By the Waters of Babylon

What is the difference between between knowledge and the truth? In “By the Waters of Babylon,” John is searching for more knowledge in a place that is forbidden, according to his society. On his journey John discovers more than just knowledge, he discovers the truth. Throughout the story, the narrator explains what he is feeling, this helps the reader understand how his knowledge differs from the truth. The beginning of the story starts off with John learning from his father. He learns about the…

In the text, “By The Waters Of Babylon,” by Stephen Benet, there was a great change in cultures. The cultures changed from over time in every society. Cultural change is best defined as the reconstruction of the cultural concept of a society. This happens many times because of many different factors. Factors include cultural diffusion, inventions of technology, and geographical features in a society. In the story, John’s society was different than the one that came before it. This happened…

stories, “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr and “By the Waters of Babylon” by Stephen Vincent Benét. both deal with this topic.The story “By the Waters of Babylon” was written by Stephen Vincent Benét around the time of WWII. With “By the Waters of Babylon” by Benét being written at this time makes a very ominous tone. Where “Harrison Bergeron” is set in 2081 and was written in the late 1940’s.The two stories “By the Waters of Babylon” by Benét and “Harrison Bergeron” by Vincent Jr. both…

By The Waters of Babylon is a short story written by Stephen Vincent Benét, first published July 31, 1937. It’s a story written under the threat of a second world war in a world still recovering from the first. Whether you like post-apocalyptic stories or not, this is a story that is certain to resonate with most audiences because of its moral and plot twists. John, son of John-- is this story’s quintessential protagonist. He is to go on a journey and learn the secrets of the world, or in this…

“By the Waters of Babylon” is a story set in a post-apocalyptic world narrated by the son of a village priest named John. John learns from his father how to collect metal from the Dead Places and how to purify it so it can be used by his people. When he becomes comfortable doing this by himself, John decides that it is time for him to go on his journey. John dreams that he is destined to take a journey to the Place of the Gods, a trip forbidden by his people. After traveling for eight days, John…

access to a nuclear weapon that can destroy their opponent. The consequences of these weapons are bigger than anyone could imagine. Communities ruined, cultures lost, innocent lives taken so fast without even a goodbye. In the story “By the Waters of Babylon”, by Stephen Vincent Benét, it gives a general idea of the risks taken by using nuclear weapons. Humanity can be destroyed and everything left and forgotten all because technology overpowers and the States are not prepared for it. By the way…

In the short story, By the Waters of Babylon, by Stephen Vincent Benet, (April 25, 1963) there seems to be a strong correlation between nuclear fallout and the death of the gods. In the story the author makes three claims which would lead someone to believe so; “not all they did was well done,” “fire (was) falling from the sky,” and that “there was a mist that poisoned.” When the author stated that not all they did was well done, I feel he’s referring to the state of their city, their…

Knowledge and truth combined together can lead to a very dangerous outcome. Stephen Vincent Benét’s post-apocalyptic novel, “By the Waters of Babylon” is about the protagonist, John, destined to be a priest and his journey to the forbidden land his civilization calls “The Place of the Gods.” Throughout the novel Benét entertains us with his vivid descriptions. John’s journey and the discoveries he makes reveal that truth influences his understanding, society, and actions. John’s quest to “The…

Epic Archetype Essay By the waters of Babylon, a short story written by Stephen Vincent Benet who writes about the son of a priest name John who is destined to become a priest itself and how he manifests himself by traveling to the “Place of God”, a city where it is located across the great river and it is strictly forbidden by the hill people. Jon simply begins the quest because of his thirst for new knowledge. He began to have conflicts on the way to the dead place, trying to figure out if…

Huckleberry Finn and By the Waters of Babylon respectively. In them the protagonists, Huck Finn and John son of John, overcome a series of obstacles in order to achieve the truth they desired . While both authors did an excellent job in the creation of an immersive world, By the Waters of Babylon paints a world eerily similar to our own. It enlightens us with topics that show how apparently close we are to a world where the Dead Places exist, and the world can be if we continue to…