Chiang

 Will Pikus

            The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate gives us a window into a different kind of the experience. The short story provokes us to think about what we might ask ourselves if we could meet the person we become in the future. It also teaches us a valuables lesson about free will. 

            There is a gate within this short story. If one is to pass through the gate, they will surely meet themself in the future. Despite the fact that they can ask anything, it’s impossible to avoid a life of misfortune. It is said in the story that Allah will still choose to punish an individual if he thinks it is necessary. Chiang writes the following quotation “So even if you succeed in avoiding the misfortunes that your older self experienced, there is no assurance you will not encounter other misfortunes.” (Chiang 24). It is then explained that nothing will ever change in the future, because the future is as fixed as the past is. 

            Whether a person is religious or not, free will should be something that we all question. It doesn’t matter if we believe in God or not because if the real world worked like this short story, then we would all be living pre-determined lives. What is the point of living if we know our lives aren’t for us to create? 

            Time also plays a major role in this short story. It is another component that is incredibly thought provoking. The merchant talks about the fact that if one goes through the gate and finds out that they will die in twenty years, there is nothing to be done. However, if one is to go through the gate and find out that they live another twenty years, then they can live fearlessly. However, living fearlessly causes another problem. If one lives too fearlessly, then they may find no one on the other side of the gate.  This is probably the most mind bending part of the story.  

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