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Samantha Ocampo

Ms. Kelly

British Literature

May 12th, 2017

Choice and Consequence

Choices can have far reaching consequences that determine and transform the character,

values, and contribution of an individual towards society. Life itself is based on decisions,

whether they are big or small, they would determine tomorrows future. Society has evolved in

numerous ways due to the choices that people make in their lives which lead to outcomes set by

them. A choice comes from impulsiveness, reflections, and is also about learning and accepting

the consequences. Some choices could be influenced by factors that are presented in different

circumstances. Each person has morals and standards to judge their own decisions. Good choices

would lead to good consequences as poor choices lead to bad consequences.

Living an inspired life involves the mental process that combines thinking, understanding

and decision, denominated as a choice. (Glasser 3) Choosing between options is a skill learned

with the time and experiences. The Choice Theory shows certainty the nature of choice behavior

driven by needs similar to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. In ones day-to-day life, making

choices is part of survival and as a result, it has an outcome. Its a way of self-expression towards

someones preference. Choices are made to satisfy the basic human needs: survival, love and

belonging, power, freedom, and fun. (Glasser 4) The process of making choices could also be

seen in the literature.

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In the novels Divergent', Thirteen Reasons Why and the Play Macbeth, the theme

of choices and consequences is dominant within the text, involving the characters in different

circumstances where every decision could transform their lives endlessly. Divergent; by

Veronica Roth is a novel about Beatrice Prior, who lives in a dystopian society in Chicago

divided into five factions. There is Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, Candor and Erudite, each has a

particular virtue. She grows up in Abnegation faction. But when she turns 16, she must choose

the faction to which she will devote the rest of her life. Jay Asher also indicates in the novel 13

Reasons Why how choices are important for the two main characters, Hannah and Clay. All the

decisions Hannah makes play a role in the novel because it leads her to commit suicide. The play

Macbeth by William Shakespeare is full of choices and consequences as well. Macbeth is led to

his own downfall for each decision that he makes.

How can a choice transform an individual? In Divergent, Beatrice has to choose what

faction she will go. Its the most meaningful that a person can make. However, she cant make

up her mind after the aptitude test and surprisingly she chooses Dauntless as her new faction. A

new place, a new name. I can be remade here.(pg.60) Beatrice starts a new life, in a new place

with people with a different belief which is faction before blood, meaning that the faction

supposes to become her family. (pg. 72) She starts by changing her name to Tris and dressing

differently. Even after Tris chooses her faction, she isnt able to understand who she really is

until she finds out that shes divergent. The choices made by this character led her to found out

about her personality and where she belongs to. In life, there are similar circumstances that help

us found out more about who we are.

The tragedy of Macbeth is also thrilled with many events that lead the protagonist to his

downfall. The first significant choice that Macbeth makes is to kill his king. It was marked for
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the rest of his life because he then suffers from his conscience, Macbeth shall sleep no more.

(Rosemary 3) The consequences are felt immediately after he has murdered the king. Not being

able to sleep and killing more people are the signs of his life falling apart. He could have chosen

something else but he chose ambition. The perspective upon viewing how these events shaped

their lives is what could define their future.

In various circumstances, there are factors that influence people's choices. Such is the

case in the play Macbeth, where the main character is influenced by his wife and the witches as

well as his ambition. The witches create chaos by prophesying to Macbeth in order to get him to

act. All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! Hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! Thou shalt

be king hereafter! (Act I Scene 3) They wanted to dominate his mind and they obtained it

eventually. Lady Macbeth influenced Macbeth to kill the king which will become his first

murder. At the beginning he refused to do it but his wife told him, When you durst do it, then

you were a man. (Act I Scene 5) Lady Macbeth uses her slyness and cunning to manipulate him

because she does not believe he has the willpower to murder the king. Motivation to make

choices come from a sense of competence and personal power. (Glasser 2) How could power

affect someones choices? Maslows Hierarchy of Needs affects many choices. For instance, the

need for power is one of the factors that led Macbeth to make bad decisions. He chooses

ambition over everything else in life. Consequently, he loses his ability to eat, sleep and the

comfort of family and friends.

Every choice has a consequence, whether its good or bad. It can last years or even a

lifetime. Consequences can be both positive and negative but equally have a long lasting effect.

In the novel Thirteen Reasons Why Clay Jensen gets the tapes anonymously that contains the

audio taped suicidal not of Hannah Baker and has to chooses to listen to them. Its respect. Im
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leaving her last requests. (Asher 47) As a consequence, his life becomes a rollercoaster filled

with awful events. Clays state of mind becomes damaged and his attitude changes. Furthermore,

Hannahs choices have serious consequences as well. She goes to Bryce since hes the only one

she hates more than herself and lets him have sex with her. Thus, she found another reason to

collapse and commit suicide. From a similar point of view, there is Lady Macbeth who became

sick after helping her husband to commit murder. Whats done cannot be undone. (Act V,

Scene I) She also ends up taking away her own life. The choices made by Hannah and Lady

Macbeth show the consequences in real life and how tragic they could be.

No one knows how much impact their decisions have on the lives of other people. Often

times we have no clue. Yet we push it the same. (Asher 91) Sometimes people make choices

without knowing that they can also affect other people as well. In the novel by Jay Asher, the

decisions of two characters led to horrible act. Justin decided to let Bryce into the room to have

sex with Jessica. In the same way Hannah did not intervene. (Asher 60) When Hanna chooses

not to do something about it her friend is raped. Neither Justin nor Hanna made a good choice

and they didnt realize the damage that it would cause to his friend

Ultimately, choices play an important part in every mans life and the consequences are

inevitable. They determine and transform the morals and standards of an individual. Only one

choice can transform someones life. In the two novels and the play, we have seen how the

choices made by the characters shaped their lives and personalities in different paths. They also

had consequences that were negative and positive but each led to a new experience. Even when

we fail to make a choice its important to learn from each experience. There are factors that affect

humans decisions in different circumstances. Its up to them to choose between what is right and

wrong. The sum of all the choices will define us who we are today.
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References

Asher, Jay. 13 Reasons Why. New York: Razorbill, an Imprint of Penguin Random House,

2017. Print

"CHOICE THEORY." Choice Theory. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2017. Last updated 10/08/2008

11:22:07 http://www.choicetheory.com/ct.htm

How Psychology Explains the Everyday Decisions That We Make, and How We Are

Unaware of the Influences That Guide the Choices We Make. "Making Choices: Can Too

Many Choices Be Bad For Us, And How Much Can We Trust Our Own Decisions?"

Psychologist World. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.

<https://www.psychologistworld.com/cognitive/choice-theory#article-citations-12>.

Roth, Veronica. Divergent. London: HarperCollins, 2016. Print.

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth: Entire Play. N.p., Web.17 Apr. 2017.

"What Are The Consequences Of The Choices That Macbeth Makes?" Tutor Hunt. N.p., n.d.

Web. 30 Apr. 2017. https://www.tutorhunt.com/resource/10137/