Whats the setting of By the Waters of Babylon?
“By the Waters of Babylon” is set in a post-apocalyptic, post-technological world where people hunt for their food with bows and arrows and their priests scavenge the “Dead Places” for metal. John, the protagonist and first-person narrator, belongs to the tribe of the Hill People and is the son of a priest.
What is the main conflict in by the waters of Babylon?
What is the main conflict in By the Waters of Babylon? The main conflict, in one sense, revolves around knowledge or rather the absence of it. John struggles with his own fears and curiosities, which leads him to journey to the Place of the Gods.
What is the plot of By the Waters of Babylon?
The short story “By the Waters of Babylon” was written by Stephen Vincent Benét in 1937. In this story, there are two groups of people—the Hill People and the Forest People. They compete, each group having its strengths. The Hill People are more advanced in technologies such as hunting, metallurgy, and spinning wool.
Which place is forbidden by the waters of Babylon?
It is forbidden to cross the great river and look upon the place that was the Place of the Gods—this is most strictly forbidden. We do not even say its name though we know its name. It is there that spirits live, and demons—it is there that there are the ashes of the Great Burning.
What's the theme of By the Waters of Babylon?
The main theme of ''By the Waters of Babylon'' is that knowledge can be attained too fast. The narrator and his father discuss this idea as the older man warns about revealing everything he has seen in the Place of the Gods.
What's the climax in by the waters of Babylon?
Answer and Explanation: In Benet's "By the Waters of Babylon", the climax is John's vision of the past and his subsequent discovery that the "dead god" he and his community so venerated was once human, like him: "Then I saw the dead god.
Which details in a story are most related to setting select three options?
Aritotle used the phrase Three Unities to define the setting of a play. The unities are, "unity of time, unity of place, and unity of action".
What does metal symbolize in By the Waters of Babylon?
The metal that the priests of John's tribe gather from the Dead Places symbolizes both the tribe's developing understanding of technology and its reliance on superstitions.
What does the narrator's response to the setting reveal about his character?
What does the narrator's response to the setting reveal about his character? He is pessimistic due to his experiences.
Why can only priests touch metal in by the waters of Babylon?
Even though the tribe has the skills and knowledge to use the metal that they gather, they also believe that the metal can only be collected by priests, and that touching the metal before it is ritually purified will kill anyone who is not a priest.
Who are the forest people in by the waters of Babylon?
The Waters Of Babylon: Themes In By The Waters Of Babylon Finally, the Forest People are the Ignorant rivals who are in the Advanced society in which John lives, we remember John saying he has fought these people. In addition, a theme in a story or narrative is a mood set throughout the story.
What caused the great burning in by the waters of Babylon?
Answer and Explanation: In "By the Waters of Babylon," the Great Burning refers to an apparent nuclear holocaust.
How do you conflicts throughout the story most affect the plot?
How do conflicts throughout a story most affect the plot? Conflicts lead to more plot events as well as character reactions.
Which theme is best established by the conflict in this passage?
Which theme is best established by the conflict in this passage? Advances in technology can lead to devastation.
Which conflicts are examples of external conflicts select three options?
Types of External ConflictCharacter vs. Character. Straightforward — and popular with readers, this is the struggle between your hero and your villain. ... Character vs. Society. ... Character vs. Nature. ... Character vs. Animal. ... Character vs. Technology.
What caused the great burning in by the waters of Babylon?
Answer and Explanation: In "By the Waters of Babylon," the Great Burning refers to an apparent nuclear holocaust.
What are the themes in By the Waters of Babylon?
The Pursuit of Knowledge. The Coming of Age Quest. Superstition, Magic, and Technology. Rivalry, War, and Destruction. Summary.
What is the place of the gods made of?
The Place of the Gods has very few trees: its landscape is almost entirely made from metal and stone towers, and John describes how many buildings are carved with words and numbers that he believes have magical properties. However, John sees many animals: a fish-hawk, butterflies, pigeons, wild cats, and eventually, wild dogs.
What is the first clue that the Place of the Gods may be a ruined, post-apoca?
Coupled with John’s description of the Ou-dis-san (Hudson) river, this view of the island is the reader’s first clue that the Place of the Gods may be a ruined, post-apocalyptic New York City.
What is the contrast between the boastful tone of John's song and the fear that he feels?
The contrast between the boastful tone of John’s song and the fear that he feels shows the limited power of John’s present knowledge. Here, John is stripped of the fearlessness he sees as central to his identity as a future priest. Crossing the river marks the quest’s point of no return.
What is the significance of John's awe at seeing books?
The paintings seem to be examples of Impressionism or Pointillism. John’s awe at seeing books highlights that signs of social prestige are relative to culture. For us, rare paintings are often a sign of wealth, but for John, the books indicate the homeowner’s knowledge (and, thereby, prestige).
What is the greatest threat to John's safety during his Hero's Journey?
The greatest and most unexpected threat to John’s safety during his “hero’s journey” comes from wild dogs —creatures without “magic,” language, or weapons. In the face of animal hunger and brute power, John’s knowledge is nearly useless. Active Themes.
What is the setting of By the Waters of Babylon?
“By the Waters of Babylon” is set in a post-apocalyptic, post-technological world where people hunt for their food with bows and arrows and their priests scavenge the “Dead Places” for metal. John, the protagonist and first-person narrator, belongs to the tribe of the Hill People and is the son of a priest. The Hill People consider themselves culturally superior to the rival tribe of the Forest People, and live by dogmatic laws that, among other things, forbid them from traveling east, crossing the Ou-dis-son river, visiting the Place of the Gods (which was destroyed in “The Great Burning”), and saying the true name of the Place of the Gods.
What is John's journey based on?
John chooses the path of his journey based on visions and his reading of signs in the natural world. John’s desire for new knowledge leads him to break many of the laws of his tribe. He travels to the Place of the Gods, even though he is afraid that he will die there.
What does John vow to do when he becomes the head priest of the tribe?
In the story’s closing lines, John vows that when he becomes the head priest of the tribe, he will lead his people to the Place of the Gods— which he now refers to as “newyork”—and begin to rebuild the city. Frisella, Emily. "By the Waters of Babylon Plot Summary.". LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 14 Dec 2016.
What did John see when he saw the city destroyed?
John sees that the city was destroyed by poisoned mist and “fire falling out of the sky” in a terrible war between gods, and understands that this war created the other Dead Places.
What is John's apartment full of?
John explores an abandoned apartment full of items that he believes are “magic” but which are recognizable to the reader as defunct modern appliances— a sink, a stove, and electric lights. John spends the night there and has a vision of the city as it was in the time of the gods.
Is the island of Babylon filled with mist?
The island is not filled with magical mists, the ground is not burning with eternal flames, nor is it populated by spirits and demons. Instead, John finds a vast Dead Place, a city of ruined towers. As he explores the city and learns more and more, John’s sense of fear diminishes. Get the entire Waters of Babylon LitChart as a printable PDF.
What is the theme of the story by the waters of Babylon?
A theme is the main idea of a story. The main theme of ''By the Waters of Babylon'' is that knowledge can be attained too fast. The narrator and his father discuss this idea as the older man warns about revealing everything he has seen in the Place of the Gods.
What does the title "By the waters of Babylon" mean?
The title of Stephen Vincent Benet's ''By the Waters of Babylon'' is an allusion, or indirect reference, to Psalm 137:1. This verse says, ''By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.''. In this verse, the Israelites in exile lament the loss of the promised land. The title is appropriate for Benet's futuristic ...
What does the narrator learn from the Place of the Gods?
Throughout the story, the narrator has sought knowledge. He learns when he visits the Place of the Gods that knowledge can be dangerous . He sees firsthand that a society that develops too quickly can inadvertently destroy itself. Still, he reads the old books and learns as much as he can.
What does the narrator say about the washing place?
The narrator enters one of the towers and is struck by the technology he sees, yet none of it seems to work. ''There was a washing-place but no water - perhaps the gods washed in air. There was a cooking-place but no wood, and though there was a machine to cook food, there was no place to put fire in it,'' he says.
What does the narrator say to his father?
Eventually, the narrator becomes a man and a priest. He goes to his father and says, ''It is time for me to go on my journey. Give me your leave.'' He plans to go to the forbidden Place of the Gods, a place even his father has never seen. His father performs a purification ritual, and the narrator sets out to await a sign that it's time to begin the journey.
How long does it take for the narrator to travel to the city of Gods?
When the sign arrives in the form of a white fawn, he begins his journey east. He must travel several days to reach the city. He prays and fasts along the way. The narrator camps outside the Place of the Gods.
What is the theme of the story of the young priest?
The main theme of the story, with a theme being the main idea of a story, is that knowledge can be attained too fast. The story's title alludes , or makes an indirect reference, to Psalm 137, and like the psalmist, the young priest grieves for what has been lost.
