Blood Meridian

Fate is a recurring theme throughout Blood Meridian. The kid is born and dies during similarly auspicious meteor showers, while the characters he encounters remind him that he is set on a path from which he cannot deviate, no matter how hard he tries. The characters are so preoccupied with violence and destruction that fate becomes a comforting force for them. When they think about the future, the characters often prophesize that violence and death will be constant factors in their lives. The magician is taken aback when Glanton draws a tarot card associated with violence; Glanton then leads his gang on a violent, fated path that ends in his destruction. Knowing that violence is part of his fate is almost a comfort for Glanton. He does not have to think about his morality or responsibility. Instead, everything he does and everyone he kills is just part of the unraveling of destiny. Glanton kills people, orders others to kill people, and then is killed after betraying a group of Native Americans. His death is foretold, but he does nothing to prevent the deaths of others. Characters such as Glanton use fate as an excuse for their violence, believing that they are pawns in an unknowable universe and that their actions—no matter how violent or immoral—are predestined.