Invictus
The speaker famously declares, "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my..."
soul
Jerry chooses to leave the safe beach where his mother rests to go to this more dangerous location.
the wild bay / rocky bay
According to Paul Rusesabagina, these are the most effective weapons of death as well as tools of life.
words
Define "Agency" in your own words as it applies to literary characters.
a character's ability to act independently and make choices that direct their own life/outcome
Define "Autonomy" in your own words as it applies to literary characters.
self-governance, freedom from external control, and the power to make one's own moral decisions
Despite facing physical suffering and "the bludgeonings of chance," the speaker’s refuses to...
submit
To prepare his body to swim through the underwater tunnel, Jerry practices this physical skill relentlessly.
holding his breath underwater
Paul’s job title prior to and during the Rwandan Genocide was this everyday profession.
a hotel manager
In "Invictus," the speaker demonstrates agency by refusing to give in to this emotion during hardship.
fear or despair
In Through the Tunnel, Jerry achieves psychological autonomy from his mother at the end of the story when he makes this decision regarding the wild bay.
deciding he no longer needs to go back to the bay because he proved his independence to himself, not to anyone else
In Latin, the title of the poem "Invictus" translates to this word.
"unconquered" or "undefeated"
The older, local boys who jump into the water symbolize this stage of life that Jerry wants to reach.
maturity, adulthood, or independence
Instead of using violence, Paul uses these strategies to persuade militia members and army leaders to leave his hotel guests unharmed.
conversation, offering drinks/favors, persuasion, flattering, cajoling, and negotiating
In Through the Tunnel, Jerry does not just wait or hope to get through the tunnel—he exercises agency through this deliberate, self-directed preparation process.
creating and sticking to his own daily training routine to build his breath-holding capacity
In Invictus, the speaker demonstrates autonomy when facing "the bludgeonings of chance" by making this specific moral choice about his internal state.
choosing to keep his spirit unconquered/unbowed and refusing to let external suffering dictate his inner mind
The dark environment described in line 1 ("Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole") symbolizes these real-world conditions.
hardship, suffering, adversity, or physical pain
At the end of the story, Jerry decides he no longer needs to go back to the bay because he has achieved this internal realization.
proving his self-reliance / overcoming his personal challenge
Radio stations were used by extremists during the genocide to broadcast these coded phrases that incited violence.
"Cut the tall trees" or "Clean your neighborhood"
In Most Effective Weapons, Paul Rusesabagina shows agency during total societal collapse by choosing to focus on this single, self-assigned purpose rather than giving into helplessness.
staying at his post to do his job as manager and protect/shelter the refugees in his hotel
In Most Effective Weapons, Paul demonstrates autonomy by rejecting the "alternate reality" created by radio propaganda. What independent moral choice does he make instead?
choosing to treat human beings with dignity and using words to protect lives instead of joining the ethnic hatred
This specific stanza or line in "Invictus" shows the speaker refusing to let fear control him when looking toward the future.
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid
Jerry’s nosebleeds and physical pain are a direct physical consequence of choosing to push his limits toward this personal goal.
swimming through the tunnel
Paul sheltered this exact total number of refugees inside the Hotel Mille Collines during the 76 days.
1,268 people
Contrast how the mob in "Most Effective Weapons" loses agency while Paul retains it.
the mob blindly followed propaganda/radio commands, while Paul independently chose sanity and protected human life?
How do all three texts ("Invictus," "Through the Tunnel," and "Most Effective Weapons") share the common message that true autonomy comes from within?
regardless of external pressure (circumstance/suffering, mother's protection, or mob violence/genocide), an individual has the power to control their own mind and choices?