In the story "Babylon Revisited" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a man comes to reality with his past and present struggles. The story is set in Paris, in the Jazz Era. Fitzgerald writes about how Charlie over comes his fight with alcohol and then returns to Paris to reclaim his daughter. He goes through many struggles attempting to send him back to his past time of drinking, but he over comes these obstacles because of his new found strength.
The story starts out with Charlie Wales returning to Paris. The reader soon finds out why he left the city because of his alcohol problem. He visits some of his old places that he and his wife use to drink and party all night. He says this about his past, "I spoiled this city for myself. I didn't realize it, but the days came along one after another, then two years were gone, and everything was gone, and I was gone."(p. 1660) He then goes to his brother-in-law's house to meet his daughter, Honoria. He doesn't say that he has come to get his daughter on this visit nor does the reader find this out until later. .
The next day he goes and picks up his daughter and takes her out to eat. He then meets some of his old friends, "sudden ghosts out of the past" (p. 1663), Duncan Schaeffer and Lorraine Quarrles. Duncan asks that they come back and sit for a drink, he responds with "Can't do it." He was glad for an excuse. As always, he felt Lorraine's passionate, provocative attraction, but his own rhythm was different now." This shows that Charlie has changed from his old ways and turned to a more responsible person and, hopefully, parent. When they leave Honoria tells him that she wants to live with him and he was very happy to hear that, "His heart leaped; he had wanted it to come like this.". The reader then finds out why he has come back to Paris. .
They go back to his brother-in-law's house and he finally gets to talk to Marion about taking his daughter back to live with him.
Scott Fitzgerald puts together a charming and unique story; "Babylon Revisited." ... In "Babylon Revisited, the author shows how difficult it is to break of the cycle of addiction and start a new life. ... Scott Fitzgerald, "Babylon Revisited", Literature, Ed. ...
The title, "Babylon Revisited" is an essential tool in building the theme of Fitzgerald's short story because it gives the reader additional insight into the life that once thrived in Paris. By naming the short story, "Babylon Revisited", the author subtly compares the city of Paris, the actual city in which the main character, Charlie, is visiting, to the great city of Babylon. ... By using, "Babylon", Fitzgerald immediately characterizes Paris as a city of wealth, power, and sin, and by revisiting Babylon, Fitzgerald provides the reader with a more in-depth insight into the meaning of C...
The title, "Babylon Revisited" is an essential tool in building the theme of Fitzgerald's short story because it gives the reader additional insight into the life that once thrived in Paris. By naming the short story, "Babylon Revisited", the author subtly compares the city of Paris, the actual city in which the main character, Charlie, is visiting, to the great city of Babylon. ... By using, "Babylon", Fitzgerald immediately characterizes Paris as a city of wealth, power, and sin, and by revisiting Babylon, Fitzgerald provides the reader with a more in-depth insight into the meaning of C...
Babylon Revisited A Custody Review The Title Babylon was an ancient, prosperous city of the Near East, Associated by the Hebrews and Greeks with materialism and pursuit of sensual pleasure; here, referring to Paris, where the story is set in the aftermath of the stock market crash of 1929. ... Babylon Revisited continues to show the reader throughout the story the reckless behavior of Charlie prior to the crash. ...
Marion and Charlie's relationship in "Babylon Revisited" seems to be the internal conflict between the rich and the poor in the depression. ... Until he lost "everything [he] wanted in the boom", his world, wife, money, and then his daughter (Fitzgerald Babylon 229). ... Through his character, an "awfully anxious [man] to have a home" can be seen who is trying to find a place where love is present in a loveless world (Fitzgerald Babylon 219). ... She had "forgotten how hard [Charlie] worked for seven years"; "she only remembers one night (Fitzgerald Babylon 224). ... Marion, because of al...
Revisited," a man named Charlie Wales has come back to Paris with the intent of regaining custody of his nine year old daughter. She has been staying with her aunt and uncle since the death of her mother. Being in Paris brings back memories of his previous lifestyle of drinking, late night socializi...
F. Scott Fitzgerald "F. Scott Fitzgerald was the leading writer of America's Jazz Age...and one of its glittering heroes"(ENC 190) in writing novels and short stories. Fitzgerald captured the minds of those who were cheaply entertained. His complicated life lived with an obsession of money mixed...
