Table of Contents
What is one thing that the story by the waters of Babylon warns against?
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 three things are forbidden in by the waters of Babylon?
It is forbidden to go east, touch metal, and go toward the city, because going in that direction has probably caused hundreds of radiation poisoning deaths over the numerous years since the Great Burning occurred. Those three rules exist to protect the current population of people.
What is the conflict in the story by the waters of Babylon?
The main character, John, struggles against his own fears (internal conflict) and against real or imagined outside threats (external conflict), such as a pack of wild dogs and the Hudson River (which almost sweeps him away). …….Only a priest or his son may enter Dead Places, says the narrator of the story, John.
What does John fear in by the waters of Babylon?
John’s fears are the fears of primitive people. They are the fear of things that he does not understand. But he overcomes those fears and will, therefore, be able to help his people progress.
Why is the story titled By the Waters of Babylon?
The title “By the Waters of Babylon” is a clear allusion to Psalm 137 of the Bible, which begins “By the Waters of Babylon I sat down and wept.” This Psalm is a lament of the Israelites for their lost “promised land” of Israel from which they have been exiled. Their homeland was destroyed and its people scattered.
What are three things John sees in the place of the gods?
Here is a list of some of these.
- ” High towers of the gods” and other buildings.
- The broken statue of “ASHING” John describes what the reader can recognize as a damaged monument to George Washington.
- A bathroom and its fixtures.
- A living room full of “riches”
- Books.
Is By the Waters of Babylon a story of optimism or pessimism explain?
In my view, the answer to this question is “yes.” In other words, “By the Waters of Babylon” can be either a story of optimism or a story of pessimism. Twice, he says, “we make a beginning.” He ends the story saying “we must build again.” You can definitely see this as evidence that this is an optimistic story.
How does the story By the Waters of Babylon end?
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.