“By The Waters of Babylon” is a short story written by Stephen Vincent Benet that explores the innate behaviors of human beings and describes the aftermath of a nuclear war. In the beginning of the story, the narrator, John, introduces a taboo that is normal amongst his tribe,“The Hill People.” This indigenous law states that it is forbidden to cross the great river and to look upon the Place of the Gods, for it was greatly populated with spirits and demons. As a manifestation of John’s step towards adulthood or priesthood, John embarks on his curiosity voyage to the Place of the Gods, defying the well established rule within their tribe. Upon his arrival, he stumbles on an elusive and isolated setting with advanced technologies, which he deemed magical. Due to John’s expedition, he accumulated a plethora of knowledge and soon realized that the Place of the Gods was only a superstition and it was, in fact, a city of men. setting As the story progresses, it became evident that the setting was a post nuclear apocalypse in New York City. The author utilized descriptions such as “high towers of the gods” and “great caves and tunnels” to describe skyscrapers and subways respectively.The author’s selection of the location highlights the complete difference of the …show more content…
In addition, the title itself, “By The Waters of Babylon” foreshadows the main idea and conflict imposed on John. The title is derived from a biblical reference in Psalm 137. Psalm resonates the lamentation of the Israelites for the lost of their homeland, Jerusalem. The catalyst of the exile of the people of Israel was over the control of Nebuchadnezzar II. In Benet’s short story, “The Hill People” are the survivors from a catastrophe that virtually obliterated New York City. Clearly, there is a parallel between the despair of both figures for the fall of their civilization, as well as their desire to
In Larry Lankton’s text, “Beyond the Boundaries” we gradually enter an unknown world that is frightening yet filled with immense beauty for miles. Due to the copper mining industry, a gradual increase of working class men and their families start to migrate to the unknown world with unsteady emotion, yet hope for a prosperous new life. In “Beyond the Boundaries”, Lankton takes us on a journey on how the “world below” transformed the upper peninsula into a functional and accepted new part of the world.
In the memoir A long Way Gone Ishmael Beah states “When I was young, my father used to say, “If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die” (Beah 54). Throughout the war Ismael Beah survives many difficult situations, that make him think is it worth it to keep running. Ishmael Beah, always remembers what his dad said to motivate him to try and keep surviving the war. Ishmael Beah used adaptability, the kindness of others and bravery to overcome the adversities of the war in Sierra Leone.
were here before us. We must build again." They will learn the ways of the old
The threat of nuclear warfare has been a fear tactic used multiple times to settle issues between countries. In Pat Frank’s Alas Babylon, Frank focuses on Fort Repose, a small community in rural Florida. Frank centers the time frame on the height of the Cold War between Soviet Russia and the United States. Opening on how connections can save lives and change lives. Randy Bragg and the town of Fort Repose is dealt a lucky hand when Randy’s brother, Mark, a military man tips Randy off to the threat of a nuclear strike. Mark disguises the warning through a telegram telling Randy that Mark’s wife, Helen, and two children, Peyton and Ben Franklin, will be coming down to visit also asking Randy to meet him at the Base Ops McCoy in Orlando at
In the memoir A Long Way Gone, author Ishmael Beah describes his survival journey as a lost child in his country, because of the civil war in Sierra Leone, then becoming a child soldier facing war daily, afterward the process that Beah went through during rehabilitation and finally in fear escaping the civil war. Ishmael Beah emotional journey has three stages of development in which Beah utilized music. In the first stage, Beah uses music as a survival mechanism to keep sane and safe. In the second stage, begins when he loses his brother and friends, Beah reaches the lowest point with the loss of his entire family again, some friends, music, and being forced to join the war. In the final stage, is the process of rehabilitation where Beah connects with music once again. Ishmael Beah exposure to music at a young age stayed with him throughout his life. (Beah, 2007, p. 5-218)
African Americans have been discriminated and were not treated fairly from the beginning of the American colonies up to the 1960s. Their history included about 250 years of slavery followed by another 100 years of discrimination. However, many people state that throughout the 1800s, the whaling industry helped African Americans thrive as a race. In addition, they were treated as equals and could gain glory and wealth from it. In most cases, this is not true because negroes for three main reasons. Almost all African people did not receive high positions on their crew ships. Also, they experienced segregation on ships and were treated not equally. Finally, they were taken for their cheap and hard labor in a dangerous, unrewarding industry. Using internet sources and the novel, In The Heart of The Sea, by Nathaniel Philbrick, African Americans in the whaling industry had low status within crews and faced harsh working conditions as well as discrimination and racism.
In this essay, I am going to compare and constrast the two stories. One is "By the Waters of Babylon" by Stephen Vincent Benet and the other is "Anthem" by Ayn Rand. In "By the Waters of Babylon", the author basically compares and the house of the gods and the Dead Place. In "Anthem", the characters in the story finds an underground place where no one should go.
Have you ever thought about what kind of technology we will have in the future? Or have you thought about how technology will affect us in the future? In the story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut and the story “By the Waters of Babylon” by Stephen Vincent Benet both the futures with technology look pretty awful. In “Harrison Bergeron” anyone with special gifts or talents are forced to wear a handicap to make them like everyone else in society. In “By the Waters of Babylon” tells a story about how our technology is so advanced that if we went to war we would destroy everything we have and we would have to basically restart. In both books our technology in the future is way too strong and
In his dream, the water is disturbed by "winds... blowing from all directions and lashing the surface." (Dn. 7:2) In the Inferno, Virgil explains that cries of the damned under the marsh "make the water bubble on the surface." (VII, 119-120) The arrogance of Filippo matches a feature of the fourth beast, who has an unusual horn, which "had human eyes and a mouth and was boasting proudly." (Dn. 7:8) This theme of evil arising from the sea is echoed in Revelation, where John "saw a beast coming up out of the sea." (Rev. 13:1) Like Filippo, the beast was a leader of men and refused to subject itself to God's will. It is significant that Virgil and the pilgrim are never touched by the water. They, like Noah, pass safely through the water with God's assistance. It is important to remember that Noah "lived in fellowship with God." (Gn. 6:10) The Elhoist goes on to emphasize that "Noah did everything that God commanded." (Gn. 6:22) Noah, because of his voluntary subjugation to the divine will. Another significant parallel is the Exodus of God's people from Egypt. The Sea of Reeds is a marshy region to the North of the Red Sea proper. However, the Israelites, who "did as they were told," were able to cross "the sea on dry ground." (Ex. 14:4, 22) The Egyptians, who were motivated by selfish anger at the loss of their slaves were destroyed. The bodies of the Egyptians were submerged in the mire. The parallel is very close to the description given by the
In the stories Harrison Bergeron and By the Waters of Babylon both present a similar plot about society in the future. Both main characters, John and Harrison, question the beliefs and knowledge in their society. For example, Harrison does not agree with the system of everyone being equal; and John’s journey to the Place of Gods lets him gain the knowledge and truth about these places and people to help the people in his society understand.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a beautiful tale of two women in Afghanistan during the Taliban uprising. They grow up on complete opposite sides of Afghan culture. The main character, Mariam, grows up in a more traditional way caused by her forced marriage to Rasheed. Laila on the other hand, grows up with a supportive father who encourages gender equality and education. There are many cultural differences such as, women’s rights, public executions, and the Taliban. The two main characters, Mariam and Laila, develop greatly throughout the novel. They push each other to be better and to stand up for equality. This plays into the themes of the novel. Women’s strength and loyalty are the two most important themes. They
There is a recent form of prophetic interpretation known as Islamic End-Time Theory. This view was made popular from the book, Middle East Beast by Joel Richardson. The basic premise is that the last kingdom Daniel prophesied as the ten toes of the statue in chapter two and the fourth beast in chapter seven is an Islamic kingdom ruled by an Islamic Antichrist, considered by Muslims as the Mahdi.
Throughout world history women have been treated abysmally. Societies with male-dominance have abused and used women and continue to do so today. Women have been made vulnerable to a man due to the spread of cultural values and beliefs in society that condemn them from power. In Khaled Hosseini's novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, the two main characters Mariam and Laila develop an unconditional bond in which they become each others protectors. The immense inner strength of women from adversity has been exemplified through the growth of Mariam and Laila's contrasting relationship, the pain they endure from Rasheed which strengthens their bond and the courage within them that ultimately resolves their conflict.
Khaled Hosseini presents the struggle Afghan women go through every day by discussing honour, marriage and the place of women in society in Afghanistan.
There is a recent form of prophetic interpretation known as Islamic End-Time Theory. This view was made popular from the book, Middle East Beast by Joel Richardson. The basic premise is that the last kingdom Daniel prophesied as the ten toes of the statue in chapter two and the fourth beast in chapter seven will be Islamic, and the Antichrist will be a Muslim and likely be seen by Muslims as the Mahdi.