“By the Waters of Babylon” "By the Waters of Babylon" is a post-apocalyptic short story by Stephen Vincent Benet, published July 31, 1937 in The Saturday

“By the Waters of Babylon”“By the Waters of Babylon”

""By the Waters of BabylonBy the Waters of Babylon" is a post-apocalyptic " is a post-apocalyptic short story by Stephen Vincent Benet, published short story by Stephen Vincent Benet, published July 31, 1937 in July 31, 1937 in The Saturday Evening PostThe Saturday Evening Post as as “The Place of the Gods.”“The Place of the Gods.”

Western Literature on October 28, 2014Western Literature on October 28, 2014

An allusionallusion is a reference to a statement, person, place, thing, or

event from another text or from history or culture.

It is only effective if the reader is familiar with whatever is being alluded

to.

An allusionallusion is a reference to a statement, person, place, thing, or

event from another text or from history or culture.

It is only effective if the reader is familiar with whatever is being alluded

to.


Authors generally trust readers to recognize or discover the connection

between an allusion and its purpose in the writing.

Authors generally trust readers to recognize or discover the connection

between an allusion and its purpose in the writing.


Allusions add another layer of meaning.Think about how the title of this story to

add another meaning to it.

Allusions add another layer of meaning.Think about how the title of this story to

add another meaning to it.


The story is told from first-person point of view. The person who tells the story

is called the narrator. A first-person narrator uses the pronoun

“I” to refer to himself or herself.

The story is told from first-person point of view. The person who tells the story

is called the narrator. A first-person narrator uses the pronoun

“I” to refer to himself or herself.


In first-person narratives, the author may adopt an identity--or personapersona. This persona allows the author to present the

setting through a distinct character’s eyes.

In first-person narratives, the author may adopt an identity--or personapersona. This persona allows the author to present the

setting through a distinct character’s eyes.


Stephen Vincent Benét uses a persona named John to guide readers and point out significant details to introduce them

to a bizarre future world.

Stephen Vincent Benét uses a persona named John to guide readers and point out significant details to introduce them

to a bizarre future world.


First-person narratorscan only tell what they themselves know--their own feelings, thoughts, experiences, and their observations

about other characters.

First-person narratorscan only tell what they themselves know--their own feelings, thoughts, experiences, and their observations

about other characters.


First-person narratorscan’t see into the mind of another

character or know what is happening in faraway places.

First-person narratorscan’t see into the mind of another

character or know what is happening in faraway places.


Authors imagine the settingsetting and then use details to help the reader see it. The details the narrator points out can help

to establish tonetone and charactercharacter. People usually notice things that are

important to them or that reflect their moods or attitudes.

Authors imagine the settingsetting and then use details to help the reader see it. The details the narrator points out can help

to establish tonetone and charactercharacter. People usually notice things that are

important to them or that reflect their moods or attitudes.


AllusionAllusion

» References Psalm 137 in the Bible

» Isrealites’ sorrow over the destruction of their temple in Zion and their enslavement into Babylon

» The psalm begins “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion”

Read Psalm 137 - How does the title’s Biblical Allusion connect to the theme of the story?

Read Psalm 137 - How does the title’s Biblical Allusion connect to the theme of the story?

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

2 There on the poplars we hung our harps,

3 for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill .

6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy. 7 Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. "Tear it down," they cried, "tear it down to its foundations!" 8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us- 9 he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.

Purpose of the AllusionPurpose of the Allusion

The Israelites lost their The Israelites lost their "promised land" of Israel "promised land" of Israel from which they have from which they have been exiled. Their been exiled. Their homeland was destroyed homeland was destroyed and its people scattered. and its people scattered.

The message of the short story’s allusion: the the eventual threat of self-eventual threat of self-destruction if we are destruction if we are unable to curb our thirst unable to curb our thirst for knowledge - and not for knowledge - and not "eat it too fast.""eat it too fast."

Point of ViewPoint of View

»1st person point of view»Limited knowledge given

to the reader from this point of view. Only seeing what that character sees and knows.

»How does this enrich the story?

MoodMood »The mood of a story is the atmosphere the author helps create to make the reader feel a certain way.

»Remember that tone is not the same thing as mood. Tone is the writer’s own attitude toward the subject.

SymbolismSymbolism

.Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense. It can take different forms: object, action, or event. Symbols do shift their meanings depending on the context they are used in. “A chain”, for example, may stand for “union” as well as “imprisonment.”

The Great River, Ou-dis-sun wasThe Great River, Ou-dis-sun was

The Hudson River

Old Books and Writings were…Books written in English that

existed before our society was destroyed

The Old Days were….The days before The Great

Burning, our “present day”

The God Roads were…The God Roads were…

The Concrete roads we used to use

The Bitter Water was…The Bitter Water was…

The Ocean

The Place of the Gods was…New YorkThe Place of the Gods was…New York

UBTREAS was…UBTREAS was…

The Sub Treasury in New York,now called Federal Hall National

Memorial

Ashing was…Ashing was…

A Statue of George Washington in Union Square, New York City

The temple with the stars for a roof was…The temple with the stars for a roof was…

The ceiling at Grand Central Station

Topic: TechnologyTopic: TechnologyTechnology can lead to the downfall of

society.

Topic: Coming of AgeTopic: Coming of Age For a boy/girl to become a man/woman, For a boy/girl to become a man/woman,

he/she must go on a journey (Spirit he/she must go on a journey (Spirit Walk) to achieve wisdom.Walk) to achieve wisdom.

Topic: “Rite of Passage”Topic: “Rite of Passage”A dangerous challenge must be attempted and A dangerous challenge must be attempted and

succeeded to earn respect from the elders.succeeded to earn respect from the elders.

ThemeThemeA unifying central idea, expression, or A unifying central idea, expression, or motif of a literary work.motif of a literary work.

1.1. Your topic is “knowledge.” Your topic is “knowledge.” 2.2. Write a thematic statement about this Write a thematic statement about this

topic. (What does the author or the topic. (What does the author or the story say about knowledge?)story say about knowledge?) It must be It must be universal. \universal. \Things to Consider: Things to Consider: »The Tower of BabelThe Tower of Babel»The Fall of Man (The Tree of Knowledge)The Fall of Man (The Tree of Knowledge)»Technology as the Downfall of SocietyTechnology as the Downfall of Society»Knowledge = Technology, Advancement, Knowledge = Technology, Advancement, Industrialization, Innovation, Power, etc. Industrialization, Innovation, Power, etc.

Write your own thematic statement.Write your own thematic statement.

A unifying central idea, expression, or A unifying central idea, expression, or motif of a literary work.motif of a literary work.

ArchetypesArchetypes

»What archetypes are present in the story?

»Review the questions.

HomeworkHomework

»Prepare for Bible presentations on Wednesday.

Documents

“By the Waters of Babylon” "By the Waters of Babylon" is a post-apocalyptic short story by Stephen Vincent Benet, published July 31, 1937 in The Saturday