Babylon Revisited

The question of whether or not Charlie Wales’ request to have his daughter returned to him is reasonable seems fairly clear. The fact that the story begins and ends in a bar, with the alcoholic protagonist struggling with his addiction seems an indication that his demon has not been slain. Ambiguities seen in the story lead a reader to think that perhaps at this point it is not reasonable.Charlie perceives his old haunts as less than glamorous in the cold light of sobriety, but still he feels compelled to go and look once more. Yet, while it seems that Charlie genuinely regrets his past the reader also is told that Charlie has lost his fortune, which could easily be the reason for his new mindset. One of the twin themes of this story is that a person is responsible for his own shortcomings, and must pay his dues, so to speak, being held accountable to others.Charlie says that he never had a problem with alcohol until he began to lose his fortune, appearing to be in classic den ial. Charlie does not accept that his bouts of drunkenness are the reason why people such as Marion behave toward him as they do. He faults Marion’s lack of compassion and her intolerance for their discord. Everyone is out of step but Johnny, so to speak, and Charlie is not willing to accept that is likely his own actions that cause the rift between them.The story ends with Charlie sitting in a bar with drink in hand, which is a dangerous act for a recovering alcoholic. Though he has refused a second one, it is clear that he is not over his addiction. His life is a tragedy, yet he has not demonstrated the ability, by story’s end, to take responsibility for his own inadequacies, so the question of his being able to care for his young daughter seems moot. For the stated reasons, Charlie is not being reasonable in asking for custody of the child. Babylon Revisited Babylon Revisited is an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, penned in 1930 Paris. It was then published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1931. The narrator speaks in third person, and from the point of view of Charlie, the protagonist. During his lifetime Fitzgerald was not recognized as a purely modernist author. It was after his death that this appellation was attached. Still, this short story has many features of the modernist movement, as can be seen in its theme, which is dark and fraught with conflict.The story is also written largely in the vernacular, which caused Fitzgerald to not be taken seriously as a writer early in his career. The protagonist is the character, Charlie Wales. The story opens and closes in a Paris bar. The conflict that Charlie finds is chiefly his struggle with alcoholism. He is in a battle of wills with his sister in law, who has custody of his daughter following the death of his wife. The twin themes of this story are that one must pay the piper if one has called the tune, as well as the idea that change is difficult to effect.The conflict is not resolved in the story and the reader is left to ponder the possibility that Charlie may or may not rise out of his sea of troubles. He is left sitting in a bar, but he has had a drink Still, he does some soul searching, and in the end refuses a second one. If he is to be considered a victim it must be understood that he suffers from a self-inflicted wound. The reader must decide if he feels sympathy toward Charlie. Charlie is the victim of forces outside his control but also a victim of his own weaknesses.My opinion is that the proof of the pudding is in the tasting, and we are known by our good acts and not our words. I have no sympathy for Charlie but I can see forgiving him if he keeps his pledge. Fitzgerald implies that he will. My hunch is that Charlie will find the dream of custody of his daughter stronger than the lure of alcohol. Reference Fitzgerald, F. and Bruccoli, M. (Editor) Bab ylon Revisited: and Other Stories Scribner 1996