How we cite our quotes: (Volume.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
It seems to me now almost incredibly wonderful that, with that swift fate hanging over us, men could go about their petty concerns as they did. (1.1.19)
There's an old tradition of people getting terrible prophecies (for example, one king is told he will be killed by his son), and trying to avoid those prophecies (for example, the king tries to kill his son first)… but then the prophecy comes true anyway. We're reminded of this because the narrator almost seems to imply that people were foolish to go about "their petty concerns" when they had this "swift fate hanging over" their heads. And yet, we almost want to ask the narrator what other option there is? In this case, how should these people avoid their fate? After all, if it's their fate, how can they avoid it?
Quote #2
Beyond were the pillars of fire about Chobham. They became pillars of bloodshot smoke at the first touch of day. (1.11.36)
Of course, in 1890s England, there aren't a lot of people going around giving prophecies. (Note: actually, there was a big spiritual movement in the 19th century – people searching for ghosts and for prophecies – but just ignore that for the moment.) In 1890s England what we have instead of prophets is the Bible and priests, so the question of fate is largely going to be a religious one. Now, this quote doesn't overtly say anything about fate, but it is an echo of the Bible, from Exodus, and it does raise some questions about fate's relation to religion. Questions that we aren't entirely sure about.
Quote #3
"Why are these things permitted? What sins have we done? The morning service was over, I was walking through the roads to clear my brain for the afternoon, and then – fire, earthquake, death! As if it were Sodom and Gomorrah! All our work undone, all the work – What are these Martians?" (1.13.17)
The curate is very worked up over the Martian invasion and for him, this can't simply be the effect of Martian free will. (We can imagine the Martians meeting and saying, "Hey, what are you doing this weekend? I was thinking of invading Earth." And the other Martian would be like, "Yeah, cool, let's do it." However, the curate doesn't seem to believe in Martian free will.) For the curate, the invasion of the Martians must mean something about the fate of humanity. For him, the Martians are the punishment humans deserve for being sinful. (Or at least, that's the conclusion he'll come to soon.)
Quote #4
"Think of what earthquakes and floods, wars and volcanoes, have done before to men! Did you think God had exempted Weybridge? He is not an insurance agent." (1.13.38)
In contrast to the curate, the narrator (at this moment) is not looking to God and fate for an explanation. (Although, let's note, he's not arguing against the existence of God here. He's only arguing that God doesn't get involved in every single disaster.) For the narrator, these terrible events just happen.
Quote #5
"It is just, O God!" he would say, over and over again. "It is just. On me and mine be the punishment laid. We have sinned, we have fallen short." (2.4.6)
Two quotes up from this one, the curate was questioning the invasion. When the Martians attacked he asked, "What sins have we done?" Later, when the narrator and curate are stuck in the house in Sheen, the curate comes to the conclusion that they humans have sinned enough to call for this Heat-Ray business. He considers the Martians as a fate that humans deserve.
Quote #6
I saw myself then as I see myself now, driven step by step towards that hasty blow, the creature of a sequence of accidents leading inevitably to that. (2.7.2)
In discussing The War of the Worlds and fate, we tend to talk about God and bacteria and the Martians-as-punishment. But what about humans? Are people fated to do certain things? Or is there some free will? The narrator excuses his actions in regard to the curate by noting that a) he didn't know what was going to happen and b) one thing led to another. Do you guys buy that? Or did the narrator have some choice as to his behavior?
Quote #7
"Now whenever things are so that a lot of people feel they ought to be doing something, the weak, and those who go weak with a lot of complicated thinking, always make for a sort of do-nothing religion, very pious and superior, and submit to persecution and the will of the Lord." (2.7.58)
The complete opposite of the curate is the artilleryman. His view of religion is that people tend to rely on some notion of fate when they're too weak to exercise their free will. This helps us see the curate and the artilleryman as foils. (The curate is pro-fate, while the artilleryman is anti-fate.) The artilleryman's argument might be persuasive, but then again, maybe we should take into account the speaker. The artilleryman is a guy who was saved from the Heat-Ray because his horse tripped and threw him into a ditch (1.11.26). Even if we believe in free will, it seems we have to recognize the possibility of accidents. Where do accidents fit in between fate and free will?
Quote #8
And scattered about it, some in their overturned war-machines, some in the now rigid handling-machines, and a dozen of them stark and silent and laid in a row, were the Martians – dead! – slain by the putrefactive and disease bacteria against which their systems were unprepared; slain as the red weed was being slain; slain, after all man's devices had failed, by the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, has put upon this earth. (2.8.21)
At this point, the narrator has fully bought into the curate's view of God and fate. (Although with this guy's mood swings, let's see how long this lasts.) Notice that, except for that final remark about God and his wisdom, this entire statement could be made to refer to scientific fate. Because the Martians didn't take some precautions (and because they evolved to not have an immune system), they died of bacterial infection. So what is it? God or science?
Quote #9
The dome of St. Paul's was dark against the sunrise, and injured, I saw for the first time, by a huge gaping cavity on its western side. (2.8.28)
Most of The War of the Worlds seems realistic, so when we hear about the damaged dome of St. Paul's, our first impulse is to say, "Darn, we really liked that dome… but we guess that's what happens when Martians attack." But this is a pretty particular landmark. There are lots of famous structures to destroy in London without mentioning religious buildings. Why is St. Paul's damaged? How would it affect one of Wells' contemporaries to read about St. Paul's being damaged?
Quote #10
It may be, on the other hand, that the destruction of the Martians is only a reprieve. To them, and not to us, perhaps, is the future ordained. (2.10.10)
Two quotes up, the narrator seemed to take a curate-like view of the events (the Martians died because God put bacteria on earth). At the end of the book, though, the narrator leaves it open as to whether humans or Martians are destined to take over the universe. Do these two ideas mesh together? Is the narrator supporting some notion of fate when he asks about the future being "ordained"?