Who's afraid of a little nuclear bomb? As it turns out, just about everybody.
In Alas, Babylon, we're given a first-hand account of a nuclear war between the United States and Soviet Union, which, to put it lightly, is a doozy. For some, like Edgar Quisenberry, fear of the collapse of the social order weighs heaviest. For others, like Randy Bragg, fear of harm befalling the ones you love is even worse. Either way, not a lot of people are getting good night's sleep these days. In the midst of such uncertainty, the novel's characters cling ever closer to one another, building a community amongst the wreckage to ease their terror.
Questions About Fear
- Why are the residents of the inn so unable to cope with nuclear war?
- What does Alice mean when she refers to "the formlessness of what was to come"?
- Do you agree with Helen that Peyton and Ben Franklin are conditioned to not be afraid of nuclear war? If so, why?
- Should the survivors be more afraid of radiation? Why or why not?
Chew on This
While practical concerns are a major worry for the survivors, the most frightening thing about their experience is their utter lack of control.
Randy is right not to be afraid of radiation; they have no control over it, so it doesn't help them to think about it.