Mystic River: Question #5

One’s fate is defined by the events or actions that have been taken in the sequence of their life. Fate cannot be altered it can only be lived through. The Greeks had believed in this ideal and thought of fate as a predisposition.  In the movie Mystic River, Jimmy the strong-minded individual, had suffered with his unavoidable fate, only after the traumatic experience he faced with his friends during his childhood. In the moment before Dave was kidnapped, Sean, and Jimmy had begun to carve their names into the wet cement on the sidewalk. Jimmy signed his name first, initiating the start of a following, the moment in which he became the leader. Standards must now be met.

Throughout his adulthood, Jimmy had suffered with the daunting realization that he had to live up to higher standard. Jimmy was known around the neighborhood and people knew not to mess with him. Jimmy had killed to keep his reputation in tact and had hide the secrets of his malicious ways in the closest. Throughout the movie, he faces choices that he can take in order to find his daughter’s killer, each time he picks the unethical way.

Years later and the memories of that one night remain fresh in Jimmy’s mind. Though he was not the one kidnapped, he too felt as if a piece of himself was taken away as Dave drove away with fake cops. When Sean had failed to find Katie’s killer Jimmy took it into his own hands. He had believed Dave had done it and so he thought that his only option was to take his life as well. Jimmy was unable to avoid the events that were predetermined to occur. He was the leader and he took initiative. He had lived up to the standards of superiority yet killed his friend in the process. 

This quote by Amy Tan reflect on the same ideals of fate. Providing evidence that furthers the claim that fate is inevitable and things happen based off of actions that occur.