Books Quote by John Irving
““But the penultimate paragraph of the novel is naturally the passage I wrote first. “When we held Owen Meany above our heads, when we passed him back and forth—so effortlessly—we believed that Owen weighed nothing at all. We did not realize that there were forces beyond our play. Now I know they were the forces that contributed to our illusion of Owen’s weightlessness; they were the forces we didn’t have the faith to feel, they were the forces we failed to believe in—and they were also lifting up Owen Meany, taking him out of our hands.” I added the last paragraph, only two sentences long, a day later. “O God—please give him back! I shall keep asking You.” I didn’t arrive at the first sentence (“I am doomed to””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The World According to Garp, John Irving, 1978
The narrator reflects on how they imagined a character's weightlessness, realizing unseen forces shape perception and reality, and later pleads for divine intervention.
In simple terms: We often miss hidden forces that affect our view, and later; unseen unseen unknown faith
Key Takeaway
Recognize unseen influences and seek humility.
Themes
perception
faith
illusion
power
humility
Mood
reflective
melancholic
hopeful
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- writing process
- grief
- spiritual crisis
- creative revision
Key Concepts
existentialism
theology
literary analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What forces shape your perception?
- How do you confront unseen influences?
A Different Perspective
The plea may seem overly dramatic, risking melodrama.
![“JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" [Owen Meany] said crossly. "LOOK AT THOSE WEIRDO TV MIRACLE-WORKERS--THEY'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN MAGIC! BUT THE REAL MIRACLES AREN'T ANYTHING YOU CAN…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70e/john-irving-337_atheists_just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-bet_31804.jpg)
