Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." All the same, when I came to the Place of the Gods, I was afraid, afraid. The current of the great river is very strong-it gripped my raft with its hands. That was magic, for the river itself is wide and calm. I could feel evil spirits about me, I was swept down the stream. Never have I been so much alone-I tried to think of my knowledge, but it was a squirrel's heap of winter nuts. There was no strength in my knowledge any more and I felt small and naked as a new-hatched bird-alone upon the great river, the servant of the gods. Which statement best explains how the narrator interacts with the setting? The setting makes him lose hope. The setting makes him envious. The setting makes him feel angry. The setting makes him gain confidence.

Question

English

Sterling Quinn

31 January, 22:28

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." All the same, when I came to the Place of the Gods, I was afraid, afraid. The current of the great river is very strong-it gripped my raft with its hands. That was magic, for the river itself is wide and calm. I could feel evil spirits about me, I was swept down the stream. Never have I been so much alone-I tried to think of my knowledge, but it was a squirrel's heap of winter nuts. There was no strength in my knowledge any more and I felt small and naked as a new-hatched bird-alone upon the great river, the servant of the gods. Which statement best explains how the narrator interacts with the setting? The setting makes him lose hope. The setting makes him envious. The setting makes him feel angry. The setting makes him gain confidence.

+3

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Messiah Hoffman · Answer 1

In this passage from "By the Waters of Babylon", the setting makes the narrator lose hope.

"By the Waters of Babylon" is a short story written by Stephen Vincent Benét. The main character and narrator is Jack, who is the son of a priest. Moreover, the story focuses on Jack's journey to the Place of Gods, which is a forbidden place. Although he feels the magic hidden in that place, as this excerpt shows, he also feels scared due to the presence of evil spirits. Moreover, he believes he has lost his knowledge and his strength, which makes him feels insignificant ("And I felt small and naked as a new-hatched bird").