Babylon+OPE+Michelle


 * Heading**: Michelle Oh B
 * Question**: What was the motivation of John for the journey?
 * Title**: Danger: Shivers to Valour

**In the short story, "By the Waters of Babylon" by Stephen Benet, John takes a risk to travel through the "Place of the Gods" and the "Great Burning". As a son of a priest, he takes a chance to explore the Dead Places, he thought that a son of a priest is not fit for showing fear, and he wanted to prove that he can actually be a priest like his father.** The East side was known to be "forbidden", but John, the protagonist risks his life to become like his father. He watches and learns how to handle with the Dead Places like the Place of the Gods and the Great Burning. His father feels pride in his son, since none of his hunter brothers have courage to be a priest, and he decides to go on a journey by himself to the Dead Places. At first, he shows fright and panic about the journey, but he gains back his nerves: "...But it is not fitting that a priest's son should show fear." From this point on, he truly believes in himself that it is possible. While his father was observing his son, he felt proud of John for being abnormal from his brothers. "My father watched over me—he was glad that I should be a priest." This shows that his fear curved into courage to stand back and take a risk to achieve something he finds very insecure. Just a moment of courage can lead you be motivated for ambition.