Role of Fate in The Garden of Forking Paths

     The central idea of Borges's story is that any given choice or event that occurs has a significant impact on subsequent events. While the main character, Tsun, makes choices throughout the narrative that put him on the path to achieving his goal, the web of fate dangles over the story's events throughout, remaining in the shadows yet just visible enough to significantly alter the course of events. The idea of fate is used to show that no matter the decisions that one makes, the ultimate outcome will always be inevitable.
     After Tsun learns his status as a foreign spy has been compromised, he realizes that his life is pretty much over, with prison or death the only two remaining options. Sitting on his bed, he reflects that "something- perhaps merely a desire to prove my total penury to myself- made me empty out my pockets " (315). What is this "something"? It is fate, propelling him to do something unusual given the circumstances. In the middle of a life-or-death crisis, emptying his pockets isn't going to do much good...until he then finds a gun, with a lone bullet remaining. This is a crucial scene because it parallels the exact message Dr. Albert conveys at the end of the narrative. Tsun is at a crossroads, in huge danger, wanted by a man who will stop at nothing to capture Tsun and prove his own worthiness to England. Tsun has one bullet left, and the option to commit suicide is becoming more viable with each passing second. However, he also has the option to carry out his mission, and that is what he decides to do. As seen in The Garden of Forking Paths through the example of the army that ends up victorious via two different and unique paths, Tsun has a choice where more than one outcome will occur. What he does not know is that, according to The Garden of Forking Paths, whichever option he chooses will end with the same outcome as the other; i.e. it doesn't matter which choice he makes, because either way he is going to end up dead or in prison. This is fate, exemplified. Tsun chooses to flee with the hope of carrying out his espionage mission.
     Tsun takes a cab through the deserted city, fortunately undetected by anyone, on his way to the train station. He boards the train because he is trying to escape Captain Richard Madden, who will either murder or arrest him for being a German spy. Although Madden is hot on Tsun's trail, inexplicably Tsun remains one step ahead of him. Example: As Tsun looks out of the train window to the deserted platform, he sees Madden, just a few seconds too late, sprinting after the train as it leaves the station. It appears luck is on Tsun's side, as Madden only narrowly misses capturing Tsun before the train can depart. But is it luck? As discussed above, it seems as though everything is falling into place for Tsun. This is especially true when he meets the children on the train.
     Lost in his own thoughts, Tsun has to ask several children standing on the train platform if it is the correct station. They affirm, and he gets off the train. Immediately several questions are raised: Why is there a group of children waiting alone on the platform at 9:30 pm, and why do they seem to be waiting for Tsun? The identity of the children is kept a secret: "A lamp lit the platform, but the children's faces remained in a shadow" (317). Why are the faces of the children not shown? Is there something inherently sinister in their nature, or something entirely different? It is fate personified, remaining in the shadows yet just visible enough to significantly alter the course of the story's events. Continuing further along, unprompted, they ask if Tsun is going to Dr. Stephen Albert's house. There is no rational explanation for how the children know this, besides it being fate guiding Tsun along his mission. Providing directions to Albert's house, the children guarantee that Tsun will arrive there and complete his journey.
     Throughout The Garden of Forking Paths, there seems to be an invisible force pulling Tsun to a predetermined destination. He recognizes this, remarking at one point he is "lost in these imaginary illusions I forgot my destiny" (317). Using The Garden of Forking Paths as a guide, it is evident that while Tsun is making decisions he believes to be of monumental significance, in actuality he is going to end up dead or in prison either way. His fate has already been determined.