Since The Confessions is an autobiography, we don't get to know how our protagonist's journey ends. In other words, Rousseau is telling us the story of his life up to a certain point. Once he gets to England, we have to do research to figure out what happens next. But Rousseau remains extremely preoccupied with his fate for the entirety of his book, even going so far as to divide his life into two sections: the first thirty years, when fate smiles on him, and the last thirty years, when life ain't so hot. That's pretty extreme. Still, Rousseau's obsession with his fate lets us know exactly how important The Confessions is to him. It's his process of figuring out which path to take.
Questions About Fate and Free Will
- Why does Rousseau idealize the first half of his life?
- Why is Rousseau constantly predicting his own death?
- Are Rousseau's friends as obsessed as he is with fate?
- Where does Rousseau think he'll end up by the end of The Confessions?
Chew on This
Rousseau's constant sickliness keeps death and fate constantly on his mind.
Rousseau's belief that society stamps out personal ideals carries over to his belief in free will.