Do the circumstances of life determine who a person is?

(After reading Daniel Deronda, by George Eliot, Book 3, chapters 21-27)

George Eliot looks deeply into the thought life of her characters. She looks at motives, those that are obvious and those that run deeper. To test the motives of a character, she has the character experience hardship. Will the character stand on his former convictions even when it is painful to do so? Will the character maintain her integrity when life seems hopeless? Will this character change his mind when the outlook changes from what he first thought it would be? Will the character sacrifice her morals to ease the burdens of life? And can she be blamed if she does so? Will the cheerful character stay cheerful when there's not much to be cheerful about?

And, really, was that the real motive, or was it just the most attractive one to allow himself to be aware of? One way to find out true motive is to test him. Does that motive stand even when it causes him hardship and when other motives come into play? What about when one's motives conflict? Which motive is strongest?

The trials of life test the personalities and character, integrity and morals of the characters in Daniel Deronda. George Eliot's book is a character study, and the characters are studied through the looking glass of various life events and circumstances. A deeply ringing theme seems to be, "How much do the circumstances of life determine who a person is? Or do those circumstances only reveal who the person is?"

Hardship seems to bring out the good in some people and the bad in other people. Temptation brings out strength in some and weakness in others. Success brings out gratitude in some people and pride in other people. Prosperity brings out generosity in some and selfishness in others. In many people, a mix of responses is aroused. There are inconsistencies.

People are complex. We cannot put Jack or Susie in a box and predict how they will respond in this or that situation. Jack and Susie are still developing. None of us is finished yet.

However, since all situations have the potential for helping us change for the better, let's go down that better path. There are always choices to make. Let's choose what is true, honest, and just. Let us choose that which is loving and honorable, faithful and good.

Let us choose that which will improve us and bless others.