Nature Vs. Nurture In Alas, Babylon

Impulse versus discipline, instinct versus reason, dishonorable versus ethical, and nature versus nurture together uphold the characteristics of all life forms. In the novel Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, nature versus nurture is a reoccurring universal theme. During disastrous situations, most people assume that one aspect succumbs the other, but that is not always true. These two categories of qualities both affect a person’s survival instincts. Amid a conflict where survival is key, winning is not beneficial in every case presented. All living creatures are born with certain abilities, their nature; and those abilities have the potential to change depending on how the being was raised, nurturement. Human nature is the way a person is born

Furthermore, in the novel Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, a nuclear bomb had recently hit the small town of Fort Repose, therefore, monetary currency was of no value leading Edgar Quisenberry, president of the bank, to commit suicide. Pat Frank himself writes, “He had been a banker all his life and that was the way he was going to die, a banker.” (122) The author’s point is that Edgar Quisenberry had been raised in an environment where all life revolved around money and banks. This was his nurturement growing up, so once it was destroyed, so was his purpose. Another example of nurture is at the beginning of the novel when Randy receives a telegram from Mark that is signed with a private phrase that means an atomic war is imminent. According to Pat Frank, “He knew very well what it meant. He felt sick inside.” (14) The author is saying that Mark and Randy have been raised in a manner that guides them to create a confidential message to signal the other about an incoming crisis, which the average person would not consider. Likewise, in her article, Kendra Cherry discussed empiricists, or people who believe that all characteristics of a person come from their experiences, and how these people relate to nature versus nurture. Cherry agrees when she writes, “Theorists such as John B. Watson believed that people could be trained to do and

Namely, in the end of Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, when the River Road residents have the opportunity to leave the contaminated zone, the group inquired about who the winner of the war was. Officer Paul Hart exclaimed, “‘We won it. We really clobbered ‘em!’ Hart’s eyes lowered and his arms dropped. He said, ‘Not that it matters.’” (316) The point is that even though the United States won the war, because of so much suffering it really was not worth the pain and losses. Paul Hart had just flown into the contaminated zone, known as the C.Z. and Randy asked about getting electricity, but Hart said that it would be a long wait because power was out in non-contaminated zones too. Hart states, “‘Some of our scientists think it will take a thousand years to restore a saturated C.Z….to anything close to normal.’” (313) The essence of Hart’s statement is that almost complete destruction of the country is not worth the victory of the war. Additionally, rescuer Paul Hart had just been questioned by Helen whether or not her husband Mark had survived The Day. Hart replied that there were very few survivors from Omaha. Helen suggested, “‘At least I know for sure.’…No tears, Randy thought….Ben Franklin stood firm, chin outthrust, taut facial muscles containing his emotions.” In making this comment, Pat Frank urges us to only attempt to win a