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The Importance Of Knowledge In BabylonBy The Waters Of Babylon

Decent Essays

When Knowledge Becomes the Truth Imagine everything you knew to be true, was false. Everyone craves to learn more about a subject at least once in their life. This is the exact feeling that the priest’s son, John, has about the past and gods in the short story, “By the Waters of Babylon.” John grew up in a society where knowledge was found in Dead Places where only priests or the sons of a priest could venture. John and his father often partake in these adventures to the barren locations in search of metal. These trips are training John for future discoveries and so he will be able to become a full-fledged priest. John is one of the first to set off on a dangerous expedition in search of knowledge and return with the truth about the past. John’s voyage begins with a realistic dream that shows a river and the Great Dead Place along with the gods walking. The people have already gathered knowledge of how the gods’ dressed from books but John is thirsty to explore the undiscovered knowledge beyond what he and his people already discovered. John often preached throughout the short story about the importance of knowledge to him. “My knowledge made me happy-- it was like a fire in my heart.”(Benet 312, line 35) This quote further supports the idea that knowledge is of great significance to the narrator and his society. Knowledge is the motivation behind John’s quest and actions. At this point in the story, everything John knows is truthful at this point in the story. After

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