Stranger Than Fiction was an interesting movie, to say the
least. The film was a perfect specimen
to be observed in a class devoted to the relationship between film and
literature, as it focused on the relationship between character and
author. Harold Crick becomes aware that
he is apart of a story when he begins to hear the voice of his author, Karen
Eiffel, narrating his life. This causes
a great change in Harold’s life, which could only be described as dull. Though content with his life, Harold wasn’t
really making anything out of his life, but that quickly changes when he learns
of his imminent death.
I find it interesting how the narrator’s voice put events
into motion, but Harold is left alone to react.
He is told that his death is imminent, but he is then free to do as he
pleases. Harold is free to do with the
rest of his life as he pleases, he could eat nothing but pancakes if he wanted
to.
Eiffel’s decision to kill Harold Crick puts everything into
play, and so the story seems takes one path based on the decisions Harold makes
as a result. Though Eiffel is seemingly
in full control over Harold’s life, his choices change his “fate” that Eiffel
puts in effect. Ultimately Harold’s search
for an answer, his acceptance of the situation, decision to live his life,
run-in with his author, and his willingness to die changes his outcome. This is how I perceive life, certain events
are put into place, and our choices affect the outcome. Granted things could occur several different
ways, we can only make the choice once, meaning it will happen a certain
way. This makes it seem as though there
is an unchanging fate. Eiffel put his
life into motion when she stated his death was imminent, and Harold was left
shouting to the voice that told him he would die. He was free to do whatever he choose to do
with his remaining time, but Eiffel occasionally would intervene and put new
events into play.
Eiffel could very well have set Harold and Ana in motion,
but it was up to Harold to make things turn out. He could try to avoid fate, or maybe chosen
to ignore the voice, and that probably would have changed everything. How much power did Eiffel have? How much did Harold’s choices play into his
change of fate?
