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".

What is forbidden in By the Waters of Babylon?

By the Waters of Babylon -- PART 1. The north and the west and the south are good hunting ground, but it is forbidden to go east. It is forbidden to go to any of the Dead Places except to search for metal and then he who touches the metal must be a priest or the son of a priest.

Why is it forbidden for anyone but a priest to visit the dead places?

Why is it forbidden for anyone but a priest to enter the dead places? They believed that taking metal from the dead would kill anyone but a priest. However, this policy could also be in place to prevent thieves and hide knowledge from the public.

What does By the Waters of Babylon warn us about?

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 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.

By the Waters of Babylon by Stephen Vincent Benet. Short story audio recording

Who were the Gods really in By the Waters of Babylon?

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. John tells us that the dead god's face looks both wise and sad, and theorizes that though he lost his life, he chose to stay in the city so as not to lose his spirit too.

What is the great burning in By the Waters of Babylon?

In "By the Waters of Babylon," the Great Burning refers to an apparent nuclear holocaust.

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.

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.

What is the significance of knowledge in By the Waters of Babylon?

As John reaches new “levels” of knowledge with each step of his journey, he learns enough to recognize that there is even more to know, which pushes him ever further in his quest. Benét also shows how knowledge can diminish fear and the power of superstition.

What did the narrator do that was forbidden in By the Waters of Babylon?

It is forbidden to cross the river. It is forbidden to go to the Place of the Gods. All these things are forbidden.""All these things are forbidden," I said, but it was my voice that spoke and not my spirit. He looked at me again.

What happens at the end of By the Waters of Babylon?

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.

How does the narrator arrive at his insight about who the gods of the dead places were By the Waters of Babylon?

How does the narrator arrive at his insight about who the gods of the Dead Places were? He discovers a clothed body of a dead man sitting in his apartment. He looks at his skin and into his face and realizes that he is human not god.

WHO says it is forbidden to go east?

What do these words reveal about the reasons it is forbidden to travel east? John should follow his intuition about his dream, yet travelling east is forbidden. 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".

What does metal mean in By the Waters of Babylon?

The metal that the priests of John's tribe gather from the Dead Places symbolizes both the tribe's developing understanding of technology and its reliance on superstitions. John never states outright why the tribe gathers metal, but we can assume that they use it to make weapons and tools.

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.

Why does John go to the Place of the Gods?

In short, the "Place of the Gods" was actually a place of humans. What is the theme, or message of this story? The theme of the story is to seek knowledge, as John set's out on his journey purely because of his "knowledge and lack of knowledge" He wished to know more.

What creates dramatic irony in By the Waters of Babylon?

Dramatic irony occurs when readers of a story know something that the characters do not. In "By the Waters of Babylon," we realize when John takes his journey to the Place of the Gods that he has come to the ruins of New York City.

What does John mean by we must build again?

-"we must build again" -john has learned that men are capable of causing destruction; and their spirits are capable of wisdom and good. theme. -too much progress, will lead to destruction. -war will destroy the world.

What is the climax of the story By the Waters of Babylon?

In Benet's "By the Waters of Babylon", the climax is John's vision of the past and his subsequent discovery that the "dead god" he... See full answer below.

How does the conflict at the beginning of the paragraph move the plot forward By the Waters of Babylon?

How does the conflict at the beginning of the paragraph move the plot forward? The narrator realizes that the god was a man. Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon."

What are the towers in By the Waters of Babylon?

As architectural marvels, the towers represent the power, “magic,” and technological prowess of the “gods”—and the pinnacle of human achievements. The ruined towers, then, symbolize the downfall of a past society—a downfall brought about because that society gained too much knowledge too quickly.

What do readers learn about the narrator based on his reaction to the conflict?

What do readers learn about the narrator based on his reaction to the conflict? The narrator has learned to respect the gods, even in death, rather than fear them.

How does visiting the place of the gods affect the narrator?

How does visiting the Place of the Gods affect the narrator? X He renounces everything he learned from the priests and his father.

What is the meaning of the title of the story By the Waters of Babylon and how does it connect to the story?

The title of this selection is an allusion, or reference, to Psalm 137 in the Bible. The psalm expresses the sorrow of the Jews over their enslavement in Babylon and the destruction of Zion, their homeland. The psalm begins: “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered thee, O Zion.”