Babylon Revisited
"Babylon Revisited" is a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald written in 1930. It first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post on February 21, 1931. "Babylon Revisited" tells the tale of Charles Wales, a former stockbroker who is trying to regain custody of his daughter, Honoria, after a period of financial and personal turmoil. Set in the aftermath of the stock market crash of 1929, the story follows Wales as he navigates the challenges and setbacks of trying to rebuild his life and relationships, all while struggling with his addiction to alcohol. Through Wales's journey, Fitzgerald explores themes of excess and addiction, the importance of family and relationships, and the need for personal growth and change.
| “Babylon Revisited” | |
|---|---|
| Author | F. Scott Fitzgerald |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Published in | The Saturday Evening Post |
| Publication type | Magazine |
| Publication date | 1931 |
Characters
Charlie Wales
Charlie Wales, 35,[1] the story’s protagonist, has come to Paris from Prague to regain custody of his daughter, Honoria, from his sister-in-law.
Helen Wales
Charlie’s dead wife and mother of Honoria. Helen and Charlie shared a drinking problem during the course of their relationship. She passed away due to heart troubles because of a dreadful situation that happened with Charlie. She suffered with pneumonia when Charlie locked her out in a snowstorm, and inevitably died shortly afterwards.
Honoria Wales
Honoria is the daughter of Charlie Wales and his deceased wife, Helen. She is also one of the three children that live in the Peters' house.
Marion Peters
Marion is a tall woman with worried eyes. She is the sister-in-law to Charlie Wales and sister to the deceased, Helen. She is the antagonist who stands in the way of Charlie getting his daughter back, who she has full custody over.
Lincoln Peters
Lincoln is married to Marion Wales and shares custody of Honoria. He is sympathetic for Charlie wants him to be able to have custody of Honoria.
Lorraine Quarrles
Lorraine, “a lovely, pale blonde of thirty,”[citation needed] is a friend of Charlie’s from his past. She likely had an affair with Charlie.
She's a big part of Charlie's "bad habits."[citation needed]
Duncan Shaeffer
Duncan is a friend of Charlie's from college. His friendship with Charlie affected Charlie's situation with family members.
Plot
"Babylon Revisited" is a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald that tells the story of Charles Wales, a former stockbroker who is trying to regain custody of his daughter, Honoria, after a period of financial and personal turmoil.
At the beginning of the story, Wales is living in Paris and is trying to get his life back on track after losing his fortune and his wife during the stock market crash of 1929. Despite his efforts, Wales is still struggling with his addiction to alcohol and is trying to rebuild his relationships with his family and former friends.
Wales is determined to regain custody of his daughter, Honoria, who is currently being cared for by her aunt, Marion, and her uncle, Lincoln. However, Marion and Lincoln are skeptical of Wales's ability to provide a stable and responsible environment for Honoria, and they are hesitant to allow him to take her back.
As Wales tries to persuade Marion and Lincoln to allow him to regain custody of Honoria, he is faced with a series of challenges and setbacks, including his own struggles with alcohol and the interference of his former friends, who are still living the reckless and extravagant lifestyle that he left behind.
Despite these challenges, Wales is ultimately able to prove to Marion and Lincoln that he has changed and is capable of being a responsible and caring father. In the end, he is able to regain custody of Honoria and begins a new life with her, leaving behind the excesses and excesses of the past.
Themes
There are several themes in "Babylon Revisited," including:
The consequences of excess
The story explores the destructive effects of the reckless and extravagant lifestyle that Wales and his friends pursued during the height of the stock market boom.
The impact of the stock market crash of 1929
The story is set in the aftermath of the crash, and Wales's financial and personal struggles are a result of the economic and social upheaval caused by the event.
The dangers of addiction
Wales's struggle with alcohol addiction is a central theme of the story, and it serves as a cautionary tale about the destructive power of addiction and the importance of seeking help and support. Charlie struggles to prove to everyone that he has overcome his drinking and partying habit. Some passages in the story indicate that he may not be over his drinking because when he comes back to town he goes straight back to the bar.
The importance of family and relationships
The story explores the theme of family and the bonds of love and responsibility that exist between parents and children. It also touches on the theme of forgiveness and the possibility of redemption and renewal. Throughout the story Charlie struggles with his sense of guilt over his wife's death and losing custody of his daughter.
The passage of time and the need for change
The story follows Wales's journey as he tries to move past his past mistakes and rebuild his life, and it explores the theme of the importance of change and personal growth.
Motifs
Some motifs in F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story "Babylon Revisited" include:
Alcohol: The motif of alcohol is present throughout the story, as Wales is struggling with addiction and is trying to overcome his dependence on alcohol.
Paris: The city of Paris serves as a motif in the story, representing the decadence and excess of the lifestyle that Wales and his friends pursued during the height of the stock market boom.
The past: The past is a recurring motif in the story, as Wales is trying to leave behind his former life and the mistakes he made in the past. The past is also represented by the characters of Wales's former friends, who are still living the reckless and extravagant lifestyle that he left behind.
Money: The motif of money is present throughout the story, as Wales's financial struggles and his efforts to regain his former wealth are a central part of the plot.
Family: The motif of family is central to the story, as Wales is trying to regain custody of his daughter, Honoria, and repair his relationships with his family. The theme of family is also explored through the relationships between Wales and his former friends, who are depicted as lacking the sense of responsibility and commitment that comes with family ties.
Comparisons To The Author's Life
In 1920 Fitzgerald married Zelda Sayre and they began a lifestyle of decadence. While he tried to gain credibility in the literary world, he was seen as too much the party boy.[citation needed] The couple had their first and only child, affectionately known as Scottie, in 1921.[citation needed] His drinking quickly escalated to the point of alcoholism.[citation needed] His wife also drank, but was not seen as an alcoholic. The couple fought quite often, being in a hostile state that was brought on by drinking. During their years together the couple spent their money too extravagantly, putting them in debt. The family went to France in early 1924, where he wrote The Great Gatsby. While there Zelda’s partying ways went too far: she had an affair. Though they stayed together, the marriage was irreparably damaged. She later suffered mental breakdowns and ended up spending her life in and out of asylums. Fitzgerald eventually moved out of his family’s home and rented a house for himself. He was not providing a good enough environment for his 14 year old daughter so she was sent to a boarding school. Another family, the Obers, took over caring for her. Fitzgerald kept up writing to her and kept a hand over her education. Fitzgerald died in a girlfriend’s apartment in 1940. Zelda died in a fire at a sanitarium in 1948.[citation needed]
The parallels are quite obvious between the protagonist’s life and that of the author -- spending beyond his means, drinking to excess, and losing his child to another family. Though Fitzgerald’s wife died years after his own death, it could be argued that the parallel between his life and the death of Charlie Wales’s wife comes when Zelda had her affair.[citation needed] While the guilt he may have felt over his wife straying is not known, it is known that after that affair the marriage had essentially ended. It suffered a metaphoric death.
Citations
- ↑ Fitzgerald 2002, p. 7.
Works Cited
- Bruccoli, Matthew J. “A Brief Life of Fitzgerald” F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters Ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribners, 1994. University of South Carolina F. Scott Fitzgerald Centenary. 4 Dec. 2003 <http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/biography.html>
- Fitzgerald, F. Scott (2002). "Babylon Revisited". In Sipiora, Phillip (ed.). Reading and Writing about Literature. Upper Saddle Creek, NJ: Prentice Hall. pp. 6–18.