Preview

Character Is Fate

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1496 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Character Is Fate
Character is Fate – Essay

“A man’s character is his fate” once said the Greek philosopher Heraclites. By this he meant that our personalities and actions shape the outcomes of our lives and therefore our destiny. This statement opposes the traditional view that man’s fate is determined by an external force (name it god or even chance). This argument is basically one of faith: do you believe we shape our own futures by how we act, or are our lives programmed in a certain unchangeable way? In other words, do you believe in an omnipotent being that has our lives or at least our futures predetermined? As we shall see, a man’s character defines his life (as his behaviour, emotions and actions determine his daily life), but I believe that our fate is predetermined and unchangeable and that there is divine intervention, therefore a matter that we have no control over. To support the fact that we might be able to define our daily life but not our fates or futures there is the unanswered question of ‘why do bad things happen to good people?’ Furthermore, character is not the only aspect in deciding a man’s fate: external events (chance and Nature) will also alter the processes and outcomes of our lives. Heraclites and Novalis (German philosopher)[1] had an interesting argument, but unfortunately one that only applies in a utopian world.

Many people believe that a person’s personality determines their place in life, therefore supporting Heraclites’ idea. Basically, this suggests that depending on how a person lives, what he does and how he deals with events the outcome of his life will be shaped accordingly. For example, in Thomas Hardy’s ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’, we understand that Mr. Henchard’s personality flaws (his temper and his naivety especially) lead him slowly to worse situations, which finally end up in him not wanting to be remembered once he is dead. On the other hand, Farfrae, a character which is much more appealing, sensitive, humane and kind is victim

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Everyone around the world makes choices every day; however, are they really making their own choice or was it predetermined? The movie ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ by George Nolfi lets you follow David Norris as he notices his life is determined, but fights for his free will. George Nolfi opens the idea of determinism and free will in this exciting movie. To explore the thought of determinism and free will, we will travel through the thought of Christianity, scientists, and physiology.…

    • 875 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the ideas behind Borge’s Garden of the forking paths is that God allows people to choose. They are free to make their own decisions and forge their own path, but it is one’s path which defines their character. Decisions explain one’s motivation and determination to act on those decisions which by definition means character. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling, characters as Neville, Hermione, Professor Quirrell and Harry Potter defend the idea that people’s choices define their character.…

    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Is the outcome of our lives predetermined before we are born or by the environment in which we are born into or is it determined by our own free will? “These are some of the many questions that plague humanity, the questions that give philosophers, sociologists, scientists, and writers material with which to work” (Hicks). In the short story Paul’s Case: A Study in Temperament, Willa Cather uses these questions to tell of a boy, Paul, whom his peers do all they can to help; yet, their attempts do not work because he simply struggles from a bad case of petty lying and borderline narcissism. Often the traits associated with narcissism are said to be developed from the way parents raise their children (Narcissists). In Paul’s instance his father raised him as well as he could. Paul used his own free will to determine the outcome of his life.…

    • 1283 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout history, the concept of fate has been a common theme among works of literature and man's thought in general. Does he have the ability to choose his path through life, or is his destiny laid out before him? This question takes on new meaning in modern society, as people try to make their own choices while conforming to the structure of society and its norms. While society, with its customs and laws, seems to limit a person's freedom, the person is still essentially free to make their own choices.…

    • 741 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When being interviewed Brazilian, novelist and lyricist, Paulo Coelho claimed, “I can control my destiny, but not my fate. Destiny means there are opportunities to turn right or left, but fate is a one-way street. I believe we all have the choice as to whether we fulfil our destiny, but our fate is sealed”. In today's society, many people are conflicted on whether events in one’s lives are driven by one's choices or are simply meant to be. Coelho believes that both free will and fate play a role in one’s life, he says that one has the power to make certain choices, but in the end it all comes down to fate. The concept of fate versus free will can be seen in the fictional pieces, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, “Pyramus…

    • 1105 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    John C Calhoun's Success

    • 1708 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Life is not only stranger than fiction, but frequently also more tragic than any tragedy ever conceived by the most fervid imagination. Often in these tragedies of life there is not one drop of blood to make us shudder, nor a single event to compel the tears into the eye. A man endowed with an intellect far above the average, impelled by a high-soaring ambition, untainted by any petty or ignoble passion, and guided by a character of sterling firmness and more than common purity, yet, with fatal illusion, devoting all…

    • 1708 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fate plays a crucial role on the choices characters make and can be defined as “a prophetic declaration of what must be”. The Greeks believed that three women or ‘Moirai’ were in charge of everyones fate and each woman had a specific job. Klotho, whose name meant “spinner”, spun the thread of life. Lakhesis, whose name meant “Apportion of Lots”, measured the thread of life. Atropos (or Aisa), whose name meant “She who cannot be turned”, cut the thread of life. Sophocles once proposed the theory that “Fate determines the character”.…

    • 572 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Free will is a concept of much debate. I base my conception of free will on Erasmus's definition. Erasmus argues that free will is “The human will by which man is able to direct himself towards to turn away from what leads to eternal salvation”(6). My conception of free will alters the last clause and instead substitutes, man’s ability to direct himself towards and turn away from success, in addition to having the freedom to define such success. In this paper I will argue that man’s will is never completely free; it is always dependent to some extent on God. I will analyze the philosophical theories of Erasmus, Luther, Descartes, Spinoza, and the movie The Adjustment Bureau, and the arguments they they make in their…

    • 2353 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the article titled “Decisions and destiny” It’s stated that “whatever you focus on, you experience. Wherever focus goes, energy flows.” (paragraph 5). People's thoughts, words, actions, beliefs, character and much more all come from the choices that are made. Character and how people treat others is ultimately what determines destiny. In the article title “Personal Decision Making” it describes that “estimates of daily decision making suggest that we make thousands of choices every day.” (Paragraph 12). The simple choice to make a small action concerning character could impact something outside of a single person. Destiny is determined by actions and character. Character is determined by big decisions that are made by smaller…

    • 544 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The question over the existence of free will has raged on over many years. Many feel that God, saw an omniscient being, must be aware of all that has happened and all that will happen. Supporters of the cosmological argument would suggest that everything has a cause and that god was the initial cause, “the unmoved mover” (Tomas Aquinus), this would support the idea that humanity has no free will as everything is pre determined. This highlights the idea that humanity is not free, and even when we think we have a choice our actions have already been determined.…

    • 2022 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Rex

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Man controls his fate by the choices that he makes. In being able to chose what his own actions are, fate is a result of his decisions. In Oedipus the King, the Greek writer, Sophocles, uses characterization and dramatic irony to project a theme throughout the play providing the idea that man is responsible for his own fate.…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    People see fate as something they have control over due to being able to make decisions changing the outcome of their lives. Keeping in mind all individuals do not have the same luxury. External impact the course of his or hers destiny. Race, background and religion assist in predetermining someone's life outcome. These key factors are not acted out by mankind, but by fate.…

    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    For centuries, there has been lots debate on whether or not there is such thing as fate or free will. To this day, people are trying to decide if one’s life is already laid out for him/her and that if no matter what he/she does that it will still unfold in a preset way, in which that they cannot change, or if one has free will and the ability to completely change his/her life. In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the main character, Macbeth, is not doomed by fate, but by free will. In particular, Shakespeare’s Macbeth demonstrates that it is not fate that determines one's life as it is one's flaws and choices. This is illustrated through Macbeth himself, who, first, makes the choice of not listening to his conscience, which continuously makes…

    • 1209 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Fate and Oedipus

    • 991 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Since the beginning, fate has been the building blocks for human’s lives. Whenever fate has been set in motion, it CANNOT be escaped. In Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King there are several major playing factors in the role of fate. Every action whether intentional or accidental, plays right into the hands of fate. It is absolutely unavoidable. No matter what is done to try to change one’s fate, once it is set in motion there is simply no changing it.…

    • 991 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Edgar Allen Poe Analysis

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Thesis: It can be said that everyone comes with a predetermined destiny where, no matter what you do in life, your fate has been determined before birth. It matter not how hard you try to change it because it is inescapable.…

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics