Fate vs.

Karma
In todays modern society, several people go through similar cases dealing with karma. Karma is the
understanding of good or bad results that happen in everyday life. In Sophocles tragedy, Oedipus Rex,
the character Oedipus suffered from karma due to his own arrogance and selfishness. Oedipus was the
king of Thebes until he was informed the truth about his life. Oedipus was giving a prophecy that he will
kill his father and marry his mother., Oedipus did not want this prophecy to be true, so he ran from
home. On his journey to prevent the prophecy, Oedipus was met by man who was riding down the same
path as him. The man told Oedipus to move out of his path, and Oedipus as arrogant as he is, did not
only move but killed the man for being rude to him. Oedipus reached a kingdom called Thebes, who was
ruled by a monster and the only way to over power the monster was to solve a riddle. Oedipus solved
the riddle and was pronounced the new king of Thebes. Oedipuss life was great and he did not have to
worry about the prophecy becoming true because he was not there. Several years later, Oedipus was
informed that he was adopted and his real parents were his wife and the man who he killed on the
roadway years ago. Oedipus could not handle the truth that was being told to him ,so he stabs himself
in both eyes several times, leaving him blind.
The story of Oedipus reflects on today society because a variety of people go through similar
situations dealing with karma. Not too long ago, there was a man named David, who was arrogant and a
hot head. One day, Davids boss was tired of David coming in late numerous of times, so he informed
David that this will be his last day working on the job. David was furious and said to his boss have a nice
day jerk! which he followed with his third finger in the air. After exiting his job, David was driving down
a road way doing 20 miles per hour over the speed limit. While driving, David was cut off by a blue
Honda, driven by a middle age man. Since David has a short temper, he speeds up and rams the back of
the blue Honda causing the driver to lose control and runs into a tree. David stops his car right behind
the Honda and waited for the driver to come out his vehicle. The driver of the blue Honda, was a middle
age man . The driver steps out his car and rushes to Davids vehicle and starts to kick and scream at
David. David threatens the man to move away from his car or else. The man continues to yell about his
car. David steps out of his vehicle and shoots the man in the leg; the man falls on the ground. David
rushes back to his car and speeds off before any witnesses or police arrived on the scene.
Two months later after the incident, David applied for numerous jobs in his area and there were no
opening positions. David called his grandmother and asked her for any open position at her job. Davids
grandmother called her boss, and he told her there were two position available but they will only be
open for two days. Davids grandmother informs David about the news; he rushes down to the job and
demands an interview. The interviewer was astonished by Davids appearance and gave David the
manager position right away. Before accepting the job, David questioned about the previous manager.
The interviewer told David, do not worry about the past manager because he is no longer with us.
David accepted the offer. David was on the right track and living the life he always dreamt about. Life
was good in Davids eyes. However, a few weeks on the job, David has not seen his grandmother at
work, so he calls her to check up on her. Davids grandmother is in the hospital; she is suffering from
breast cancer. David ask, Grandmother why havent you told me about your illness? She replies, I
havent told you about a lot my dear grandson. David pauses with a stunned look on his face. He
replied what do you mean? Davids grandmother pauses for a few moments and states, I havent
told you about your real identity. she continues Your real father was killed nearly three months ago
by a drunk driver. David pauses and ask, why are you telling me about my real father now, hes dead.
Davids grandmother could not stand to tell David more of the story, so she laid in silence. David was
upset with his grandmother, he hung up the phone and returned back to work. Seeing that David was
upset, one of his co-workers asked him what was bothering him. David responded, my grandmother is
in the hospital and I just found out that my real father died three months ago. the co-worker response
back, look at the bright side at least you have a great paying job that will help pay for her medical bill.
she ended with a smile. David asked, the co-worker what happened to the last manager who worker
here She replied, He was killed by a drunk driver, who shot him because he cut him off the road. Just
sad. David states, thats the same thing that happened to my father but he did not get shot. Before
the co-worker could response, Davids manager called him to his office. In the bosss office, Davids boss
told him that there is a mistake, you never filled out an application for the job, David response, I can fill
one out now. The boss replies, no David were going to have to let you go and open up the position for
someone else. David did not say a word, he just left the building.
When David got home his house was surrounded by police officers. The police men asked David to get
out of the car and put his hands up. David was arrested for murder. While waiting for trial, David
questioned himself on who he killed. When the trial was presented , David sees the interviewer, who
interviewed him for the job as a witness to his crime. The judge asked David, do you know what you
have done to be here sir?, David, replied no sir, I dont know why I am here., then the judge tells him,
you are here because you murdered a man three month ago. David stands in shock to know that he
murder an individual. The judge calls up the witness and asks the witness how do you know this man.
The witness explains, I know this man because Ive seen him on the roadway speeding then he
rammed a blue Honda off the road into a tree. He explains more to the judge that David shot the man
in the leg and sped off. I ran to the man to help him but when I got to him he was already dead from
the loss of blood. The next time I saw David was at my job, I interviewed him and gave him the job
without any verification. Then the judge told the witness to step down from the post and asked David
does he have any words to say. The judge then told David, Well since you like shooting people when
youre mad, how about I put you in prison for 25 years to life. and dismissed the case. While in jail,
Davids grandmother wrote him a letter before she passed away, and it stated David, the man you
killed on the road was your real father; the investigator told me right after you were charged for the
crime. After reading this David was angry and hung himself.
Even modern literature can relate to past ones. The story can change but meaning of karma will
always stay the same.




Reflect
In this piece of writing, it explains the difference between karma and fate. Karma is the understanding of
good or bad results that happen in everyday life. Karma can be confused with fate because they are
similar. Fate is bound to happen; nothing can change it from happening. In my writing, I wrote a similar
story relating to the tragic hero Oedipus in Oedipus Rex". My story shares how a man named David,
who was an arrogant and hot head, fulfilled his fate of killing his father and spending life in prison. David
is the tragic hero in this story because he was destines to hit a down fall in his life. Even though he tried
to run away from his fate, his arrogance and high temper helped it come true, just like in the story
Oedipus Rex. I chose this piece of writing to show off my creativity and how I can relate to the story I've
read. This was a fun essay to create and knowing that I had to make up one our own was challenging but
I mastered it.