This episode is important for two reasons. Instead, he decides to take a backpacking trip in search of the photograph’s owner. He immediately discovers that he can not find a place for himself in his old home. The second part of the search for identity can be observed when Logan returns to Colorado after his service ends. The chance here is taking a role of an external force that “shapes the expectations of recipients and in particular the expectation that here even chance is somehow meaningful”, which in our case is the search for his identity (Pier 178). The fact that Logan does not instead rely on the values of his country or any religious background as a source of his fortunes further implies that the photograph is the key to his future quest.

This introduction of the orderliness in the generally tumultuous and unruly environment is the first step towards Logan’s search for meaning in life. His friend, Victor, upon hearing the details of Logan’s experience, immediately suggests that the picture is responsible for the unusual luck the protagonist has encountered. He has acquired unusual luck in card games and later has survived several violent skirmishes which have proven fatal for his brothers in arms. This is perhaps best illustrated by the experience Logan has acquired throughout his service, which did not include any logic and instead “taught him to trust his instincts, even though he’d never been sure where they’d come from.” (Sparks 32) In contrast to this, once he has found a picture of Elizabeth, he started noticing certain patterns in his previously erratic and random life. The same can be said about the conflict itself, as all of the missions that Logan participates in are of erratic and haphazard nature – not from the tactical or strategical perspective, but the standpoint of an unbiased human being. His involvement lacks any substance, and it may seem he would not be able to explain it if asked directly.

Nowhere in the course of events does he exhibit any sign of patriotism or nationalism which would explain why he is taking part in the war. Nevertheless, Logan’s point of view is also vague. As the narration follows the protagonist, it is natural that little attention is paid to the broader picture, like the political proceedings behind the conflict. The protagonist, Logan Thibault, is a marine at service in the war in Iraq. The concept of finding meaning is developed by contrasting the chaotic nature of war and the order introduced by the photograph he has found.

However, despite the consensus among critics, both the fate and the chance are methods that are used by the author to reveal a much deeper concept of the journey through which the protagonist searches for the meaning of his life throughout the narrative.

The lucky one by nicholas sparks