I've mentioned on here before that I don't think Owen conceives of himself as a person and instead considers himself a punishment. This obviously has very strong textual support by the end of the series, given he says he's Louis' teeth and claws.
(The I think is therefore more about how I think it applies from the very start of the series, rather than coming to the conclusion later)
But it occurred to me today that Owen's pre-vampire existence is one he actually would have seen represented in stories, but specifically as a Test.
There is a very old trope of a powerful entity -- often a witch, angel, or god -- disguising themselves as a poor old woman, or a desperate beggar, and knocking on the door of the well-to-do.
If they show the beggar the kindness demanded of them by the rules of Hospitality, then they pass the test and are rewarded. If they fail they are punished, and often severely: their line is cursed, their house falls to ruin, people die.
And it's interesting, isn't it, that of all the people in Oakhurst, it's only Louis that accepted Owen into his home and fed him according to the rules of Hospitality. Everyone else refused him entry, refused him food, kept him far away. Of all the people in Oakhurst, only Louis passed the test. Everyone else failed it.
And so, when the poor, diseased lumberjack revealed himself to be/became something powerful--
Well.
For a story to write itself, it would have to be unwritten. The ending to that story has been passed down for thousands of years.
Like, I don't think this was his thought process when he was killing every man, woman and child in Oakhurst. I think that was a lot more blind rage. But I can see him having it as a power fantasy before getting turned, and I can see this making his list of post-hoc justifications.
It also makes certain ways he pushes people interesting. He's testing them to see where their breaking points are, yes. I personally think he does it because it makes him feel more in control, more powerful, and lets him protect himself against inevitable mistreatment (if they pass his tests they're safe, if they don't then they were always evil, that sort of thing) and justify his own abuse (they reacted poorly -> my anger and resentment and mistreatment of them is justified)
But as far as framing his own actions to himself? "I am testing them because I am a test as well as the punishment for failing the test" seems very in line with his character.
