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Wolf, Adriana

Mr. Morris

Adv. World Literature

01 December, 2016

3. Greek Literature - Fate, Free Will and Minority Report

[Symbolism of Fate]

In both the film Minority Report, and the ancient Greek story Oedipus The King, there is

symbolism showing fate, imagery using light, and similar accounts of irony. Both works

illustrate fate through imagery and recurring motifs such as eyes. This use of fate inspires the

questioning of this philosophical idea, and the truth in it.

There are many recurring motifs present in Oedipus The King that describe the theme of

fate. One of the motifs that illustrate fate is the use of eyes. Oedipus cuts his own eyes out,

saying Why should I see when vision shows me nothing sweet to see?(5). The eyes of Oedipus

represent the truth which is synonymous with his fate. He removes his eves after he has seen the

truth, hoping that without sight, he will not see reality. Killing his father and sleeping with his

mother was prophesied as Oedipus fate. The Herdman tells Oedipus his fate, ...Through fear

and evil oracles. They said that he should kill his parents(5). These oracles symbolize inevitable

fate, as they know what will happen. However, in reality, fate can be altered. Making a decision

that alters the future, will then become the new fate. When Oedipus cut his eyes out, that action

became an event that was part of his fate. It is ironic that the fate the oracles described was what

Oedipus was trying to avoid by the removal of his eyes; however that action, then became part of

his fate.
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There is also symbolism and Irony in Oedipus The King. Light and dark represent the

emotional state of Oedipus at the time. Before Oedipus removed his eyes he was happy and

naive. Once Oedipus cut out his eyes due to depression, he lived in darkness. This change in light

reflects his change in mental state once discovering the truth. One example of Dramatic Irony is

how Oedipus was looked upon as a savior, yet he caused the problem. The people of Thebes

trusted Oedipus to rid the city of the plague. This shows irony, as Oedipus caused the plague on

Thebes. Teiresias tells Oedipus, You are the lands pollution!(2). This is only meant as an

insult, yet it clearly shows the cause of the plague. It also shows how it was Oedipus fate to kill

his father, as he was the murderer causing the disease. Both the change in light, and Oedipus

being the cause of the plague show how Oedipus fate was set, and it cause massive destruction.

Like in Oedipus Rex, Minority Report contains many symbolic motifs, and accounts of

irony. Instead of oracles or prophets like in ancient Greek literature, there are balls that represent

fate. The balls state the fate of the murderer, and who will be killed, which parallels to Oedipus

fate of killing his father. Eyes are also a motif that is present in both stories that symbolize truth

and fate. In Minority Report, Dr. Iris Hineman tells John Anderton, Sometimes, in order to see

the light, you have to risk the dark., describing how he removes his eyes in a quest to find the

truth, not avoid it like in Oedipus The King. The removal of eyes in both Minority Report and

Oedipus The King also has symbolism of light and dark, which represents emotion. There is

bright light when John watches past videos of his son, as that was a time in his life when he was

happy, and a darker emission of light when reality is shown. There is also dramatic irony similar

to that of which is in Oedipus the King. Johns wife trusts Lamar, however, it turns out that he is

the criminal. This is similar to how Oedipus is trusted by the people, yet it is discovered that he
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set the plague upon the Thebes. These Are just some of the parallels between Minority Report

and Oedipus The King involving symbolism and plot details.

There are many similarities between Minority Report and Oedipus the King regarding

symbolism, imagery, irony, and the theme of fate. Fate in both works is viewed as unchangeable,

and will happen inevitably, such as in Greek mythology where The decisions of the Fates could

not be altered, even by the gods(Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia). However, as said

by Paul Sutton, ...fate is, in part, the result of human choices(Fate, utopia, and critical hope).

Fate is not set from the time we are born. It is altered through the decisions we make, and things

we experience in life.
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Works Cited

+, Aaron. "Darkness and Light in Oedipus Rex." Anthology of Ideas. N.p., 17 May 2007. Web.

04 Dec. 2016.

"Quotes." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.

Sophocles, and Nick Bartel. Oedipus the King. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1970. Print.

Minority Report. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2006.

"Fates." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (2016): 1p. 1. Funk & Wagnalls New World

Encyclopedia. Web. 5 Dec. 2016.

Sutton, Paul. "A Paradoxical Academic Identity: Fate, Utopia And Critical Hope." Teaching In

Higher Education 20.1 (2015): 37-47. Professional Development Collection. Web. 5 Dec.

2016.

Thesis Development (Answer as Comments):

1. Describe what you think the essay is going to be about from the authors thesis.
2. Is the author developing a thesis that is relevant to prompt? Why or why not?
3. Does the thesis have an argued position, or is it just a restatement of the prompt?

Concrete Evidence (Answer as Comments):

4. What is the concrete evidence for the position in the draft? If none are present, suggest
areas of further development regarding your own research with the prompt.

Style (Answer as Comments):

5. Who is the authors target audience (is the essay academic, or informal)? Does the target
audience match the content and tone of the essay?
6. Is the author using the correct essay format? If they have not, is it for good reasons?
7. Is the writing interesting and engaging? Is it something you can see being published in an
online journal? Suggest two specific areas of improvement.
Knowers Subjectivity (Answer as Comments):
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8. Does the author show an awareness of his or her own perspective as a knower in relation
to other perspectives, such as those that may arise, for example, from academic and
philosophical traditions, culture or position in society (gender, age, and so on)? How so?

Grammar (Answer as Comments):

9. Is the language clear and central terms explained or developed?

10. Is factual information correct and properly cited?
11. 3 Questions for the author to consider:
12. Other comments (1 paragraph summary):

Screenshot of Originality Report (from turnitin.com)

Rubric rating submitted on: 12/10/2016, 12:47:15 PM by justintylermorris@gmail.com

3 2 1 0

Overall Introductory, Introductory, body, Introductory, body, Essay organization

Structure/Complete body, and and concluding and concluding detracts from
ness concluding paragraphs follow a paragraphs follow content
Your score: 3 paragraphs follow complete an incomplete
an effective organization style: organization style:
organization style: Thesis/argument, Thesis/argument,
Thesis/argument, basic description of insufficient
strong description most of the description of the
of most of the reoccurring motifs reoccurring motifs
reoccurring motifs (scales, oracles, (scales, oracles,
(scales, oracles, prophets, gods) and prophets, gods) and
prophets, gods) and literary devices literary devices
literary devices (epithets, dialogue, (epithets, dialogue,
(epithets, dialogue, dramatic irony, dramatic irony,
dramatic irony, light/dark light/dark
light/dark symbolism, symbolism,
symbolism, choruses), and a choruses), and no
choruses) and strong comparison comparison to the
makes persuasive to the same in same in Minority
and effective Minority Report. Report. The essay
comparison to the The essay makes does not analyze
same in Minority general analysis to characters and
Report. The essay characters and conflicts within
makes specific, conflicts within their respective
concrete references their respective plots. Essay does
to characters and plots. Essay also not give a critique
conflicts within gives a some regarding the extent
their respective critique regarding to which fate exists
plots. Essay also the extent to which scientifically
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gives a full literary fate exists Analysis is full and

critique regarding scientifically insightful. Analysis
the extent to which Analysis is full and could use
fate exists insightful. Analysis improvement.
scientifically could use
Analysis is full and improvement.
insightful.

Thesis and Thesis provides a Thesis provides a Thesis provides Thesis and/or
Argument correct invitation some invitation and little invitation and conclusion are not
Your score: 3 and overview of the overview of the overview of the evident.
purpose and clearly purpose and only purpose and only
discusses generally discusses superficially
specifically how at a surface level discusses how
Minority Report how Minority Minority Report
connects to the two Report connects to connects to the two
elements in the the two elements in elements in the
prompt, its the prompt, its prompt, its
comparison to Unit comparison to Unit comparison to Unit
3: Ancient Greek 3: Ancient Greek 3: Ancient Greek
Literature, and the Literature, and the Literature, and the
scientific lit. scientific lit. scientific lit.
critique. critique. Thesis may critique. Thesis may
be missing one or be missing two or
more elements more elements

Accuracy/Persuasio Topic sentences are Most paragraphs includes a topic The body consists
n supported with include a topic sentence but is of fewer than two
Your score: 3 specific details and sentence, but is superficially paragraphs and or
examples. often disjointed conntect to the topic the content is highly
Transitional words with the content of and doesn't repetitive.
or phrases join the paragraph. introduce the No transitional
paragraphs. Some transitional paragraph words or phrases are
In-text citations are words or phrases are effectively. used.
present and used. Few transitional
consistent with the words or phrases are In-text citations are
argument. In-text citations are used. not present or are
Credibility of not always present not consistent with
sources are clear or are not always In-text citations are the argument.
and evident. consistent with the rarely consistent Credibility of
argument. with the argument. sources not clear
Credibility of Credibility of and evident.
sources are sources are
sometimes clear and sometimes clear and
evident. evident.

Comments:
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Well done!