The Library of Babel Themes

"The Library of Babel" explores the fine line between the material act of writing and the meaning of language. We tend to take it for granted that most things that are written down are legible, bu...

The Library in "The Library of Babel" is a universe built according to a set of rules. In fact, it's the most orderly universe you could possibly imagine. All of the rooms look exactly the same, an...

One of the coolest things about this imaginary universe in "The Library of Babel" is the way Borges manages to squeeze in a lot of references to different kinds of religious philosophies and religi...

Plenty of people set out on quests in "The Library of Babel," including the narrator himself. And what do you quest for in a Library? Why, a book, of course. The young explorers are filled with opt...

"The Library of Babel" takes us to the brink of death – not only of the main character, but of the entire human race. The narrator, an elderly librarian whose sight is failing him, writes in orde...