If You Had The Chance...

Fate is a large part of our society, questioned and thought about in every culture. Some religions believe in reincarnation, while some look forward to heaven. Some people believe fate to be set in stone and unchangeable. Others think fate can be changed depending on the paths taken. A disney movie, Brave, explores the concept of fate, outlining the adventures of a young girl who tries to stop the arranged marraige her parents push upon her. Although the conclusion to this tale is happy, the story reminds me of Oedipus. Oedipus hears of his terrible prophecy and does all that he can to change it, much like the heroine in Brave. Brave portrays a more positive spin on fate, showing young girls that they have free will and enforcing family values. I feel as if the movie shows the audience that you can do whatever you think is best and shouldn't look to anyone else. Both Oedipus and the main character in Brave appeal to me because they seem to do what I would do. I wouldn't want to believe that I would marry one parent and murder the other, or be forced to marry someone I don't love, and I would do all that I could to stop it. Both portrayals of destiny and fate seem to be cliché and sugar-coated, with predictable outcomes. I believe that fate cannot be changed for the most part. For example, I know that every living thing is born and will die, and it is what we do in the moments in between that define who we are. As a Catholic Christian, I believe that God has a specific plan for me and it cannot be changed. I think fate is like building a building. The frame of it will remain unchanged, but the building itself can be any color, and can be formed out of any material. The walls could be changed form pink to green on a whim. Certain events in our lives are bound to happen, but how we reach those events is what could change.