# Freedom and Determinism in Of Human Bondage

> Theme guide for Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham.

The novel explores whether humans have free will or are puppets of fate, with characters like Cronshaw arguing that actions are inevitable, while Philip struggles to assert his own choices.

## Where it surfaces

- [XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/xx): Philip yearns for freedom from the restrictions of school and the predetermined path of ordination, asserting his will against external pressures.
- [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/xxi): Philip chooses to leave school and pursue his own path, but feels trapped by his own decision and the constraints of his age.
- [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/xxiii): Philip savors his freedom from school and convention, while Wharton contrasts the freedoms of thought and action in Germany, France, and England.
- [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/xxviii): Philip feels liberated by his unbelief, yet also struggles with the fear of eternal damnation, highlighting the tension between free will and predetermined consequences.
- [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/xxxviii): Philip chooses to break free from the predetermined path of accountancy, embracing risk to pursue his artistic ambitions.
- [XXXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/xxxix): Philip asserts his freedom to choose his own path against his uncle's insistence on sticking to a predetermined course, highlighting the conflict between individual will and societal expectations.
- [XLV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/xlv): Cronshaw argues that all actions are inevitable and that free will is an illusion, challenging Philip's conventional beliefs.
- [The Doubt of a Painter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/l): Philip questions whether he is free to choose a different path or if his nature and circumstances doom him to mediocrity.
- [LII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/lii): Philip asserts his independence from his uncle's advice, decides on medicine impulsively, and embraces the consequences of his own choices.
- [LIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/liii): Philip grapples with the idea of free will versus determinism, concluding that each man's philosophy is determined by his nature, and that the free man can do no wrong.
- [LIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/lix): Philip feels chained by his passion, struggling against a force that moves him against his will and contrary to his interests, highlighting the conflict between his desire for freedom and his compulsive love.
- [LXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/lxiv): Philip discusses medicine as a profession that offers freedom, and his plans to travel the world reflect a desire for autonomy.
- [LXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/lxvii): Philip debates free will with Macalister, concluding that the illusion of choice is a strong motive but actions are inevitable.
- [LXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/lxxviii): Philip reflects on his lack of self-control, feeling driven by instincts and emotions like a machine, powerless to alter his fate.
- [LXXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/lxxxi): The chapter emphasizes the lack of choice for the poor, who are trapped by their circumstances and unable to change their fate, as seen in the man who must work or let his family starve.
- [XCVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/xcviii): Philip feels like a puppet of unknown forces, as his fortunes are tied to the unpredictable events of war and the stock market, questioning his own agency.
- [Chapter CX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/cx): Philip is tempted to take control of his fate by hastening his uncle's death, but is constrained by fear of remorse and moral boundaries.
- [CXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/cxvi): Philip feels he is finally beginning life after qualifying, reflecting on how poverty constrained him and how money provides freedom and proper perspective.
- [CXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/cxvii): Philip chooses to reject a secure partnership in favor of his long-held dream of travel and exploration, asserting his freedom despite the constraints of his past.
- [Chapter CXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/cxxi): Philip grapples with the conflict between his desire for freedom and the deterministic pull of duty and consequence, ultimately choosing to accept his fate.
- [CXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/chapters/cxxii): Philip grapples with the freedom of his regained independence versus the deterministic pull toward a simple, domestic life.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/themes/freedom_and_determinism
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/of_human_bondage_se/themes