1. Describe the character of Randy. How does he change after the attacks? Given his character and experience, does he seem qualified to act as leader of Fort Repose? What does he do to restore order to the town? At the outset of the novel, Randy is an amiable but lazy playboy bachelor. Trained as …
Pat Frank is the pseudonym of Harry Hart Frank, an American journalist and government consultant. He is best known for his 1959 novel Alas, Babylon, which depicts the consequences of a global thermonuclear war. Frank was born in Chicago on May 5, 1908, but lived in Florida as an adult. He began his career as …
“Alas, Babylon.”(Chapter 1, p. 19) These are the final, cryptic words of Mark Bragg’s telegram to his brother Randy, warning of impending nuclear war. The phrase “Alas, Babylon” came from the firebrand sermons of Preacher Henry, which Mark and Randy heard as boys. In the Bible, Babylon was a city of sin, destroyed by God. …
Importance of Preparation Pat Frank wrote Alas, Babylon as a warning of what could happen if the United States suffered a nuclear attack. He demonstrates in the novel how unprepared the nation is for such an attack. For instance, Bubba Offenhaus, county Deputy Director of Civil Defense, is given pamphlets about the dangers of radiation, …
Babylon In the Bible, the ancient city of Babylon is depicted as a place of evil and sin, doomed to be destroyed by God on Judgment Day. Pat Frank’s novel depicts America as a modern Babylon which, due to the human-created evil of war, is all but destroyed in a nuclear apocalypse. It is significant …
Eli Blaustein Eli Blaustein is the owner of a clothing shop in Fort Repose. He is one of the traders at Marines Park, trading clothing for food. Ben Franklin Bragg Ben Franklin Bragg is Randy Bragg’s thirteen-year-old nephew, the son of Mark and Helen Bragg. Ben Franklin bravely takes on the role of man of …
Chapter 11Lib and Randy are married by Reverend Henry on Easter Sunday in the Braggs’ parlor. There is a slight problem with the legality of the wedding, as the courthouses are no longer operating, and no marriage license can be issued. Randy solves the problem by rewriting the law. He designates Florence and Alice to …
Chapter 9It is vital that Porky Logan be buried immediately, along with his deadly watches and jewelry, in a lead-lined coffin to prevent contamination. Randy takes charge of the operation, brandishing a gun to secure volunteer help. He strongarms Bubba Offenhaus, the town undertaker and Deputy Director of Civil Defense, into providing the coffin and …
Chapter 7The loss of electricity creates huge problems for Fort Repose, and there is no hope of recovering power, since the power plants themselves are gone. Without electric pumps, there is no water. Suddenly, Randy remembers the Henrys’ artesian well. The water smells sulphuric, but it is safe to drink. With the help of the …
Chapter 5Randy is awakened by what he thinks is an earthquake, but is actually two massive nuclear explosions. One warhead destroys the SAC base at Homestead in Florida and the second obliterates Miami’s International Airport. Randy, Helen, and the children hurry out onto the porch in time to see the glow in the sky which …
