Motifs in a Prayer for Owen Meany

Owen Meany Motif A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving has many different motifs. One dominant motif is armlessness. Armlessness was a reoccurring motif throughout the story and came up in many occasions. It seems to symbolize helplessness or being under your own control. There are a variety of things throughout the novel that gives off that feeling. The armadillo was very dear to John. He had gotten it from Dan Needham the only …

…to protect her goal. Almost helpless to stop what will happen without her protection. Again armlessness and helplessness reoccur in a different instance in which Owen is feeling distress and major emotional anguish. Owen later replaces the statue of Mary Magdalene with a granite statue. The effect he tries to obtain by doing so is said to be rising out of the grave. Maybe he was relating it to himself, recovering from what had happened.