o Background noteso Alas, Babylon chapters 1-10o 30 Multiple Choice Questions

o Study Test Review PowerPoint (this PowerPoint)

o Pay attention to key words and phrases bolded in blue

Post-apocalyptic novel = written after a major disaster

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.

Manhattan Project – Soviets infiltrated Project to steal plans for atomic bomb

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.

Get out your background notes and highlight key information from this slide.

“Alas, Babylon” means disaster and Mark and Randy hear it for the first time at church

Florence believes Randy is spying on her, but she is actually spying on him (irony)

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. 176

Animals 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.

Easter ServiceRepresents hope and a sense of community

Jim Hickey gives Randy honeycomb “He wouldn’t like to see Mark’s kids go without”Demonstrates human nature is essentially good

After nuclear attack, differences in races no longer matter “There were two drinking fountains in Marines Park, one

marked "White Only," the other "Colored Only." Since neither worked, the signs were meaningless.”

Easter ServiceRepresents hope and a sense of community

Jim Hickey gives Randy honeycomb “He wouldn’t like to see Mark’s kids go without”Demonstrates human nature is essentially good

After nuclear attack, differences in races no longer matter “There were two drinking fountains in Marines Park, one

marked "White Only," the other "Colored Only." Since neither worked, the signs were meaningless.”

Bill McGovernElected to help Malachai with car batteries to keep radio

workingBegins to enjoy life again because he feels useful

Rita Hernandez Lives in Pistolville, a slum located near Fort ReposeTrades for all items once valuable but now useless

Got a car for trading “a case of beans, three bottles of ketchup, and six cans of deviled ham”

Believes that money and possessions have value and reflect status

Randy pulls out his gun to get Porky buried and later finds out he has the legal right to do so

The MayorCorn WhiskeyHelen’s delusion“If I grow up, I’m not going to be a fisherman.”Natural resources (mushrooms, wild onions)Iron rations“It was a wolf…It wasn’t a dog any longer. In times like

these dogs can turn into wolves. You did just right, Ben” (197)

Typhoid outbreak “Typhoid was the unwelcome, evil twin sister of any disaster in which the

water supply was destroyed or polluted.”Dan is attackedRandy takes control under martial lawRita’s grocery van = target for highwaymen

Randy & Lib become engaged Plan to marry the following day on Easter Sunday

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.”

Symbolism – an item that represents something of more importance Wedding ring = love

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

Foreshadowing – hints or clues for future events In Ch. 3, “insulin requires refrigeration”