“Everything seems simple until you think about it.”—Audrey Niffenegger, from The Time Traveler’s Wife
I recently finished reading The Time Traveler’s Wife for the first time. I know, I know—it’s about time, right? It only came out sixteen years ago! If only I could go back and read it sooner (heh). The nudge to finally act came from a thread in a writers’ forum, asking which books writers have read more than once. TTTW came up quite a few times, and made the all-time favorite list of quite a few writers. I now see why (it left me floating in a puddle for the rest of the day that I finished).
The book left me thinking long after I hoisted myself from the puddle and dried out. I can see myself rereading it, too. The book has special meaning because one of its main themes is determinism versus free-will. Which is one of the central themes in my WIP.
Even before I was halfway through, I began to notice similarities between the book’s protagonists, Clare and Henry, and Vahldan and Elan—my WIP’s protagonists. Henry is a reluctant time-traveler. Due to a genetic disorder, he has no choice as to when he travels or to what destination (geographic or chronologic). Vahldan is a reluctant chieftain. Due to his legacy, and his seemingly perfect fit in a prophesy, (he believes) he has no choice in becoming the catalyst to an insurgency within his Gothic nation.
Both Clare and Elan come to feel duty-bound to the fated men they love. But both of them feel torn between accepting and rejecting that fate. Though Clare seems comfortable with the inevitability of marrying Henry, she frequently questions his determinism, asking him if the future can’t somehow be changed—particularly when it comes to her becoming a mother. Elan, too, constantly pushes back against Vahldan’s adherence to his foretold destiny, at one point luring him to an almost deserted island and pleading with him to just stay there with her. “We can just let it go. We’d be free of it at last.”
But the one thing neither Clare nor Elan can do is walk away from these epic loves of their lives. Is it fate that holds them, or is it choice?
Intuitively Exploring Destiny
Looking back on my body of work, I can see that I have always been drawn to exploring this age-old debate. I suppose a lot of it derives from my rebellious nature in regard to dogma. I’ve always been interested in my characters’ reactions to imposed expectations and conventions. I originally included a prophecy not to meet any sort of trope expectations for the fantasy genre, but to reveal how nebulous such foretelling often is, and how the interpretation of prophecies often suits the purposes of those who propagate them.
It was the daughter of dear friends–a young lady I’ve known nearly all of her life–who first broached the topic. She was the first reader of the first version of my WIP (back when it was a single volume). She’d started reading before I was done writing it, and swiftly caught up. One Sunday she called to ask me when she could have the final chunk, and said something like, “So the whole thing is an exploration of fate versus free-will, right?”
I should mention that she’s extremely bright.
I quickly covered for the fact that she’d startled me. I hadn’t really considered it. I’m guessing she noticed my befuddlement, but let me off the hook.
That was in 2011.
Since then, in spite of being made aware of my tendency toward a fate versus free-will theme, I somehow seem to continue to misplace that awareness. Just a month ago, a wise mentor asked the question once again: “You are aware that you’re exploring free-will versus determinism, right?”
And, once again, I found myself startled and covering for it (and again, was kindly let off the hook). In other words, fate versus free-will wasn’t at the fore of conscious thought as I composed. And I’m glad about that. I suspect that—for me—too much conscious consideration of any theme could push my work toward preachiness. Or at the least, it might lead me away from the most natural behavior and dialog for my characters.
As the title of the essay implies, I think the leveraging of theme is work best done in revision.
Utilizing the Lever of Theme
“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.”—Stephen King, from On Writing
As I say, a lot of what I now perceive as a foundational theme for my story came about intuitively. And I’m guessing this is true for most of us. The things that deeply concern us—that haunt us, that incite our passions, or that tug at our deepest yearnings—are bound to arise in our storytelling.
So how do we go about utilizing theme in revision? As in all aspects of writing, I continue to be a student. But I thought it might be helpful to pass along what I’m learning in my current revision work.
As themes go, I think fate versus free-will is a pretty stellar one—so versatile and applicable. I wasn’t just looking to see if I was personally more inclined to determinism or free-will. It’s become evident to me that I have very complex, and even conflicting, views and feelings about it (more on that later). In moving beyond merely advocating for a side, I’ve been taking a look at the many facets of this story that reflect both sides of the debate. Particularly via the prism of my characters.
For example, I can see the many ways that my two protagonist symbolize these opposing positions—Vahldan representing determinism and Elan representing free-will. That’s straight-forward and a good starting point, but it’s only the beginning. Knowing this gives me some levers I can push and pull during revision.
The Time Traveler’s Wife has helped to inform me in this regard. For example, Henry’s time-traveling affliction seems to utterly condemn him to determinism. He clearly can’t alter what’s already happened. And it seems, in all of his early attempts, he is unable to change the future. But this frustrates him. He avoids sharing information about the future with past versions of himself and others. He says knowing the future is depressing, and leads to bad things. He works hard throughout the story to try to change fate. In other words, Henry strives for free-will.
I want to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t experienced this powerful story. But I feel there’s a case to be made for both Henry’s failure and his success in his pursuit of escaping fate and realizing some measure of free-will. But the fact that he’s symbolic of determinism and yet strives to escape it, makes the resolution all the more powerful.
In my current revision, I’m striving to establish in Vahldan a youthful tendency toward free-will, with an aversion to dogma. He sees his father’s legacy as a trap. He is repulsed by his father’s bloody past. Only through his father’s death, and his own feelings of guilt over it, does he swear an oath to his father. An oath that seals his fate, and puts him on a path toward a destiny he feels he cannot avoid. Because others believe he is destined to greatness, Vahldan finds power in his determinism. Power that fuels his ambition. And through his rejection of his true self, he blinds himself to the corrosive influence of his adopted fatalism.
Throughout the story, Elan represents Vahldan’s tenuous connection to free-will, and to his true self—one that he’s willfully abandoned. Elan has used her free-will to choose to bind herself to Vahldan’s destiny. In making the choice, she severs her connection to her former life, which damages and distorts her connection to her true self. She feels beaten down by fate. Her submission to determinism triggers her primary inner conflict, and literally makes her sick (physically and mentally).
In other words, belief in destiny is a choice, but it’s a choice that demands submission to it. One which necessitates the sacrifice of free-will.
Knowing these things as I revise is bound to enhance the alignment and strengthen the clarity of the story. I’m hoping that utilizing the levers of free-will and fate will make Vahldan’s and Elan’s arcs, their redemptions, and the story’s resolution, all the more powerful.
Destined to Choose
By now you’ve probably gleaned my own inner conflict. I think, at the thematic level, we’re all seeking to sort ourselves out. And as I said, this question has been fundamental for me from the onset. I often feel like things happen for a reason. I still say things like, I was meant to tell this story, or that I’ve found my calling. Those are very deterministic concepts.
I have to be careful, too, about my storytelling. Because of the existence of earlier versions of this story, and the completed story that comes subsequent to it, I’ve found myself telling editors and critique partners that the events within it are predetermined, or fixed.
But I still strongly believe in free-will. I get to choose, damn it. And not just what happens in my stories.
I’ll leave you with a favorite quote that sums my feelings up nicely.
“What we call our destiny is inside us. It is truly our character and that character can be altered. The knowledge that we are responsible for our actions and attitudes does not need to be discouraging, because it means we are free to change our destiny.”—Anaïs Nin
And now you are destined to choose. Do you have a central theme for your WIP? Can you see ways to utilize it as a lever? What lessons did you take away from Time Traveler’s Wife? What lessons on theme have you learned from any favorite book?
[Image is: Chambord–Leonardo’s Staircase, by OliBac on Flickr]
About Vaughn Roycroft
In the sixth grade, Vaughn’s teacher gave him a copy of The Hobbit, sparking a lifelong passion for reading and history. After college, life intervened, and Vaughn spent twenty years building a successful business. During those years, he and his wife built a getaway cottage near their favorite shoreline, in a fashion that would make the elves of Rivendell proud. After many milestone achievements, and with the mantra ‘life’s too short,’ they left their hectic lives in the business world, moved to their little cottage, and Vaughn finally returned to writing. Now he spends his days polishing his epic fantasy trilogy.
Great article, Vaughn. I especially love this, “I think, at the thematic level, we’re all seeking to sort ourselves out.” Absolutely. This is one of the workshops I’m teaching in Salem. It fascinates me how we are all stuck with our own particular themes.
Oh wow! And here I thought I was already excited for UnCon. I’m there–front row.
You’ve really made my day, Barbara. Strike that. Revise. You’ve really made my *autumn*, Barbara. Thanks for everything. You’re the best.
A profound and insightful post, Vaughn. This came at the perfect moment this morning! I’m just beginning a new WIP, and you sparked something that made me race to jot down some thoughts onto my outline. And I second what Barbara pointed out in your post–we really are seeking an answer to the same question regarding our own lives. Are we destined to walk a certain path, or do can we break the inevitable chain of events by striking out, and going in a different direction (or what feels like one)? It’s hard to say, but I think about this so very often.
Oh, and The Time Traveler’s Wife is one of my favorites of all time. I sobbed. I reveled in its raw beauty and poignancy, never mind her clever crafting. If only I could write like that…. :)
Hey Heather, It seems like it’d be so easy for me to just say I believe in free-will. But even the cyclical nature of history (as in the rise of authoritarianism) just keeps on tapping me on my free-will shoulder, and saying “not so fast, mister.” I think you’re on to something though, about striving to break the chains of events that seem to doom us to determinism.
Isn’t TTTW gorgeous? There are great books that inspire me, and then there are un-friggin-believable books that make me say, “ah, what’s the use.” (At least temporarily.)
Thanks much for your insight! (I’m particularly chuffed that two of my favorite UnCon session leaders were the first two comments on a post of mine.) Cheers!
“But the one thing neither Clare nor Elan can do is walk away from these epic loves of their lives. Is it fate that holds them, or is it choice?”
Perhaps the answer is that choice entangles them in fate? But also the choices of the men they love. Vahldan swears an oath to his father, an oath he cannot betray because of who he chooses to be? “Adopted fatalism”–yikes, that’s a scary thought! And because of his choice, Elan can’t escape her “destiny” either. In your fictional world (and perhaps in ours too) it seems as if embracing fate warps your character. So maybe you need to believe you are free to act freely?
Or something like that. This was a fabulous article that made my head spin a bit. Your story sounds very compelling!
Hey S.K.–Yes! One of the things I’ve come to in all of this is the belief that it’s up to us to strive to act freely and to embrace choice. Particularly when it comes to choosing whether to allow ourselves to become entwined in the toxic determinism of others. Even when those we loves seem mired in determinism, I think there are ways we can still act and choose without abandoning them OR our true selves. Which is definitely part of Elan’s redemption and arc.
Sorry about the head-spinning-ness. I’m guessing you’re not alone. I always fear I’m talking too much about my own (unpublished) work, and this month in particular. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be everyone’s cuppa. But I must admit, writing this post over the weekend really helped me to sort out my feelings. So there’s that, at least. (Sorry, Therese!)
Thanks for powering through and offering your terrific insight, S.K!
My head enjoys spinning around, Vaughn. Your article is precisely my cuppa! Glad you worked out some of your philosophical conundrums.
It’s an honor to be your cuppa. Thanks much for taking the time to tell me. Means a lot. :)
I need to reread TTTW one of these days. I found it really powerful the first time I read it, but that was ages ago.
As for my current WIP, I’ve been giving some thought to theme, but I’m still in the preplanning stages. So it’s helpful to think of looping back to that question after I have a full draft–I’m rather good at getting ahead of myself, so that’s a helpful suggestion. ;-) What I AM considering right now will feed into that larger question, though: I’m thinking both about the MC’s basic conflict/issue and the key conflict in the small-town community she moves to…for them, there’s a choice that was made in the past that they haven’t confronted, and her arrival will end up serving as a catalyst for dealing with the past. Nailing down the specifics will certainly bring at least part of the theme into focus!
I hear you on finding recurring themes/motifs as a writer, in general. Often have I gravitated toward the “someone comes to town/someone leaves” pattern, without realizing it, for example. I think of them a bit like a theme and variations in music…they end up part of our writerly DNA.
Hey Alisha! I don’t at all discount big picture thinking prior to completing a draft. That’s important work, too. And will certainly guide the crafting of your premise and your story question. I love delving into “someone comes to town” stories. It’s like “stranger comes to town” but with a mysterious backstory to boot!
There’s a lot about confronting a buried past in TTTW, too, so it might be a good time to revisit it.
I think you’re right, that there’s a discernible structure to any artist’s body of work. Sometimes it takes time to come to the fore, others are more apparent. I think mine is pretty apparent, though I must say, the two readers I mention who spotted my theme are two of the smartest, most-insightful people I know.
Thanks much for a very thoughtful addition to the conversation, Alisha. I’m glad it seems to have spurred you to some deeper exploration, too. Cheers!
Hi Vaughan, I’m late to comment, as usual, but found one main idea standing out. As humans, we often struggle to discover ourselves as we consider how we were raised, where we were raised and who made early decisions for us. Free will? Not a lot at the very beginning. Some facts determine our pathways and so when we sit down to write, that fuels our ideas: the plots we create, the symbols we use. Maybe that ONE BOOK deals with that and then we move on to another “theme.” But so much of growing and writing and understanding, is unwrapping our core. My MC in my first novel does this. My MC in two others struggles against the past. Aren’t we all doing that–trying to answer questions that become part of the creative process?
Hey Beth–No worries, your insight is always welcome, no matter when it arrives. And you’ve contributed real wisdom here today.
I totally think a lot of these issues are things I’ve been grappling with since childhood. Sometimes it feels like doing the hard work of writing is a lot like therapy, doesn’t it? I was going to say it’s cheaper, too, but there’s certainly a cost, in time and effort and honest introspection.
Here’s to the striving. Hopefully each of us will help others to answer a few of their questions along the way. Thanks much for contributing your wisdom!
If you choose to let ‘fate’ dictate your life… it’s the last choice you’ll ever make.
Thought-provoking – thanks.
Great summary statement, Deborah. I concur. Thanks much for letting me know.
Vaughn, I haven’t read TTTW, but the description made me immediately think of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughter-House Five, one of the themes of which is free will. (And which Vonnegut, in his inimitable way, suggests doesn’t exist.) The protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, is wrenched in and out of time, and is shown parallel—and cosmic—worlds and alternate segments of his life, none of his own choosing.
The aliens in one of those worlds helpfully show him that time goes backwards, forwards and every whichaway, and that not much can be done about it. As with Vonnegut, there’s much more of course, with scenes displaying the idiocy of war, the sweetness of common decency and the peculiarities of existence. Have to read it again—it’s been years.
Anyway, I consulted with the aliens (the Tralfamadorians) and they said your fate was to get these novels done, and done well. You really have no choice.
Hey Tom – Well, since I haven’t read Vonnegut since sophomore year of college, and I was definitely under the influence of something other than the fictive spell, pretty much all of the time (hey, it was the early eighties in East Lansing), you’ve convinced me it’s well-past time to step up and correct this fundamental literary lacking.
Maybe the Tralfamadorians are demanding that in addition? Guess I’d better submit to fate. On both counts. Thanks, as always, for taking the conversation up a notch, and in your singular witty way. You’re much appreciated!
Sorry to be late to this thread. My WIP is also about free will and fate. And, the blurb for my published novel begins: “Whether by free will or fate, Luna’s encounter with Nico provokes a storm that shatters her perceptions of identity, duty, morality, and self-worth. The storm didn’t blow in from the outside. She was the storm. Its turbulence forces her to confront the darkness, uncovering her secrets and her pain.” In my current WIP the protagonist is a gifted healer, but he has consistently chosen the dark side by pursuing wealth and celebrity. Can he be redeemed? Darth Vader comes to mind… Luke thought so and he pressed on. Dostoevsky believed in redemption even for the darkest of characters. So did Samuel Coleridge in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner; Tolstoy in The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and Camus in The Fall. I am nearing the climax of my novel and we’ll see where this character takes me…. :)
Hey Luna! Sorry, I just got the email notification about your comment this morning.
As I noted in the essay, I think free-will vs. fate can provide SUCH a dynamic, overarching theme for fiction. And I’m glad you point out redemption’s role here. I certainly hope you’re right! My “fated” protagonist is heading to a very dark place (partly due to the beliefs he’s adopted and clings to). Great examples (reminding me that I need to get going on reading some of the classics!).
Thanks so much for enhancing my thinking on this, and for your support (whenever it arrives). Wishing you the best as you race to the finish line with your WIP. I’m rooting for you!
How did you become so wise and wonderful, Vaughn? Always love your posts.
Aw shucks, thanks, Kat. Back at ya! Always, always love reading anything you write. So keep me stocked, would ya? :)