One of the Lives Themes
Family
The speaker of "One of the Lives" is sick, on a cot, and hanging out in this farmhouse. Best vacation ever? Well, it works for him, since he's able to recall a ton of peripheral history—things th...
Identity
Who am I? How did I come to be? These are the two super-big questions that seem to preoccupy the speaker throughout "One of the Lives," although he never asks them directly. As he delves back into...
Fate and Free Will
How much of what goes on in our lives do we choose, and how much is chosen for us? This is another question that hangs in the background of "One of the Lives." The speaker seems to be suggesting th...
Life, Consciousness, and Existence
The identity part of "One of the Lives" deals with who the speaker is. His existence, though similar to identity, deals more with his place in the broader scheme of things—you know, like a speck...