Fate vs. Free Will

 Fate vs. free will is a heavily debated topic with extreme ambiguity. It is this ambiguous nature that prevents many, including myself, from believing that life is consistent on just fate or just free will. Personally, I think that there is a balance between the two. Everyday is full of decisions that you can control like what to eat for breakfast, what to wear, whether or not to study for a test, etc. However, I think that when it comes to the larger things in life, fate plays a role. I believe that there is a plan for our lives, one that we don’t have complete control over. For example, we are currently in the process of applying to college. Where we apply is our choice, our free will, however, where we get accepted to is out of our control.

The story of Oedipus explores fate and free will, challenging its audiences' perspectives. When I first read the story, I believed it was fate that led him to killing his father and marrying his mother. However, as I have reread it and taken notes, I’ve noticed how Oedipus’s actions and free will, may have led him to kill his father and marry his mother. For example, he chose to kill the group of men on the road (including his father). Was he provoked? Yes, but that didn’t mean he had to do it. But then, I think about the chances of Oedipus’s prophecy coming true, and how rare it is that he happened to kill his real father and proceed to marry his real mother (without knowing either of them are his true parents). Ultimately, the story shows both fate and free will at play. Perhaps Oedipus made his own choices, but in the end, fate’s influence proved to be the most powerful.