Fate and Free Will Quotes in Cloud Atlas

How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

"What if trying to avoid the future is what triggers it all?" (9.47.4)

This is pretty much what fate vs. free will boils down to. Maybe fate just wants us to make these choices? Like Unanimity manipulating Sonmi, maybe fate is manipulating us all, to the very end.

Quote #8

Once upon a time, I had a baby daughter. I dressed her in frilly frocks, enrolled her for ballet class [...] but look at her. She turned into [her father] anyway. (9.56.15)

Luisa's mother tried to choose the daughter she had—a daughter who followed in her dainty footsteps. But Luisa chose to be like her father instead, choosing Pulitzer Prizes over debutante balls, and ended up with a more interesting life.

Quote #9

We cut a pack of cards called historical context—our generation, Sixsmith, cut tens, jacks and queens. Adrian's cut threes, fours, and fives. That's all. (10.1.8)

Here's another card metaphor, this one courtesy of Robert Frobisher. Like Cavendish, he believes our fate is in the cards. Maybe that's why he feels he has no other choice than suicide in the end.