Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon.”
Surely, that was enough to do, and live. Surely it was enough to spend the night upon the cliff. The Forest People themselves do not come near. Yet, all through the night, I knew that I should have to cross the river and walk in the places of the gods, although the gods ate me up. My magic did not help me at all and yet there was a fire in my bowels, a fire in my mind. When the sun rose, I thought, "My journey has been clean. Now I will go home from my journey." But, even as I thought so, I knew I could not. If I went to the Place of the Gods, I would surely die, but, if I did not go, I could never be at peace with my spirit again. It is better to lose one's life than one's spirit, if one is a priest and the son of a priest."
Which quotation best explains why the narrator continues his journey to the Place of the Gods?
A. “When the sun rose, I thought, ‘My journey has been clean.’”
B. “The Forest People themselves do not come near.”
C. “I could never be at peace with my spirit again.”
D. “My magic did not help me at all and yet there was a fire.”
Answer (2)
The narrator continues his journey to the Place of the Gods because he believes that failing to do so would leave him in spiritual unrest. The best quote to explain this is option C: "I could never be at peace with my spirit again." This reflects his struggle between the risk of death and the need for spiritual fulfillment.
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The passage is from the short story 'By the Waters of Babylon' by Stephen Vincent Benét, which is a work of post-apocalyptic fiction. The narrator in the story is on a journey of exploration and discovery in a world that was once inhabited by a now-vanished civilization, which he refers to as the 'gods.'
In the context of the passage provided, the narrator is facing a significant internal conflict about whether to continue his journey to the 'Place of the Gods.' The choice he faces is risky because he believes that going there may lead to his death. However, not completing the journey would prevent him from being at peace with his spirit.
The quotation that best explains why the narrator continues his journey is: 'I could never be at peace with my spirit again.'
This sentence captures the internal motivation and the sense of duty or calling that drives the narrator. Despite the dangers and the fears he has, the narrator believes that fulfilling this journey is essential for him to be at peace with himself and his sense of identity as a priest and the son of a priest. This highlights themes of courage, personal growth, and the pursuit of knowledge, which are central to the story.
