Abstract This paper explains that Jorge Luis Borges is a novelist known for using subjects that question God's existence and essence of life and that these themes appear in his short story, "The Lottery in Babylon". The author points out that, in the story, which is told in the first person point-of-view, the narrator is part of what is happening within the story but, despite his understanding of the people, cannot fathom the addiction of the community people to the lottery. The paper relates that "Lottery in Babylon" is full of symbolism and metaphors. For example, the term 'lottery' represents taking chances and the term 'company' represents God. The paper includes several quotations.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
"The Lottery in Babylon" - An Analysis
Plot
Theme
Conclusion
From the Paper "Lottery, as seen by the narrator's eyes, has undergone various evolutions. First, it was just like a very simple game played by the commoners. Then, the number of people who loved playing it increases, hence the rules of the game was changed. At first, the lottery only involves rewards that would be received by, of course, the winner. But when the game was eventually changed, punishments and irrelevant rewards were introduced. When still more and more people continue playing the game, the rules regarding the people who could join the game also changed."
Abstract This paper shows how F.S. Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited" is an important modernist text that deals with the negative side of the economic boom during the American twenties. In particular, the paper examines how, in the book, Fitzgerald comments on the wildness and the excess of the age and shows how the lives of the Americans had solely revolved around money and material gain. The paper also analzyes how "Babylon Revisited" draws upon many experiences of Fitzgerald's personal life.
From the Paper "Francis Scott Fitzgerald is one of the most prominent modernist writers. His life and career as a writer span two of the most tumultuous economical periods of the United States: the incredible economic boom of the twenties, followed by the tremendous economic crash during the Depression. Born in 1896 is Minnesota, Fitzgerald lived through the time that would later be called "The Roaring Twenties", or, according to the name he himself gave it, "The Jazz Age". The twenties were probably one of the most spectacular decades in the history of the United States. The period is best known perhaps for its economic inconsistency: the economic boom was fallowed by dramatic stock market crashes, which obviously affected the lives of all the people."
A discussion of the similarities and differences between Ulysses Everett McGill, the main character of the Coen Brothers' film "O Brother Where Art Thou?" and Charlie Wales, the main character of F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Babylon Revisited".
Abstract This essay compares and contrasts the main characters of the film 'O Brother Where Art Thou?' written and directed by the Coen brothers and the short story 'Babylon Revisited' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, also made into a film. What seems at first an unlikely comparison turns out to be revealing. Ulysses Everett McGill and Charlie Wales are from vastly different backgrounds and social strata yet face similar dilemmas. Wales the wealthy socialite would seem more likely to succeed in his case to retrieve his daughter and get his life together. However, it is the escaped convict McGill, whose Ulysses-like Odyssey is discussed in depth, who succeeds in his quest, while the "recovering" alcoholic Wales is frustrated and delayed.
From the Paper "Ulysses Everett McGill, the central character in the film, O Brother Where Art Thou? produced in 2000, and Charlie Wales, the main character in the F. Scott Fizgerald story, ?Babylon Revisited,? published in 1931, and made into a movie in 1954, may at first glance appear to be vastly different, but turn out to share similarities. Ulysses Everett McGill and Charlie Wales are from vastly different classes and backgrounds, yet both live in approximately the same time period, the 1920s/30s, the time of the Great Depression and both are men deprived of wife and family. Neither one is exactly the ordinary man surviving under the duress of the depression. McGill is a crude and lowly escaped convict fleeing through the Bible belt, while the sophisticated Wales, who still seems to have plenty of money and social status despite the crash, is visiting Paris. Both want to get their lives back into some semblance of togetherness. Each seems to be continually sabotaged in his quest. As we watch both men we wonder if the destructive energy comes from outside or is inner generated. The resemblances are many, but the differences are greater, especially when it comes to the end results of their attempts to get it together."
This paper discusses the role that images of nature play in three novels of clashing cultures: Tayeb Salih's 'Seasons of Migrations to the North', David Malouf's 'Remembering Babylon', and Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'.
Abstract This essay discusses the following three novels: Tayeb Salih's 'Seasons of Migrations to the North', David Malouf's 'Remembering Babylon', and Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' . All of these novels reveal the shadow side of the human soul, the dark, forbidden side that most of us don?t want to admit exists and show how it manifests in relationship to the unknown. When humans come into contact with something other than that which they know well, they often react out of fear which springs from the depths of their own hidden inner selves. Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness is the classic on this theme to which the other two are compared. In these novels human life is represented as a duality hovering between light and darkness. All three writers use nature extensively to symbolize this duality. In these books most often nature is evil and dark, though now and then we catch a glimpse of beauty and light.
From the Paper "This study will explore the role that images of nature play in three novels of cultural conflict. Tayeb Salih's Seasons of Migrations to the North, and David Malouf's Remembering Babylon, will be discussed using Conrad's Heart of Darkness as the standard by which all such works are measured.In addition to being about clashing cultures, these novels are about the shadow side of the human soul, the dark, forbidden side that most of us don?t want to admit exists and how it manifests in relationship to the unknown. When humans come into contact with something other than that which they know well, they often react out of fear which springs from the depths of their own hidden inner selves. Joseph Conrad's The Heart of Darkness is the classic on this theme. In these novels human life is represented as a duality hovering between light and darkness. All three writers use nature extensively to symbolize this duality. In these books most often nature is evil and dark, though now and then we catch a glimpse of beauty and light."
Abstract This paper discusses how class differences play a role in both Raymond Carver's " A Small Good Thing" and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited." It analyzes how income and relative social prestige affect the relationships between the characters in the stories. It also takes as look at many class related social interactions between the characters in the stories.
Abstract This paper reviews R. Self's 2003 book "American Babylon." The book is an account of the development of black activism in Oakland, California, in response to the civil rights movement and urban decay. The paper discusses the author's experiences and relates to them in their historical contest.
From the Paper "Taking as the point of departure ethnic and economic cleavages between poor, urban blacks and privileged whites in Oakland California, "American Babylon" develops the idea that politicization of urban blacks came about in a context of white flight on one hand and ghetto..."
Abstract This is a brief essay on filial piety in three ancient societies: China, Babylon and Greece. Filial piety is the civil act of showing respect towards elders and parents by children. The essay touches on the teachings of Confucius and Hammurabi.
From the Paper "In Ancient China, parents were expected to be very respected and honored by their children. A very famous Chinese scholar, named Confucius believed, and taught, that children were to serve and nourish their parents when they were alive, and sacrifice to them when they died. Children were expected to lead a good, moral life and to be a credit to their parents, and never dishonor or disgrace them. Confucius also said that China could become a civil and organized society if people respected the five basic relationships in life between; ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, older brother and younger brother, and friend and friend. Confucius also stressed filial piety. Young girls and women were also expected to "cow tow" in Ancient China. Cow towing was a series of bows in the presence of a superior, male, or elder, that would show respect."
Abstract This paper looks at the character Charlie in Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited" and shows the development of his character throughout the story, paying particular attention to the degree to which he is reformed. It further investigates whether Charlie is worthy of his honor, Honoria.
From the Paper "Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited" shows how ones seemingly harmless, insignificant actions of the present can destroy ones conscious wishes for the future, and it shows the development of a seemingly already developed character. Charlie Wales is a man that was filthy rich in the booming twenties. ?[Charlie] remembered thousand-franc notes given to an orchestra for playing a single number, hundred franc notes tossed to a doorman for calling a cab? (1662). Since he had made so much money in the stock market, he and his now deceased wife Helen did not have to work and were able to spend their time and money at the Ritz bar, a bar in Paris that gave most of its business to wealthy Americans during the 1920"s. Charlie and Helen lived the party life, complete with drugs and alcohol that ended up literally destroying Helen's life and figuratively destroying Charlie"s. One night, when Charlie and Helen were in an argument, Charlie went home locked the door and went to sleep not knowing that Helen "would arrive an hour later alone, that there would be a snowstorm in which she wandered about in slippers, too confused to find a taxi" (1668). Helen survived pneumonia but died from heart trouble, and Charlie went to a sanitarium, leaving Honoria to live with Helen's sister Marion Peters and her husband Lincoln. In the early 1930?s, after Charlie has lost his wife, money, and eventually his daughter, and lives lonely in Prague, he returns to Paris to get his honor, Honoria, back. Charlie loved his wife and he loves his daughter. He abides by his one drink-a-day rule and believes that he is capable of being a good father to her which he wants to be before her childhood is over; he is also lonely and wants her companionship, and she is all there is left of Helen, whom he misses very much."
Abstract This paper examines how, in metaphysical theory, naturalism is a term used to refer to the idea that all things can be explained by natural phenomena, rather than supernatural ones, and how this theory holds that the universe is a vast machine with no interest or cause beyond itself. It analyzes this theory in relation to the books, "In Our Time" by Ernest Hemingway, "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner, and "Babylon Revisited" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In all three works, it shows how naturalism is depicted not only through language, but also through the subject matter, since all the protagonists have forces against them, which are equally outside of their control.
From the Paper "The subject of Hemingway's stories is World War I, a subject often written about at the time. What set Hemingway's stories apart from the others are his naturalistic style, as well as the philosophical concerns of this theory. The war is depicted as something beyond the control of the main characters. It is also confusing, as demonstrated through the author's narrative flow, which is often confusing. The main character in many of the stories is Nick Adams. Nick, like the rest of the characters, is often at the mercy of forces outside himself. These include not only universal forces, but also the forces within society. His early lessons in "Indian Camp" for example are due to social forces beyond his control, as is the War."
Tags:babylon, dying, time, our, supernatural, forces
Analysis of how the key characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited", John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" and R. Wright's "The Man Who Was Almost a Man" express themselves.
Abstract This paper reviews the protagonists in the three short stories, "Babylon Revisited", "The Chrysanthemums", and "The Man Who Was Almost A Man" and how they resort to more subtle forms of communication, such as symbolism, in order to express themselves. The paper goes on to describe how each of the novels also highlights the role that nonverbal communication plays in creating perceptions. Quotes from all three novels are used to illustrate the points made in the paper.
From the Paper "However, successful communication is almost as much about the interpretation of the receiver, as it is about the ability of the sender to reason out the right manner of communication. Indeed, the fact that successful communication hinges on a two-way interactive process plays an important role in Charlie, Elisa, and Dave's failure to achieve their goals. For Charlie Wales, his one drink a day may represent his ability to control his alcoholism. But, to Marion, the action seems to be cause to doubt the fact that he is a reformed alcoholic, even though Charlie tries to explain the symbolism inherent in his action: ?"but all that's over. As I told you, I haven"t had more than a drink a day for over a year, and I take that drink deliberately, so that the idea of alcohol won"t get too big in my imagination. You see the idea"? (Fitzgerald, p. 329) Unfortunately, though, Charlie fails to convince Marion of the true meaning underlying his drink a day, as evidenced by her later asking, "How long are you going to stay sober, Charlie"? (Fitzgerald, p. 330)"
Abstract This paper discusses how little is known about Jewish life under Persian rule. While Babylon had one of the highest populations of Jewish communities in the world during this time, the significance of Jerusalem resulted, as it always would, because of the Temple. It explains that, during the period 450 BCE, however, a glimpse of the state of Jewish life within Jerusalem and the surrounding area and the reformational atmosphere experienced during that time is given by the events surrounding the return of Ezra.
From the Paper "Of course this, rather harsh requirement points to two aspects of the Jewish life and collective psyche in the area at the time. For, although such a command may seem harsh, it is nonetheless reflective of the imperiled and challenged state of Jewish society during the time. After all, following such a harsh and long exile, there could be little tolerance for assimilation or laxity in Judaic religious practices or ritual. For those like Ezra, such a situation threatened the very survival of the nation and faith itself. However, in addition to the idea of the "imperiled nation" embedded in the Jewish psyche during the time (and, perhaps during modern time as well), it also pointed to the lax state of Jewish life and ritual in Jerusalem during this period?as well as the turmoil that must have existed at the time these reforms were implemented."
Abstract This paper examines famous American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. It discusses his marriage, his role in the early 20th century, and his works, including "The Great Gatsby", "The Beautiful and the Damned" and "This Side of Paradise". The author focuses on the typical female characters of his novels and the ways in which they represent and relate to his wife, Zelda.
From the Paper "F. Scott Fitzgerald was a brilliant, successful, but somehow unhappy writer. He wrote beautifully, but it taxed him, and between alcoholism, his much loved, though somewhat impractical wife, and his struggle with the materialistic upper class he was a part of, he was a man caught in troubles and often unhappy. Despite his many problems, he managed to turn out several novels and over one-hundred-sixty short stories, and though they shared many common themes, each possessed its own individual tone. Of these themes, one of the most interesting is the role of Fitzgerald's women--women as individuals, women and alcohol, women and material wealth, women and failure. Fitzgerald's main female characters were a new type of woman in the literary arena. They weren?t made in the image of the traditional woman, but were a combination of such positive traits as attractiveness, charm, youth, capability and independence. Fitzgerald created this woman-girl character in response to his own personal experiences and particularly modeled it after his wife Zelda, whom he adored. He projected much of their relationship and her personality into creating a character who prefigured today's modern woman."
Abstract This paper details Hammurabi's Code and how it covers many of the ills Mesopotamian society faced in the 17th Century BC. It gives several examples of his laws and quotes them and then analyzes and explains them. It details the historical and social situation in Mesopotamia at the time.
From the Paper "When interpreting Hammurabi's Code, one must do so with the full conviction that these laws were created as a response to actions that were taking place in everyday Mesopotamian society. While Hammurabi's Code was not the first set of laws, his organization and interpretation of previous laws covers many of the ills Mesopotamian society faced in the 17th Century BC. For example, Hammurabi's law number 53 says "If any one be too lazy to keep his dam in proper condition, and does not so keep it; if then the dam break and all the fields be flooded, then shall he in whose dam the break occurred be sold for money, and the money shall replace the corn which he has caused to be ruined" (King). From that it can be assumed that there was a problem in Mesopotamian society with abandoned or poorly maintained irrigation ducts. However, to truly gain an understanding of Mesopotamia in the 17th Century BC, one should take a closer look at the penalties rather than the laws themselves."
Tags: Hammurabi, code, Mesopotamia, laws, penalties, 17th, Century, BC, Babylon
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to briefly introduce, discuss and analyze the prophet Isaiah as he appears in the Old Testament of the Bible.
From the Paper "Isaiah lived about 700 years before Jesus in Israel, during the reign of four different kings, and during a time of great unrest in the country. God sends him to help mend the Israelites ways, because they are facing a war with Assyria, and they have stopped worshipping God, they have become self-centered and preoccupied with their own lives, and they are sinners"
Abstract This paper contains an analysis of factors, both internal and external, that caused the financial crisis in Russia in 1988. The main argument of the paper is that the main causes of the crisis originated from inside. The monetary system that the Russian government created after the fall of the USSR failed to provide a stable channel for the implementation of an adequate monetary policy. The paper shows that the banking system was ill-designed and corrupt, mainly serving as a channel for government funds to favored industries. Finally, the paper shows that the extreme usage of government debt (often for the personal benefit of the Russian officials) was the factor that shut the whole economy down. Bonds were printed like paper, which is unsustainable even in the short-run.
Table of Contents:
A Self-made Crisis
Fake Monetary System
The Banks that Weren?t
Russian FIGs
A Pyramid of Bonds
The Fall of the Babylon The Responsibility
Works Cited
From the Paper "In 1998 Russia was hit by a large-scale financial crisis. The bad news of Russian default (or payment suspension) in August 1998 was one of the primary concerns of almost all Russian and western media. The events and outcomes of the crisis were relatively similar to the ones that took place in Asia in 1997 or, more recently, in Argentina (the latter has recently defaulted on the largest government debt in history). These amounted, but were not limited to: national currency being largely devaluated, collapse of the banking system, and political unrest resulting in dramatic changes in the government."
Tags: bank, central, government, mismanagement, dollar
