o Background noteso Alas, Babylon chapters 1-7o Conflict types

o Man vs. Mano Man vs. Self

o Literary Deviceso Metaphoro Simileo Themeo Allusion

Written by Pat Frank (pseudonym) Real name was Harry Hart

Post-apocalyptic novel = written after a major disaster

Cold War – tension and hostility between the Soviet Union (Russia) and the U.S.

“Cold” because there was no direct violence between Russia and the U.S., but the Cold War did get “hot” (violent) when we took sides in the Vietnam War and the Korean War. We fought actual wars in Vietnam and Korea in an attempt to stop the spread of communism.

The Domino Theory – the United States feared that if countries like Vietnam and Korea turned to communism, then others would follow.

Communism - classless society in which all property is owned by the community as a whole and where all people enjoy equal social and economic status.

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Manhattan Project - the scientific project that led to the development of the atomic bomb.

Fallout - consists of small dust particles that settle on the ground and contain radiation. (You can see the dust particles of the fallout.)

Radiation - a type of highly concentrated atomic energy that can have devastating effects on anything it touches. (You cannot see radiation.)

Sputnik – first artificial satellite launched by the Soviets in 1957.

The Cold War officially ended in 1989 when the Berlin Wall, which was erected after WWII to separate Soviet East Berlin and Allied West Berlin, was torn down.

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Abbreviations TOT – Time on Target. Launching bombs at different times so they all hit at once. SAC – Strategic Air Command. Branch of the Air Force during the Cold War. Civil Defense – a non-military effort to prepare Americans for military attack.

Many towns in the 1950s had Civil Defense workers who would practice drills and have information for locals about what to do in a war situation.

Western Union – A business that sends/receives telegrams

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Randy figures out how close they are to the blasts by using the flash and sound system.

Peyton is injured (temporary retinal burns) by looking directly at the blast.

Randy drives to town to get Dan Gunn (doctor)

Riverside Inn is in a state of chaos and medical emergency.Theme: only the strong surviveAllusion: “If the Riverside Inn sank, they must go down with the ship.” –

Titanic reference

Bank is in chaos!People are withdrawing all of their money.

“By afternoon the law of scarcity had condemned the dollar to degradation and contempt. Within a few more days the dollar would be banished entirely.” – pg. 119

Edgar Quisenberry “If the dollar was worthless, everything was

worthless.” “He had been a banker all his life and that’s how he

was going to die, a banker.”Commits suicide because he is unwilling to adapt to

the situation.

Randy Bragg Accident on the side of the road “And yet Randy stopped”

He cannot abandon his humanity, so he stops to make sure there is something he can do to help the woman – she is already dead though.

Ben Franklin “child of the atomic age” knowledgeable about nuclear warfare

He figured out that his father was evacuating his family by sending them to Randy’s house.

Understood radiation and fallout concerns Estimated distance of bombs “I’m going to fill up the sinks and pails and tubs with water.”

“The Day” – pg. 123 This war is unlike others because it was all over in one day!

Radio dependence – waiting to hear from the outside world

Mrs. Josephine Vanbruuker-Brown Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (before the war) PRESIDENT! (after the war) “There have been grave dislocations of communications, of industrial,

economic, and financial functions.” – pg. 127 Puts debts and loans on hold due to the banks crumbling

Dan Gunn visits to check on Peyton and talks with Randy about the medical situation in town. Randy learns that Edgar has killed himself.

Toynbee’s Theory: “Some nations and some people melt in the heat of crisis and come apart like fat in the pan. Others meet the challenge and harden.” – pg. 133

Admiral Sam Hazzard (retired Navy officer) He has an old ham radio that he uses to listen to military communication. He can understand the military terminology.

Electricity goes out when Orlando is bombed

Randy BraggRandy refuses a drink because his priorities are changing. “Aren’t you drinking, Randy?” - Dan “No, I don’t feel like I want one.” – Randy

Ben FranklinRandy gives Ben a gun for protection. “‘You load up your gun, Ben,’ he said. ‘It’s yours now. Never point

it at a man unless you intend to shoot him, and never shoot unless you mean to kill.’” – pg. 137

Ben’s loss of innocence/childhood

Loss of electricity

Water shortage solution: connect all the houses on River Road using the artesian water well (Bragg’s house, Henry’s house, Admiral Hazzard’s house, Florence’s house = rely upon each other to survive)

Addicts attack Dan’s clinic looking for a drug fix.

Dan moves in to Randy’s house on River Road (theme: rely upon each other to survive).

Radio announcement of contamination zones

Lavinia McGovern dies - no refrigeration = no insulin

Bill and Lib move in to Randy’s house (theme: value in surviving as a team.)

Commotion at Florence’s houseSir Percy (cat) ate Anthony (parrot)Theme: “The strong survive. The frail die.” – pg. 176Animals reverting to basic instincts. People will do the same

thing in the “new” world now that the bombs have dropped.

Randy BraggRises to the challenge of leading his group and helping

everyone survive. “We’re going to have to be tough. We’re going to have to be

catfish.” – Randy to LibTheme: Only the strongest survive!Weak “exotic fish” versus strong catfishEdgar/Lavinia versus Randy/Lib/Dan/Ben/Helen

Mr. Beck versus Pete Hernandez Mr. Beck (hardware store owner) = gives Randy mason jars for

free. Mr. Beck is adapting to life after the bombs. Peter Hernandez (works at grocery store) = sells 10 pounds of

salt to Randy for $200. Pete is clinging to the old ways as he allows greed to influence his actions.

Man versus Man: when a character has a problem with another character Randy slaps Mr. Jennings at the Riverside Inn to get him to calm

down and listen. The addicts attack Dan’s clinic to steal the medicine. They kill

Cappy Foracre (Fort Reposes’ Chief of Police) since he tries to intervene.

Man versus Self: when a character must make a decision about a problem or a struggle he is having with himself Randy struggles with whether or not he should stop to check on

the woman in the car accident. He needs to rush and find Dan since Peyton has just been blinded by the blast. He stops anyway because he cannot abandon his humanity.

Metaphor – a comparison between two unlike things not using the words like or as Mark says that Helen “is my right arm.” He is comparing her to an essential

part of himself. “Alice, tiny, drab in black and gray, an active, angry sparrow of a woman,

arrived late.”

Simile – a comparison between two unlike things using the words like or as "Her eyes, which reflected her moods as the river reflected the sky, were

gray and opaque.“ – physical description of Lib McGovern "The air is like soup and the people are like noodles.“ – Lib discussing Fort

Repose prior to “The Day.”

Allusion – reference to a famous person, place, historical event, or literary work “the Good Samaritan” reference to the Bible – Randy stops to help the

woman on the side of the road. He discovers that she is already dead. Riverside Inn residents compared to first-class Titanic passengers Alas, Babylon – reference to the book of Revelations in the Bible. Randy and

Mark first heard the phrase while at church, and the phrase becomes a code phrase for disaster.

Theme – life lesson or message being taught “The strong survive. The frail die.” – pg. 176