In the picaresque tradition, the concept of 'fortune' or 'chance' is paramount. How do characters like Roderick Random or Moll Flanders view their sudden financial shifts?
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Correct answer: As an arbitrary, cyclical force requiring constant adaptability and pragmatism
The world of the picaro is unpredictable, governed by sudden shifts from wealth to absolute destitution. Rather than relying on a stable social order, the protagonist must possess absolute pragmatism to pivot whenever fortune changes. Success is measured by survival and agility rather than static moral purity.
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