What happened in by the waters of Babylon?

The story follows John on his initiation quest, a journey he undertakes in order to be recognized by his tribe as a man and a priest. 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.
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What is By the Waters of Babylon summary?

"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.
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What killed the Gods in By the Waters of Babylon?

It was fire falling out of the sky and a mist that poisoned. It was the time of the Great Burning and the Destruction. They ran about like ants in the streets of their city — poor gods, poor gods!"
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What is the main idea of 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.
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What is the dead place in By the Waters of Babylon?

The dead places are the homes before the last war and the place of the Gods is New York City.
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By the Waters of Babylon by Stephen Vincent Benet. Short story audio recording



What does John finally realize about the Gods?

In "By the Waters of Babylon," what does John finally realize about the gods? They used magic to cook and wash.
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What is the climax of 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.
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What does John realize in By the Waters of Babylon?

Summary Of By The Waters Of Babylon

As a father, he made his son a priest and independent on what he wants to do. He let John know of the dangers that anticipate him to the forbidden area, which proves that he is a good father.
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What caused the great burning in By the Waters of Babylon?

In "By the Waters of Babylon," the Great Burning refers to an apparent nuclear holocaust. The narrator discusses the Dead Places, cities and...
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Why is it called By the Waters of Babylon?

The title of the story "By the Waters of Babylon" is actually a biblical allusion to the passage in Psalm 137. In the Psalm the Israelite's express their sorrow and misery over the destruction of their temple in Jerusalem and their experience of enslavement in the land of Babylon.
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Who is ashing in By the Waters of Babylon?

In "By the Waters of Babylon," ASHING is George Washington. In the story, the narrator finds "the shattered image of a man or a god . ....
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Why is it forbidden to go east in By the Waters of Babylon?

It's forbidden because travelling east brings one closer to the place of gods, the place from which people are "most strictly forbidden to go".
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Why does John set out on his journey?

Why does John set out on his journey? He deeply desired to acquire more knowledge, so he set off in search of it.
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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.
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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.
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What is the bitter water in By the Waters of Babylon?

The "bitter water" named "Ou-dis-sun" is the Hudson River, bitter because of its salt water.
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When the narrator gets to the place of the Gods What does he realize about some of the things he has heard said about this place?

In By the Waters of Babylon, by Stephen Benet, When the narrator gets to the Place of the Gods, what does he realize about some of the things he has heard said about this place? It is not true what some of the tales say, that the ground there burns forever.
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What conclusion can you draw from this passage from By the Waters of Babylon?

the People of the Hills are very spiritual. What conclusion can be drawn from this passage from "By the Waters of Babylon"? There was also the shattered image of a man or a god. It had been made of white stone and he wore his hair tied back like a woman's.
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What advice about sharing knowledge does John's father give him at the end of the story?

John's father advises him to share his new knowledge with the people a little at a time, so that they aren't overwhelmed; John follows this advice, and believes that eventually, he and his people can rebuild society.
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What does John the narrator observe about the dead God?

John finds the well-preserved body of the “dead god” seated at a window in one of the towers in the Land of the Gods. John soon realizes that the dead god is not a god at all, but a dead man, and that the “gods” were in fact humans.
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What is the resolution in By the Waters of Babylon?

The conflict is resolved when the narrator finds a way to get away from the dogs and continue his journey.
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What is the foreshadowing in By the Waters of Babylon?

The nuclear holocaust is foreshadowed when he describes how the bridges were all burned and "broken in the time of THE GREAT BURNING when fire fell from the sky."
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What is the exposition of the story By the Waters of Babylon?

Exposition. The exposition of this story is when the rules of the land is established. John explains that his father is a priest. He explains how it is forbidden to cross the great river and it's also forbidden to go to any of the dead places expect to search for metal but those who touch the metal must become a priest ...
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What does squirrels heap of winter nuts mean?

“I tried to think of my knowledge, nut it was a squirrel's heap of winter nuts”, he compares his knowledge to a pile of nuts. All he has learned and experience means nothing to the situation that he is facing.
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What did John mean when he said a priest must know many secrets if the hunters believe we do all things by chants and spells they may believe so -- it does not hurt them?

A priest must know many secretes-that was what my father said. If the hunters think we do all things by chants and spells, they may believe so-it does not hurt them. The priests are more educated and powerful than the hunters are. Only men can become priests and learn their secrets.
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