Babylon Revisited

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses alcoholism.

“Babylon Revisited” presents redemption as a complex, highly personal journey. Charlie Wales’s quest for redemption is articulated through his efforts to regain custody of his daughter, Honoria, symbolizing his desire for a fresh start and a new life. However, Fitzgerald delineates redemption as a path that is neither linear nor assured, reflecting the intrinsic human struggle for absolution and self-forgiveness.

Charlie’s redemption is challenged by the very environment that once facilitated his downfall. Paris, the city of his former excesses, becomes a labyrinth of memories where each street corner reminds him of a past he yearns to escape in favor of being a present father to Honoria. Fitzgerald encapsulates this struggle in Charlie’s reflection, “I spoiled this city for myself. I didn’t realize it would be so hard to come back to it” (Paragraph 28). Here, Charlie acknowledges the difficulty of revisiting the scenes of his past life, underscoring the enduring impact of former choices on the quest for redemption. Marion, Honoria’s aunt and caretaker, additionally questions his recovery and his intentions, refusing to believe he has changed.

Fitzgerald does not allow Charlie a triumphant redemption; instead, he presents his journey toward fatherhood with Honoria as a continuous process.