Fate and Serendipity

The themes of fate and serendipity are used to underscore the idea that certain meetings, relationships, and events are not merely coincidental but are instead guided by an unseen force, shaping the characters' lives in profound and sometimes unexpected ways. The themes of fate and serendipity are interwoven into the structure of the novel itself which shows the many unlikely and apparently accidental ways all of the characters are connected to each other, whether in profound or tangential ways.

The notion of fate is introduced early in the novel and continues to influence the characters' actions and interactions throughout. The meeting between Helena and John before World War I is one of the earliest instances where fate plays a pivotal role. Their encounter in an inn, after Helena mistakenly gets off her train one station too early, is marked by a sense of inevitability...