Pre-Reading Orphan Train

Pre-Reading Blog

Orphan Train

By:Abigail Breeggemann   

I am choosing to do my pre-reading on the difference between chance and fate. I can already feel that this book has a very powerful connection with the two words. However there is a major difference. Through this blog I will convince you that the difference between these words is great.

Let’s start with the word chance. A lot of people associate the word chance with gambling. That is true.  For example in a game of 5 card draw there is no way of telling what your cards are going to be. You could get really good cards or really bad cards.There is nothing you can do to change your cards. With fate,however, you can decide what your next “move” is. That is the big difference here. Fate is up to you, chance is not. Now fate is not always determined by you. But you actions can alter your fate. Fate is planned out but you can change it. For better or for worse. Another thing I would like to add is the actual definition of the word. The reason I am doing this is because everyone’s personal opinion could be different but the definition never changes. The actual definition of fate is(using Webster’s Collage Dictionary) “the power or agency supposed to determine the outcome of events before they occur;destiny”. The definition of chance is “the happening of events without apparent cause, or the apparent absence of cause or design;fortuity;luck”. The key word in there is luck. Unlike fate, no matter what you do you cannot change your “luck”.

Also note that most people think fate as unchangeable. Only in some rare situations is it actually not changeable. You control your life and that’s how I think this word applies to the book. The main character thinks that her life is going to be all bad. Then she meets the old woman and is told that her fate can change.

Going into that, I think the word chance comes up when the girls life first starts it is simply chance that she was born an Irish immigrant. Chance is not always a good thing. 

 In conclusion I hope I have shown you how these two words are different.