"Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?" This question, a quote from the Abhorsen's Book of the Dead, crops up repeatedly in Sabriel's story. On the surface, it would seem that Sabriel doesn't have the luxury of making many choices about her life—she's part of the Abhorsen bloodline and thus predestined for the Abhorsen role in the Old Kingdom. But at any point, she could presumably leave for Ancelstierre, where her magical inheritance wouldn't matter.
In the Old Kingdom, bloodlines and magic can seemingly dictate fate, and the clairvoyant Clayr can even see into the future. But can the future be changed, or is it already written? Sabriel leaves the answer up to you.
Questions About Fate and Free Will
- Sabriel never really rebels against her destiny to become the Abhorsen, even though it's a frightening job. How do you think she really feels about it? How prepared is she for the job?
- Are there any points in the book when a character makes a decision that goes against their fate? How does that work out for them?
- Do you think Sabriel feels like she can choose to stay in Ancelstierre? When her father's messenger arrives, what would happen if she chose to stay at Wyverley instead of leaving for the Old Kingdom?
- As mentioned in our analysis of death as a theme, a concept that comes up repeatedly in this book is that everything has a time to die. How does this tie into the idea of fate?
Chew on This
Sabriel never really has a choice, and she is just following her fate.
Sabriel makes her own choices, even though she still ends up as Abhorsen.