Rather than put fate and freewill into opposition, The Adventures of Augie March defines the two terms in relation to each other. In the world of the novel, your fate is not so much a determined destination, but a general course of life over which you have some control. Circumstances and choices blend together. For some, their choices have more power than their circumstances. For others the opposite is the case. People born poor may die poor, despite doing everything right to succeed financially, but not every impoverished person is necessarily doomed to live forever in poverty. The American Dream is possible, if not always realistic for everyone.
Questions About Fate and Freewill
- What for Augie would qualify as a "good enough fate" for him?
- What for Augie is the meaning of freedom?
- Which character seems the most free to you? Which character seems the least free?
- Is Augie more in control of his passions or controlled by them?
Chew on This
Augie is responsible for where he ends up in life.
Augie is only minimally responsible for the course of his life.