said, "Literature is the question minus the answer." Choose a novel, or play, and, considering Barthes' observation, write an essay in which you analyze a central question the work raises and the extent to which it offers answers. Explain how the author's treatment of this question affects your understanding of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
Questions of fate and purpose plague the average person as well as the most intellectual philosopher. In John Irving's novel A Prayer for Owen Meany, these questions manifest themselves in the would-be normal life of Johnny Wheelright. Irving forces Johnny, as well as the audience, to ask, "Is there such a thing as fate? How does one know their life is moving in the right direction?" However, the answers Irving provides are nebulous and unfinished, demonstrating how neither he, Johnny, nor anyone else can answer the question completely.
The first-person narrative follows a middle-aged John's explanation of why he believes in God, why he knows there is a God. By the novels "present," he and Irving had already answered that question. Which religion is "correct" is not determined. However, John was not always a believer. It took the life and death of his best friend, Owen Meany, to give him the certainty. Many aspects of Owen are peculiar—his appearance, his voice, his intellect—but most of all would be his knowledge of his purpose in life, he knows he is "God's instrument." But Owen does not symbolize humanity. Humanity does not know its fate or purpose, and Owen never explains to his best friend anything more than he feels John needs to know. Owen, and by extent Irving, does not allow Johnny to know. He just demands that Johnny trust in his friend. Here, Irving illuminates the one-sided relationship faith demands, but he does not expose the side human beings are missing.
Owen demands more from Johnny than unquestioned trust. Throughout their childhood and beyond, they practice the same basketball maneuver repeatedly. Johnny is still left in the dark as to why Owen is obsessed with performing the trick faster, better each time. At the point of Owen's death, however, it becomes clear. The same maneuver was needed to fulfill Owen's destiny. Perhaps here Irving tries to show that though there are things one does throughout his or her entire life with seemingly little purpose, one is always preparing for something greater, again offering a limited answer to such a large question.
I see that you understand this prompt really well, but it takes some effort to see the meaning you're getting out of it. I feel that you do take something away from the novel, and do state it, but you hide your ideas away in the middle of ideas that you expand on more than your understanding. Bring out that meaning! That's what the reader wants to see, so make it big, bright and obvious. I also might make you topic sentences work more in tune with your thesis, more in the manner that we practiced in class so your ideas can flow better paragraph to paragraph. Other than those two things, I thought your essay was excellent. You had a good intro, used plenty of examples of techniques and led pretty much everything back to your thesis.
ReplyDeleteThis essay is well thought out and does express the question of fate which ultimately answers the initial prompt. I would only suggest that you pay attention to your thesis. You have many sentences in your introduction that together can pull to create your thesis. However, not one or two of them makes your overall point and in this you lose your meaning. For example, throughout your piece you write a lot about Owen and how he effects Johnny's view of fate. However, you never mention this critical figure in your introduction. Maybe this isn't needed, but I think it could be helpful. Also, once you have a solid thesis, it will help the rest of your paper come together, because right now I feel your introduction is a tad separate from the rest of your post.
ReplyDeleteI feel that you had a great idea and understanding of this text, but it got a little lost on the way to the page. Keep it centered on the main idea. Your introduction feels very thought out, but the rest of the essay was an after-thought. Maybe go further with why John originally didn't believe in God. It could emphasize the importance of Owen.
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