"By the Waters of Babylon," Part 2: Analyzing Theme
Question 7 • ELA 10B - 2023
Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon.”That is all of my story, for then I knew he was a man—I knew then that they had been men, neither gods nor demons. It is a great knowledge, hard to tell and believe. They were men—they went a dark road, but they were men. I had no fear after that—I had no fear going home, though twice I fought off the dogs and once I was hunted for two days by the Forest People. When I saw my father again, I prayed and was purified. He touched my lips and my breast, he said, "You went away a boy. You come back a man and a priest." I said, "Father, they were men! I have been in the Place of the Gods and seen it! Now slay me, if it is the law—but still I know they were men."
Answer
A
The dialogue supports the theme that wisdom comes from obeying one’s parents, because it shows how the narrator has followed the same path as his father.
B
The dialogue supports the theme that only the fittest survive, because it details how the narrator avoids being killed by the Forest People.
C
The dialogue supports the theme that knowledge is gained by taking risks, because it illustrates that the narrator makes a discovery by breaking the rules.
D
The dialogue supports the theme that learning the truth is not always easy, because it highlights that the narrator is upset by the idea that the gods were men.