fixed as fate
Mary Shelley here unobtrusively introduces another key concern of the
novel, often invoked as "destiny," that broadly affects the
self-conception both of individuals and their surrounding social ambience.
The concept often operates as a cover for personal irresponsibility.
Thus, wherever the word appears, the reader should be alert to the
contexts within which it is embedded and to the moral and ideological
implications of its employment.
