One of F.S. Fitzgerald’s most influential works, Babylon Revisited, has the pursuit of pleasure and the “American Dream” as its central theme. The primary character, Charlie, has a tragic backstory, which the author detailed together with his historical period. The story is considered autobiographical since the author established parallels between his life and that of the main character. The narrative demonstrates the fundamental principles that the protagonist only realized after years of errors. Fitzgerald was one of the most well-known writers of his age, and his writings continue to impact the current generation. His literary works are devoted to the themes of the “American Dream,” in which his protagonists spend their lives accumulating wealth and success without understanding what is truly important. The author of Babylon Revisited was willing to expose the inner workings of American beliefs and lifestyles during and after the Jazz Era. The central theme of Babylon Revisited is that careless actions cause sorrow that cannot be alleviated by wealth or money. The three pieces of homemaking, parental love, and making amends are used to investigate this concept.
Symbolism is one of the author’s most essential methods or literary strategies, appearing in all his works. The title makes it easy to see an example of symbolism in the story. “Babylon” refers to the world where the main hero resides (Rompalske 110). He left America when he was young and wealthy and relocated to Paris, a sophisticated city with temptations. He and his wife began to live lavishly there due to endless delight and celebration. The review refers to his acknowledgment of his errors, including that he spent his life and adhered to false ideas. The end of the story, in which the main character visits the location where he torched his life in constant ecstasy, serves as the story’s opening scene instead of its commencement. Charlie went to the Ritz Bar in Paris, where he had been a regular customer for a long time. He was unhappy with this location, too, as it looked to have changed significantly since he was a child. This scene was a metaphor since the author used this emptiness to illustrate the main hero’s feelings.
Inspired by the actual events in his life, Fitzgerald created this tale. He was a successful writer who never struggled with money, but the Great Depression significantly impacted his family. He was his main idol, but because of his alcoholism, he could not maintain the same standard of living (Eisinger 10). It was challenging for him to care for his children because his wife, Zelda, experienced a nervous breakdown and ended up in the hospital. The main character in the narrative experienced a very similar circumstance when, after living a fun lifestyle and constantly spending money, he developed debts, turned alcoholic, and experienced the same family issues. He returned to Paris to reunite with his adopted daughter. Given these concerns, the author of Babylon Revisited also highlighted a theme like the significance and meaning of money. He also discussed the attitude toward money of the American lifestyle at the time.
The author used the main hero’s comments to convey the importance of money and prosperity: “Again the memory of those days swept over him like a nightmare… The men locked their wives out in the snow because the snow of twenty-nine was unreal. If you did not want it to snow, you just paid some money.” (Fitzgerald 4). All of Fitzgerald’s paintings have disappointment as their central topic. He frequently depicted two sides of life: one that is vibrant and attractive but artificial, and the other like winter after summer, when everything is covered in snow and represents emptiness and disappointment. “But it was nice while it lasted,” Charlie added, summarizing the central character’s description of the joy of living. “We were a sort of royalty, almost infallible, with magic around us” (Fitzgerald 5). The word “magic” describes how they see the world, where joy and celebration are always present.
Nevertheless, the author consistently displayed a different side of the story, in which the protagonist realizes the errors of his past and realizes that life is meaningless. Charlie is an example of a typical 20th-century hero whose aspirations crumbled after years of happiness (Rompalske 103). People had to pay debts after having fun and attending parties. Charlie is a character that almost everyone likes despite his numerous shortcomings (Hawkes 97). Charlie’s crazy history of uncontrollable alcoholism, his potential involvement in his wife’s murder, and the fact that he practically abandoned his child make it odd that he is so lovable. Because he seems so sincere in his attempts to turn over a new leaf, Charlie is difficult to despise. If readers are initially suspicious of him, as he rejects his old friend and restricts himself to one drink per day, readers trust him more and more. Fitzgerald also captures Charlie’s tremendous charisma as a person. Charlie is a physically appealing man, which impacts Lorraine and perhaps even Marion.
He has a powerful, persuasive speaking style and can subtly influence people. Nevertheless, even if one cannot help but like Charlie, one cannot help but have little misgivings about him. When he first justifies it—suggesting that he does not want alcohol to have an undue influence over him by abstaining entirely—it makes sense, but afterward seems absurd. Readers question whether he misled us and worry that he would instead resume heavy drinking (Eisinger 108). When Charlie denounces his former companions, readers are brought back to the beginning of the narrative when Charlie provides Alix Lincoln and Marion’s address, knowing that Duncan Schaeffer will receive it. Readers are left wondering if he wants to go back to the past as a result. Fitzgerald forbids readers from unrestrainedly rooting for Charlie, even though one would naturally be inclined to do so given his noble aims. Charlie Wales has overcome drunkenness and extravagant spending, proving he is a changed man. At the Ritz Bar, where he first appears, he asks about old pals and discovers that everyone there—aside from Duncan Schaeffer—is either homeless or confined to a mental institution, just like Charlie was.
In conclusion, F. S. Fitzgerald’s novel Babylon Revisited became one of his most well-known and notable works and continues to impact contemporary writing significantly. Since the author depicts a tragedy of society where people forget fundamental principles that do not produce artificial happiness in their pursuit of wealth, social prestige, and this well-known “American Dream,” it is undoubtedly a case of ironic reality. Since Charlie dedicates his life to success, he realizes that he only lives in dreams and that his deeds and accomplishments cannot truly make him happy. In a short novella from the Jazz Era, the main character realizes that his life has been wasted and, after making several blunders, returns to his world, Babylon. The shifting nature of people is perfectly portrayed in Babylon Revisited. Fitzgerald shows that one can never escape from past mistakes since one defines the future by incorporating a variety of topics throughout his short narrative. Though this path is typically filled with failure, these errors and the unavoidable consequences of the past can serve as a backdrop for a better today and a reminder that morality and trust can improve one’s life. Charlie demonstrates that everyone has a personal Babylon to seek and serves as a symbol of transformation and a role model for those who have strayed. Nevertheless, one must confront problems with riches, parenting, loss, and family obligations to find it.
Works Cited
Eisinger, Ashleigh. “The Corinthian the Corinthian.” The Corinthian, vol. 10, no. 17, 2009, pp. 1–12, Web.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. Babylon revisited. BoD E-Short, 2015.
Hawkes, Joel. “City Rhythms: The Tempo of Story and City Space in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s BABYLON REVISITED.” The Explicator, vol. 76, no. 2, 2018, pp. 96–99, Web.
Rompalske, Dorothy. “From Dazzle to Despair: The Short, Brilliant Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald.” Biography Magazine, pp. 103–120.