"By the Waters of Babylon," Part 2: Analyzing Theme — Quiz
Question 9 • English Language Arts 10
Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon.” When I woke, the sun was low. Looking down from where I lay, I saw a dog sitting on his haunches. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth; he looked as if he were laughing. He was a big dog, with a gray-brown coat, as big as a wolf. I sprang up and shouted at him but he did not move—he just sat there as if he were laughing. I did not like that. When I reached for a stone to throw, he moved swiftly out of the way of the stone. He was not afraid of me; he looked at me as if I were meat. No doubt I could have killed him with an arrow, but I did not know if there were others. Moreover, night was falling. Which statement best describes the primary conflict that the narrator experiences in this passage?
Answer
A
The conflict is character vs. technology, since the narrator does not have the right tools to protect himself.
B
The conflict is character vs. nature, since the narrator encounters a dog that presents a danger to him.
C
The conflict is character vs. society, since the narrator is dealing with the effects of society’s destruction.
D
The conflict is character vs. self, since the narrator does not believe in his own ability to fight the dog.
Explanation
The narrator faces a potentially dangerous animal: the dog watches him as if he were “meat,” and he worries there may be other dogs nearby. This is a character-versus-nature conflict because the immediate threat comes from an animal in the natural world. The narrator does consider his choices, but the main conflict is not doubt about his ability or a lack of technology.
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