How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Free will. Some have called it the greatest gift bestowed on humanity. […] Others say free will is a crap myth. (Prologue.1-3)
These are the first lines of the book, which lead you to believe that fate and free will will be a more important theme than it actually turns out to be. Although there's a lot of talk about it early on—and maybe it will come back in a future book—it's a fairly minor theme in this installment.
Quote #2
Destiny is a freight train rolling along on a set course that only the conductor knows. When we get to the railroad crossing in our car, we can choose to stop and wait for the train to pass us by, or try to pull out in front of it and beat that bad boy across. That choice is our free will. […] If it is our destiny to be hit by the train, we will be hit by the train. The only thing we can change is how the train turns us into hamburger. (Prologue.4-7)
This is a good explanation of the complicated relationship between fate and free will. Is it really free will if your fate is still predetermined? Is there some kind of middle ground between fate and free will? Maybe we have a little of both?
Quote #3
I, personally, don't believe in this crap. I say I control my destiny and my life. (Prologue.9)
Nick is required to say this, because a protagonist who thinks that has no control over his life would be pretty hopeless to read about. But what's the reality? How much control does Nick really have, if you think about it?