Determinism In David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas

In the novel Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell successfully writes six interconnected stories in different eras. Each chapter was told through the perspective of a narrator who portrays a belief in either, choice or destiny. This raises awareness on Mitchell’s view of the novel –free will or determinism? – shown by the characters’ actions.

Some readers might advocate for free will, the idea that we have a choice in how we behave. In other words, we have complete control over our actions. However, believers of determinism will argue that given any situation, all of our actions are controlled by forces outside of our control. From a determinist point of view, every human action has a cause. These beliefs are hinted to the readers through the complex characters in Cloud Atlas.

Let’s start with Timothy Cavendish, who was Hoggins’s editor and publisher. After Hoggins went to jail for pushing Felix Finch off a balcony at a party, Cavendish benefited from the success of the memoir Knuckle Sandwich. Hoggins’s brothers demanded money as the memoir grew in

Her narrative in particular, portrayed the strongest deterministic view in the novel. Unlike other fabricants, she was able to “ascend” and gather knowledge faster and much sooner. Beginning Sonmi-451’s story as a server at Papa Song’s, she worked nineteen hours a day, along with other fabricants. Every day was a cycle, working towards their “one long-term future: Xultation” (Mitchell 186) which was a luxurious retirement in Hawaii. At the very end of the interview with Sonmi-451, she confessed about knowing all along that Unanimity was playing them, “What do you mean? What “next stage” of what? Of the theatrical production, set up while I was still a server in Papa Song’s” (Mitchell 348). Sonmi-451 knew from the beginning that there was no Union or Xultation, but she played along in hopes that her declarations would one day influence