--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am doomed to remember a boy with a…" description: "\"I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. Not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/john-irving-337_believe_i-am-doomed-to-remember-a-boy-with-a-wre_1068343.jpg" --- # I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. Not… ![“I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. Not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God. I am a Christian because of Owen Meany.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/john-irving-337_believe_i-am-doomed-to-remember-a-boy-with-a-wre_1068343.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/john-irving-337_believe_i-am-doomed-to-remember-a-boy-with-a-wre_1068343.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/john-irving-337_believe_i-am-doomed-to-remember-a-boy-with-a-wre_1068343.jpg) > “I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. Not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God. I am a Christian because of Owen Meany.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A boy’s tragic story becomes a catalyst for faith, showing how personal loss can deepen spiritual belief. **In simple terms:** Loss can lead to stronger belief in God. Key Takeaway Find meaning in suffering. Themes faith loss memory spirituality literature Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - grief counseling - spiritual reflection - creative writing - teaching literature Key Concepts theodicy personal transformation Questions to Reflect On - How does personal loss shape your worldview? - Can you find purpose without religion? A Different Perspective Not everyone finds faith through tragedy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Owen Meany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owen-meany/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [“THERE'S NO NEED TO BE CRUDE,' said Owen Meany.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/there-s-no-need-to-be-crude-said-owen-meany/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I believe in God, and I'm a Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-believe-in-god-and-i-m-a-christian/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [ Sometimes the messages I put out are somewhat of that \[street\] nature, but the thing is, that's not the person, it's just like an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/project-pat/sometimes-the-messages-i-put-out-are-somewhat-of-that-street-nature/) Project Pat > [I believe in God. Maybe not the Catholic God or even the Christian one because I have a hard time seeing any God as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/i-believe-in-god-maybe-not-the-catholic-god-or-even-the-christian-one/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [“JUST THINK OF THIS AS MY LITTLE GIFT TO YOU," says Owen Meany”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-think-of-this-as-my-little-gift-to-you-says-owen-meany/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“will tell you what is my overriding perception of the last twenty years: that we are a civilization careening toward a succession of anticlimaxes—toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/will-tell-you-what-is-my-overriding-perception-of-the-last-twenty/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“who are always right, and are given to reminding us of it, are irritating; prophets are irritating, and Owen Meany is decidedly a prophet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/who-are-always-right-and-are-given-to-reminding-us-of-it-are/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“he had seen his share of heroes, too. 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Was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-think-that-was-when-the-headmaster-realized-he-had-lost-he-realized/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. 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Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. 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But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice. Not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God. 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