Preview

Who Is The Protagonist In Alas Babylon

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
443 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Who Is The Protagonist In Alas Babylon
Alas, Babylon Essay Randy Bragg, a rich and independent young man, is the main character in Alas, Babylon. The story, which is a dystopian fiction, is told through the eyes of Randy. As the story progresses, he turns from a bachelor with a trust fund to a strong and determined leader. Randy is characterized as a loyal brother and friend, although he does often give off the impression that he is rude and believes he is above everyone else. “He would come bouncing in like this, at the last minute, and demand service as casually as if The Bank were a soda fountain”(Frank 40). Randy has a reputation for being spontaneous; he does not plan out his day, and he will go wherever he wants, whenever he wants, as if he owns the town. Many people get a bad opinion from this behavior since it seems as if he doesn’t care about anyone else but himself, even though he is genuinely good and does not mean or want to be pictured in that way. …show more content…
While he and Dan have a drink at the bar in his apartment, they discuss the changes that will occur as a result of the bombings and the crisis at hand. Dan states,”You react to crisis in the right way… Some nations and people come apart like fat in a pan. Others meet the challenge and harden. I think you’re going to harden”(Frank 124). In this moment, Randy realizes where the idea “survival of the fittest” comes into play. He knows that if he wants him and his family to survive, he cannot come apart “like fat in a pan”(Frank 124). Instead, he must harden and become the leader. This realization makes him more mature, and he grows as a

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Randy decided it would be better for him, and his children if he looked at the remainder of…

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Peter Goldsworthy in his novel ‘Maestro’ monotonously incorporates contrasts to highlight numerous aspects of protagonist Paul Crabbe’s life including societal context and relationships. A notable juxtaposition is Crabbe’s intellect and sensuality, demonstrated through his acknowledgment of what is love and lust. Throughout the text, Goldsworthy presents Darwin in a negative light in many ways through the distinctively visual. Paul’s father, John Crabbe, tells stories of his daily encounters at the hospital with inhabitants who have drifted to Darwin in a place of refuge. “The city of booze, blow and blasphemy” as well as “all the scum in the country has somehow risen” assist in the crafting of an image of an unwelcoming and foul environment in the mind of the reader.…

    • 529 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The young man's grandfather's dying words mean a lot to him and his family. The young man is too young to understand what his grandfather means " ‘ Son, after I am gone I want you to keep up the good fight. I never told you, but our life is in war and I have been traitor all my born days, a spy in the enemy's country ever since I give up my gun back in Reconstruction. Live with your head in the lion's mouth. I want you to overcome ‘em with yeses, undermine ‘em with grins, agree ‘em to death and destruction, let ‘em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open.' "(241). This quote teaches the young man how to overcome inequalities at the hotel plaza. The young man keeps his grandson on his toes, mainly the battle royal.…

    • 755 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A lot of stories concerning religions and cultures have lot of similarities and differences, despite the fact that they are not from the same era of time. Humans used these stories and writings to express their culture and religious views. “By the Waters of Babylon” is very similar to the writings of the Mesopotamian writings in The Epic of Gilgamesh more specificlay “The story of the flood” and “The Return”. These similarities include many gods in both, a unique quality in the characters of both than can include “born to greatness”, people of both writings lead to their death themselves, John and Gilgamesh Come home with lessons.etc…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The relationships that Robert Ross encounters are significant because they contribute to personal growth and individuality. Timothy Findley’s “The Wars” depicts the protagonist sexuality through conflicts and carries out the plot by reflecting upon Roberts continuous mysterious relationships. His relationships between Ella, Captain Taffler and Harris are significant factors influencing Roberts’s attraction towards men and women. These relationships enable him to evolve from a sensitive 19-year-old to a mature young man.…

    • 1938 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “One individual can begin a movement that turns the tide of history. Martin Luther King in the civil rights movement, Mohandas Gandhi in India, Nelson Mandela in South Africa are examples of people standing up with courage and non-violence to bring about needed changes” by Jack Canfield. In the two stories, Waiting for Dan, and A Letter Home, they talk about what the experience was either having a family member in one of the many movements or experiencing it first hand on a campus. In Waiting for Dan it is told from the wife’s point of view who is waiting for her husband to come back home from a Freedom Ride. In A Letter Home, this college student, Kara, is experiencing first hand a riot at her school, she is trying to tell her parents what…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Every minute a child is growing they are learning, and when a child is growing in a lifestyle that the Wall family is living they are going to believe that what they are experiencing is normal. It is very sad to see how easy it is for Rex to decide on the spot whenever he wants to move and the children are so use to following everything their father says that they never question him. “Dad had been doing some research and settled on a town in northern Nevada called battle Mountain. There was gold in battle Mountain, Dad said, and he intended to go after it with the Prospector. Finally, we were going to strike it rich”.(48) A child should not be moving all over when they are young because it is important for them to grow up, meet people, and get an education. When moving from one place to another without any logical reasoning, they are missing many opportunities in life that most other children are able to take advantage of. They do not question any of their father’s decisions because they have grown familiar with a life of instability. It is sad to see three young children that really have no say in anything they do in life, and even sadder to see them be okay with that. When the U-Haul doors flew open, they did what they could at first to try and get their parents attention, but after realizing they couldn’t were already ready to handle the dangerous situation they were in. “Brian and Lori held tight to the Prospector, which dad had tied securely with ropes. I was holding Maureen, who for some strange reason had stopped crying. I wedged myself into a corner. It seemed like we’d have to ride it out”.(49) For kids this young to be able to adjust to a situation like this and be ready to “ride it out” reinforces the fact that they are so use to a life full of horrible and dangerous situations that when…

    • 1261 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is obvious that family is a very important thing to Randy, but taking on his last lecture while only having months to live, was rather selfish regarding his family. Instead of spending his last few months focusing completely on his wife and children, he spent a lot of that time working on his lecture and the book. Even Jai was not excited for the lecture, according to Randy, she said “‘It’ll be all consuming.’ The lecture...would be an unnecessary diversion from the overwhelming issues we [are] grappling with in our lives” (6). Randy even missed Jai’s birthday for the lecture, which would be the last birthday he could ever spend with her.…

    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When a person’s peace of mind is compromised, so is their sanity. The early parts of the novel display the thoughts of Winston as he commits the epitome of thoughtcrime, writing “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER”, repeatedly. This series of events being placed in the beginning of the novel throws the reader right into the oppressive government that is The Party, and shows the reader what they are all about. Rebellions are started by those who feel oppressed by their superiors, people who feel like they have no way out unless they fight their way out, start a revolution. Winston’s feelings of oppression are transferred into intense desires to rebel against The Party, specifically wanting to break one of their cardinal rules, no sexual encounters with anyone. He meets a fellow member of The Party who feels an urge to rebel, it is a selfish urge however as she only enjoys the personal thrill. Her name is Julia, and she has an affair with Winston to rebel against The Party, the two fall in love. This proves how quickly rebellious thoughts can turn into life changing scenarios, with Winston and Julia both committing crimes that can change their lives…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    all over but the shoutin

    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages

    After reading All Over but the Shoutin’, there was a lack of acknowledgement father to son. Although his father was fragile, Bragg wanted so badly to question his manhood; make him feel the pain he once felt because of him. He wanted his father to say he was sorry and admit to his wrongdoings. Braggs needed his father to acknowledge his mistakes. I sensed Bragg knew a coward could and would never do so.…

    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this scene, Reed implies that the war created a mentality which was…

    • 1051 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The theme that fear is all controlling is clearly seen through Ralph’s leadership. When Ralph is chief, he tells to build shelters; however, the boys become disinterested in building shelter and run off to do other activities. Ralph says “ All day I’ve been working with Simon. No one else. They’re off bathing, eating, or playing.” (Golding 50). Ralph’s decisions are unpopular among the boys and they view him as a bossy chief. Still, he makes the decisions that have to be made in order to survive. Thus, Ralph’s leadership shows how fear is all…

    • 573 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are many different ways to communicate directly, talking, sign language, pictures and body language service users with ABI’s need to have choices displayed in front of them so they can fully comprehend the decisions they are going to make.…

    • 890 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Invisible Man

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Throughout life there are moments where an individual must conform to society and the people around them in order to be accepted, however it is the individual actions and how the individual chooses to conform that creates their unique identity and place within that society. Ralph Ellison published the novel that follows a sense of outward conformity and obedience to an established order while at the same time invoking an inward questioning of the roles an individual plays within such an order. The main character is forced to conform to the cliché laws and expectations of the laws and expectations of the society that he lives in, in order to survive and function within them, while he privately goes against these societies in order to define themselves as individuals and uncover the truth about those societies that they live in. The outward conformity and inward questioning constantly clash, causing the character to doubt and confuse with what he knows is the truth and what he wants to believe is the truth.…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Nitric Oxide Therapy

    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Imagine a newborn baby that is suffering from hypoxic respiratory failure, what would you do to help this? One of the major things that will help with this kind of issue in neonates is the administration of Nitric Oxide (NO). NO therapy has been approved by the FDA and is used in, not only neonates, but some adults. There are many advantages but there are also some disadvantages that will be discussed in this paper.…

    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics