Alas+Babylon+Essay

Who would you be in the aftermath of a nuclear bomb that destroyed your world? In Pat Franks __Alas Babylon__ “The world changes…People don’t,” (195) is a compelling argument that people will remain the same morally as before the world changing tragedy referred to as ‘the day’. The physical world changes, but people’s characteristics stay the same. No matter how the world changes, if it is weather, climate, or landscape; people’s basic morals, character flaws, and attributes stay the same. The drugstore cowboy joins the highway men to commit crimes. The Doctor, knowing the danger, stops to help a woman and is beaten and robbed. People continue as they have before their world changing day.

Randy, desperate for coffee which is a commodity that has been missing since ‘the day’, goes to town to make a trade with a fifth of Scotch. However, as he searches the other barterers he realizes that he is being selfish, trading for coffee. He ponders which trade would serve most useful? Coffee would only satisfy adults. However, if Randy traded for honey instead of coffee, that would make everyone happy. He knew that the children needed sweets. So Randy tries to trade the whiskey for honey with a man named Hickey. Hickey explains that whiskey is of no value to him because he does not drink. Hickey comments “I suppose you wanted the honey for Mark’s children.”(194) When Randy replies that it is for the kids, Hickey gives him honey. Randy tells him, “this is the nicest, most generous thing I can remember. I just hope I can repay you some way, some day.”(195) Hickey answers, “Forget it, children need honey.”(195) Hickey gives a very valuable commodity, honey, to make someone else’s children happy. Dan upon learning of the gift of honey for the children remarks, “The World changes…People don’t.”(195) Dan recognizes that people still hold children dear. Even in the world after “the day” the happiness of children is still important.

“When there was an accident and someone was hurt a man stopped,” (97) today however, “a man saved himself and his family and to hell with everyone else… And yet Randy stopped,” (97-98). Randy is on his way to get a doctor to help to his niece. His niece has been blinded by the flash of the bombs exploding and needs medical attention. Randy tries to drive by the accident without stopping but he can not. Randy sees the woman is dead and leaves everything in her car untouched even though common place goods are now coveted for no more goods will be made. ‘The day’ has made stopping to help others when you can not help yourself unthinkable. Randy didn’t change, before ‘the day’ he would have stopped and now after ‘the day’ he stops to help the hurt man.

Landon Yarrington lost all his possessions when the home he was staying in collapsed during the earthquake in Haiti. Yarrington, a graduate student, was in Haiti working on his doctorate during the disaster. As soon as it happened he began helping others. His mother was quoted as saying, “I imagine Landon’s clothes are a little tattered, ‘cause he said he was tearing them up to tie wounds up to help the injured.” This is an excellent example of someone who could have easily cared only for himself and his survival but he cared selflessly for others. He helps others with what few resources he has, the clothes on his back. Once again proving that even when, “The world changes…People don’t.”(195)

After a disaster, people don’t change their core values and traits. Pat Franks, __Alas Babylon__, offers a glimpse into the world after a disaster. The statement “The world changes… People don’t,” (195) implies that the world moves on and living conditions change but the reaction to those conditions by humans does not. People act and react the same as they always have. They take care of each other, find joy in the happiness of children, and miss the simple pleasures in life, like coffee. People retain their moral fiber even when pushed past their comfort levels. Larry Yarrington proves this view to be true with his reaction to the Haitian earthquake. Yarrington wasted no time mourning the loss of his belongings he immediately started helping others. Everyday you can find articles in the newspaper that confirm good people continue to help others selflessly even under extreme circumstances.