Module #13 - Fate vs. Free Will - Karla Erdman, writer

Module #13 - Fate vs. Free Will

4/10/2014

Final Destination IMDB

There are many pieces of literature which revolve around the ideas of fate vs. free will. Does a person really have control over his or her life? Or is it a matter of destiny?

In the Final Destination movies, fate comes knocking on the doors of those who dare to defy it. However, the hero in the end is able to control fate by tricking it and therefore having free will.

What do you think? How is this topic relative to your reading thus far? What other connections to literature, film, etc. can you make?

Again, I am expecting that you are putting some thought into this discussion. It should be well-thought, organized, and clear.

You will respond to one (1) peer's post this week.

Cole

4/14/2014 03:33:56 am

I think that everything in life happens for a reason. Everyone in the world has a fate. I'm not really sure whether or not someone can change their fate. But I don't think that you can cheat death. If it's time then it's time. I'm personally not afraid of death because that's the way I look at it. I think the plot of Final Destination is pretty far fetched because if that was when they were supposed to die, which it may not have been (them getting off could have been fate), then I don't think Death would have actually gone after them. This has all been a connection to Macbeth so far because Macbeth is killing people to change the fate of his life, according to what the witches told him.

Mrs. Erdman link

4/15/2014 09:20:04 am

So...what if you are on a plane, and it is the guy's time sitting next to you, but not yours...hmmm... [just a little joke].

In all seriousness, have you not heard about people who have a "bad feeling" about something, and something actually does happen? It depends on the day for me as far as fate vs. free will.

Cole

4/18/2014 04:28:11 am

It happens to me too! Sometimes ill see signs or I'll just have like a feeling in my gut that something is not right and 7/10 times, something goes wrong. It leaves you with an creepy feeling.

Brian Burke

4/15/2014 04:44:12 am

I believe a person has control over their life. When I think of fate, I think of experiences that may have made life easier or harder. Fate is uncontrollable, but does not have total control over an individual. Although a person may be facing many hardships, I do not think what happens after that is up to fate. No matter the obstacle, fate will always somewhat in your command. I believe "Final destination" had a concept of fate not always being in your hands, but I believe the interpretations from that movie to Macbeth are very different. In Macbeth, he is making his own fate by making the wrong decisions. I believe that if Macbeth could have taken a different approach with his actions and had a positive fate for a change.

Mrs. Erdman

4/15/2014 09:21:53 am

Right, Brian. Macbeth was making wrong choices/decisions. He wasn't leaving the situation up to fate. He was making the prophecy happen through any means necessary.

Alyssa Saggio

4/15/2014 08:30:56 am

I am sometimes uncertain about whether or not we are the creators of our own destinies, therefore I feel as though this topic can be viewed in several different ways. Overall, if I had to pick between one or the other, I think that people have more of a say over themselves than fate does. Ultimately, every person makes their own decisions. The only exception would be children because they should be following their parent's rules; however, children can choose whether or not they are going to behave or rebel against their parents. While there are things that "can happen for a reason," as some like to say, it depends on how a person reacts to it. I have actually seen the movie Final Destination. Although it is based off of fate, the people who care enough about what will happen in the future are able to defy fate and survive in the movie; they avoid Death at all costs. Similarly to Macbeth, the characters in Final Destination have a clear understanding of what is to come for them in the future. In contrast to Macbeth, the future of the characters in Final Destination aren't exactly good (they know they are going to die!). On the other hand, Macbeth wants his prophecy to be fulfilled so he does what he can to make it happen. Macbeth controls his own fate because he decides to kill Duncan (Thane of Cawdor) and several other people so that he himself will become the new ruler. This would actually support my opinion that anyone can control their own life...it's just a matter of how far you are willing to go to get what you want.

Mrs. Erdman

4/15/2014 09:25:20 am

Alyssa,
"he controls his own fate."
It seems so contradictory, yet it is absolutely true. He was told something was going to be, so he was going to make sure it happened, by any means necessary.
So was he being so controlling -- FATE or free will? Did the prophets know that Macbeth would use any means necessary? Was his fate to be ridiculous and murder people? Hmmmm.... It can be like a big circle...

Alyssa Saggio

4/16/2014 06:17:25 am

That's exactly how I feel in regards to this topic..."a big circle." I honestly don't have too strong of an opinion either way. I just feel as though both sides can be argued appropriately. It seems to me that the weird sisters in Macbeth did have knowledge that once Macbeth knew of his own prophecy, he would act in ways to make them happen. I mean, I know people who see psychics. They hear their own futures or "prophecies" and go home without setting their future in motion, like Macbeth did.

Devin Blattner

4/15/2014 08:37:51 am

First I'm going to start off by saying I've never seen a full Final Destination movie but I understand the plot. I think that everyone has their own destiny and everything happens for a reason. If you are a religious person, you may believe that God puts situations in your life to help you and sometimes hurt you in order to make you a stronger person. If a person believe more in science and not in God, they may believe that a person control their own destiny and fate by the choices and decisions they make. In Shakespeare I think that Macbeth chose his fate in the play. He makes choices and decisions throughout the play which leads to his demise towards the end of the play. Although he was encouraged by Lady Macbeth in the beginning to murder someone, he then made other choices to kill more people on his own. If he wouldn't have made those choices he may have stayed alive at the end of the play.

Mrs. Erdman

4/15/2014 09:27:42 am

Devin,
Interesting...chose his own fate.
So fate seems to some -- if it happens, it happens.
Free will on the other hand--make decision results in consequences --sometimes good, sometimes not.
However, this gets muddy when thinking about choosing fate because it combines the two ideas.

Alyssa Saggio

4/16/2014 06:23:03 am

Interesting play on religion! That totally makes sense to me. Maybe that's why I don't really have an exact opinion. I've said it before, but just as a reminder: I'm agnostic...meaning I have no religious preferences. This could be why I cannot seem to decide between fate and free will. I also agree with your thoughts on Macbeth. While I too felt Lady Macbeth may have been the catalyst (because she sped up Macbeth's own actions), Macbeth did hold his own ultimate decision. He even decided to kill other people in the play to further set his prophecies in stone.

Devin Blattner

4/17/2014 11:50:24 am

Alyssa,
I know exactly what you mean when you say you are agnostic and can't decide between fate and free will. Although I am going to a Catholic college, I am not a religious person at all. Some days I think everything happens for a reason and it's all God's plan for us but other days I believe that everyone makes their own fate by what decisions they chose. I'm very indecisive about this topic.

Aly

4/15/2014 08:42:09 am

I'm not sure whether I personally believe in fate. I haven't had a moment in my life thus far that has led me to lean either way. I think you make your own destiny with hard work and determination. It is hard to get ahead in life without putting work into what you want. In relation to Macbeth, the witches are making Macbeth's fate. Macbeth is enchanted by the witches prediction that he will be king and is blinded by the idea of power. Once I read a book called, "Before I Fall" where the main character is forced to replay the day of her death again and again until she gets it right.

Mrs. Erdman

4/15/2014 09:29:51 am

Aly,
You can't just make a short statement about a book "Before I Fall" like that and not give us more (especially your English teacher)!
It sounds interesting.
I agree with you ideas of working hard to get what you want; however, I have had bad things happen, but a bit later if it hadn't happened something worse would have occurred. That makes me sit on the fence about fate.

Alyssa Saggio

4/16/2014 06:42:36 am

Okay so I'm going to completely go off on a tangent about a movie I saw because it reminded me of the book you mentioned. The movie was called Groundhog's Day, and I'm hoping that someone has seen it! The main character is an arrogant, egotistic weatherman (named Phil I believe) who goes live for the forecast of Groundhog's Day. The main plot is that he basically relives that day over and over again. Eventually he tries to control his own fate because he thinks that the only way out would be to end his own life. Although his suicide attempt seems harsh, he ends up driving his car into a river. Yet, he wakes up the next morning and once again must relive Groundhog's Day watching the same people say, act, and do the same things repeatedly. Phil eventually falls in love with a woman after reliving the same moments with her everyday. He realizes how cocky and rude he is to other people in his town and decides to change his ways. Once Phil is able to befriend practically everyone he sees that day, he is able to go to bed and wake up to February 3rd, which is the day after Groundhog's Day. In a way, fate had it that Phil must repeat that day over and over until he got it "right." So was he controlling his fate? Or was fate controlling him? While this movie may be far fetched I think it's excellent to watch in regards to the topic of fate or free will.

Cole

4/18/2014 04:33:42 am

You are right when you say that it's hard to get ahead in life without hard work. Although I don't agree that the witches are making Macbeth's fate. I believe that they're just telling him What is supposed to happen (him becoming king), but Macbeth takes it into his own hands to make it come faster as opposed to it just coming after time. He wasn't patient and he forced it and thats why his fate is now taking a turn for the worst. He hurt a lot of people to get where his now.

Tori McCaslin

4/18/2014 10:35:28 am

Like Cole said, I also agree that it is extremely hard to get ahead in your life and be great without hard work. I don't think that the witches are completely making Macbeth's fate. I think that they are telling thin what is meant to happen or supposed to happen but Macbeth then does what he wants. He doesn't just sit back and let it happen. He makes his own fate and takes control of his life. I think that if he left his life alone then he would be a lot happier and the people that died would still be alive.

Tori McCaslin

4/15/2014 09:22:13 am

After seeing this topic, I can agree to both opinions about fate and destiny. In certain scenarios, I believe that things do happen for a reason and that fate is leading you to do a certain thing. However, I think that people have the power to change their destiny with hard work and a lot of effort. I think that this relates to Macbeth because the witches are making Macbeth's fate and controlling his destiny. Macbeth at first believes in the witches predictions. Then sooner on, I think that his choices and decisions lead him to a different fate. He is influenced by his wife, Lady Macbeth, in the beginning but then he does what he wants and doesn't answer to anyone. I think that anyone can achieve what they want. Macbeth wanted to be the king so he decided to do whatever he needs to do to get it.

Mrs. Erdman

4/15/2014 09:31:25 am

Tori,
It was like that carrot was dangled in front of Macbeth, so he had to go for it. The witches gave him the idea, but he was the one who ran with it--regardless of the consequences.

Alyson Picione

4/18/2014 07:30:28 am

I feel the same way! A person born into poverty isn't doomed to stay in that life of poverty because there are opportunities for that person to better themselves. I'm so wishy washy with my opinions about fate. I do believe in it in some instances and then I don't in others. I think people believe that everything happens for a reason because they need to find hope in a dismal situation. They need a way to explain why horrible things happen to good people, and if that makes someone feel better, more power to them.

Kasey Gallagher

4/15/2014 11:04:35 am

I believe that people can control the decisions they make, but I think everything after that is left up to fate because you can't control the outcomes of your decisions and you never know which decision will make or break you. I think its possible to make good decisions and do everything you're supposed to do but still end up in a horrible situation just because that's how life works. I don't think there's ever a situation where someone can have complete control over their life and what happens to them.
I think what happened to Macbeth was his destiny after the decisions he made. He thought he was doing what he was destined to do, and his decisions determined his fate. Even though these decisions were influenced by the witches and Lady Macbeth, he continued to make his own choices after speaking with them.

Brian Burke

4/18/2014 11:17:12 am

I agree with the comment that Macbeth was doing what he believed he was destined to do. I believe that Macbeth was lead by this false destiny when all it did was doing was hurting him. I also agree when you say that no one ever really has complete choice over a situation in life. Regarding Macbeth, he had no power over what has been going wrong in his plans. Although he could have personally gone through with the murders and such, he left it in the hands of other people. He had no control on whether they were successful or not. But it was his actions like that which have negatively altered his destiny.

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Module #13 - Fate vs. Free Will

Mrs. Erdman

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