Fate and Freedom
Wilde Observations #0116
“Spirit, are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they only shadows of the things that May be, only?”
For nearly four decades it has been a Christmas eve tradition in our household to watch the George C. Scott version of Charles Dickens’ timeless “A Christmas Carol.” Over the course of three decades we’ve probably memorized all the scenes and half the lines, yet we still enjoy it as both entertainment and soul food.
It’s a strange story about an old miserly man, Ebeneezer Scrooge, who is visited by three ghosts. The first ghost shows him key moments from his past. The second, the Ghost of Christmas Present, gives him a tour of events taking place at this very moment in time.
Near the climax of the film, Scrooge is led to a snow-dust covered grave stone by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come whereupon he cries out, “Spirit, are these the shadows of the things that Will be, or are they shadows of the things that May be, only?”
At its core, this statement addresses the distinction between fate and free will.
Scrooge is inquiring whether the scenes he is witnessing, depicting a bleak and desolate future…
