Why is the setting important in by the waters of Babylon?
The setting of this short story is very important to how this story is written, because it is part of the central idea that this took place after the apocalypse. The city area gives the reader a hint on why the area is so dilapidated. A large city like New York City would be a target for an apocalyptic event.
Where does the story of Babylon take place?
BabylonLocationHillah, Babil Governorate, IraqRegionMesopotamiaCoordinates32°32′N 44°25′ETypeSettlementHistory23 more rows
What is the plot of By the Waters of Babylon?
"By the Waters of Babylon" is a post-apocalyptic story about humanity's relationship with technology. The remnants of humanity have gathered into tribes and cling to superstitions for survival. Newly-initiated priest John travels to the Dead Lands, a wasteland that only priests are allowed to visit.
What is one central idea of By the Waters of Babylon?
Themes & Analysis 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.
Where is Babylon located today?
IraqBabylon, one of the most famous cities from any ancient civilisation, was the capital of Babylonia in southern Mesopotamia. Today, that's about 60 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq.
What is the climax of the story by the waters of Babylon?
The climax occurs when John has a vision revealing the Place of the Gods (New York City) as it was just before, and during, the Great Burning.
What does the narrator tell about the place of the Gods?
In By the Waters of Babylon, by Stephen Benet,What does the narrator tell about the Place of the Gods? It is across the great river, but no one is allowed to look upon it or say its name. Spirits and demons live there, and there are ashes from the Great Burning.
What is John's internal conflict in By the Waters of Babylon?
John's internal conflict is his fears while he is trying to figure out if the "Gods" are dead. John's external conflict is against real or imagined outside threats, such as a pack of wild dogs and the Hudson River, which almost gets rid of him.
What is the rising action of By the Waters of Babylon?
Rising Action 1 John receives multiple signs to go east in the beginning of the journey. John travels east and faces danger.
What are two themes from the story By the Waters of Babylon?
By the Waters of Babylon ThemesThe Pursuit of Knowledge. ... The Coming of Age Quest. ... Superstition, Magic, and Technology. ... Rivalry, War, and Destruction.
What can you infer about the place of the Gods and the events that took place there long ago?
What can you infer about the place of the Gods and the events that took place there long ago? The "Place of the Gods" was once a prosperous city with modern facilities and advanced technology. Unfortunately, it collapsed from "user- error".
What is the place of the Gods?
Terms in this set (10) What are the dead places and the place of the Gods? The dead places are the homes before the last war and the place of the Gods is New York City.
Is Babylonia in Egypt?
Babylonia (/ˌbæbɪˈloʊniə/; Akkadian: 𒆳𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠, māt Akkadī) was an ancient Akkadian-speaking state and cultural area based in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) and parts of Syria.
Where was the Tower of Babel located?
BabylonThe Tower of Babel stood at the very heart of the vibrant metropolis of Babylon in what is today Iraq. It was a city of open squares, broad boulevards and narrow, winding lanes. But the City of Cities, as Babylon was known by the Ancients, eventually fell into ruin.
Where was Mesopotamia?
Mesopotamia is thought to be one of the places where early civilization developed. It is a historic region of West Asia within the Tigris-Euphrates river system. In fact, the word Mesopotamia means "between rivers" in Greek.
Where is modern-day Mesopotamia?
IraqThe word “mesopotamia” is formed from the ancient words “meso,” meaning between or in the middle of, and “potamos,” meaning river. Situated in the fertile valleys between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the region is now home to modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, Turkey and Syria.
What is the setting of the Place of the Gods?
The Place of the Gods is the other setting of the story. It becomes evident to the reader that this is what used to be New York City . John marvels at what he sees there: tall towers, a broken statue of George Washington, paintings, a cooking place but no wood, lamps but no wicks.
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What did John realize about the people who built the city?
John realizes that the people who built the city were not gods, but humans. He goes back to his village determined to learn more about this lost civilization.
Where does the story of the Place of the Gods take place?
As for a physical location, the story begins just west of present day New York City. Readers are told John travels east for eight days before finally seeing the Place of the Gods (New York). John explores the former New York City for a bit and then returns to his village.
What does the river symbolize in the water of Babylon?
Likewise, what does the river symbolize in by the waters of Babylon? The great river in the story "By the Waters of Babylon" is the Hudson River. Most notably, the river separates Manhattan, New York from New Jersey. The great river, which John calls the "Ou-dis-sun," is one of the main clues in the story that alerts readers to which great city of the gods John is exploring.
What is John's internal conflict?
John's internal conflict is his fears while he is trying to figure out if the "Gods" are dead. John's external conflict is against real or imagined outside threats, such as a pack of wild dogs and the Hudson River, which almost gets rid of him.
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.
Where does the story of the narrator take place?
The story opens in the forests of New York. The narrator then travels through the forest, following the old highways originally created for the residents of New York. When he gets to New York City, he crosses the Hudson River by raft and then walks into an area of which is probably Manhattan.
Where is the place of the Gods in the book?
As John explores the location, the reader is able to figure out that the river is the Hudson, and the Place of the Gods is Manhattan. He spends his time wandering around the city, and he goes into some apartments. One specific location that he visits is Grand Central Terminal. The ceiling of that building is painted with stars and constellations, and John thinks it must have been a mighty temple.
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.
