Can human being really conquer fate? Can we be the masters of our life? It seems that all the things are destined. When we are enjoying our life, the joy may be suddenly vanished. When we are having a wonderful time with our lovers, we may have to be apart. Human beings are too weak to fight against fate. We have to learn to accept pre-destination. Some people think that they can break the spells and conquer fate. Yet, they fail and are disappointed. In this essay, I will examine that the female protagonist, Sarah Miles negates God in the movie, The End of the Affair.

Sarah’s failing to keep the promise of marriage leads to her negation to God. Marriage is a solemn covenant made by a man and a woman; they pledge to love and take care of each other, no matter if they are in joy or in sorrow; in health or in sickness; in prosperity or in adversity; so long as they both shall live. Marriage is not only an act of keeping faith to the other half but also God who sets the marriage system. Committing adultery breaks the promise to the partner; more importantly; faith with God. The fall of Sarah begins with her having an affair with a novelist, Maurice Bendrix. Her having sex with Maurice in her place on the first day they meet suggests that she is not loyal to her husband, Henry; thus, reveals her challenge to the marriage system set by God. Her desire of having sex with Maurice makes her have guts to make love on the sofa at the sitting room in Henry’s and her place where Henry will come back suddenly. Obviously, it is a devil in her heart who stirs her to negate God. Committing adultery is never allowed and she falls short of God. With no doubt, Sarah is undergone self-destruction. Her having an affair with Maurice is the beginning of her self-destruction.

Her making love with Maurice and deceiving Henry makes her more distant from God. This means that she has to suffer deeply later as she is away from God. As God is love which is, in fact, the only kind of love, Sarah is away from the real love. Her choosing of flesh, Maurice’s love rather than real love from Almighty God sends her in the desert of love later. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (1 Corinthians 13:4)” “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:7)” Maurice’s love towards Sarah is not the real love. His jealousy towards the raindrops which can touch every part of Sarah; silk stockings which can kiss her entire leg; button which can be with Sarah every day; shoes which take Sarah away from him; suffocates Sarah. Contrast to God’s love, Maurice’s not trusting Sarah’s loving him only makes her sick. God’s love gives people peace; yet, Maurice’s love provides Sarah plight. Yet, as a human being, Sarah can’t stop herself loving Maurice who attracts her with his talent, appearance and love towards her. Her not realizing the danger ahead makes her continue living in sin as a human being, in fact, is sinful in nature. “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. (Roman 7:18)” Her having sex with Maurice again and again which undoubtedly offers Maurice a sense of pleasure but angers God.

Her ignoring the words of God leads to the death of Maurice in his apartment during World War II. Superficially, Maurice is hurt by fragments of bombs and his death is due to his falling down from stairs. Yet, it’s a kind of warning to Sarah for her negating God. It also serves as a kind of punishment for the crime committed by Sarah telling her that breaking promises to God is something that she should never do and God is potent to make her keep her promise forever. Maurice’s death sends Sarah into a state of helplessness. She is just a human being; she is not powerful to bring him back. Her praying to Almighty God for the survival of Maurice is the only thing that she can do though she thinks that the chance is light. Promising God not to meet Maurice again in her remaining life time is the price. God’s raising Maurice from the dead is, in Sarah’s eye, a miracle. Her prayer does work! “ Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8)” Maurice’s survival, of course, makes her surprised and happy; yet, she turns to a living dead as she has promised God not to see Maurice again. This price is too heavy to her. However, it’s her fate; a fate that she can never conquer. She has to accept fate and keep the promise. Fate wins and she loses.

The miracle makes Sarah believe in God from her heart; it brings God’s love to Sarah. In two years, she does keep her promise to God though it is painful. Sarah is back on the right track and she has stopped negating God for two years. She knows the existence of God and she dares not oppose him. She keeps her promise, and she is close to God. Sarah is a living dead in these two years. She has never stopped loving Maurice although she can’t see him. Her trying to walk in Maurice’s usual path and think in his way is a rigid proof that she misses him deeply. Sarah’s writing in her diary which reveals her thought that God is omniscient and He knows the words she says before the prayer shows that she realizes that parting with Maurice is her fate.

Sarah’s managing to escape from Maurice when Maurice chases after her shows that she wants to keep the promise to God though it is tough. It is fate that Sarah and Maurice meet in her place. Sarah’s seeing Maurice stirs her vigorously which makes her call him for the meeting. Sarah’s losing in the battle in the internal struggle and having sex with Maurice makes her negate God again. Sarah is too weak to keep her promises to God, both the marriage with Henry and her promise of not seeing Maurice again. The days without Maurice are too painful for her. Her knowing of the Almighty God can’t deter her from returning back to Maurice. “ So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law, but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. (Romans 7:21-23)” Sarah finds two laws at work in her heart. Her asking Maurice to believe in God and pray to him show her belief in God. Yet, Sarah cannot triumph over the devil in her heart though she loves God’s law.

Sarah has to pay the price for negating God again and again. She doesn’t have much happy time with Maurice as she is heavily ill and will die within six months. Only her death can end the affair between Maurice and her and thus, help her keep her promise to God. Sarah’s negation of God sends her to death and makes them be apart. Sarah, as a human being, can’t conquer fate. Fate separates Sarah and Maurice. She has to die of illness. It is her fate!

All in all, The End of the Affair is an excellent movie. It is explicit in the movie that people have to be careful about their making a promise to God. Their breaking promise is paramount to the negation of God. The price of negation of God can be too heavy to be paid like Sarah’s. Moreover, the weakness of human and the mighty of God are also shown. People always lose in the struggle with sin. Only with God, we can win. “ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God --- through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 7:24-25)” We can’t conquer fate; but with God, we can live in peace and joy!

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