The Library of Babel
Wow! Last blog post!
Anyways, it seems to me that Borges really likes dealing with concepts that we cannot understand, like infinity and time (in "The Garden of Forking Paths"). I find them interesting though, so I am not going to argue. Thanks for sticking with me through all my long blog posts. It has been a pleasure.
I have enjoyed all three of Borges' stories although this one confused me a bit. I think part of what confused me was trying to imagine the layout of the library. It took me a little while to understand that the library looks like a tower. Once I finally understood the layout, I had a better understanding of how Borges alludes to the story of the tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9.
In the Bible, the people decided to build a tower "that reaches to the heavens, so that [they] make make a name for [themselves]" (Genesis 11:4, NIV). Since everyone spoke the same language, they could easily work together to try to complete this task. God then caused them to be unable to speak the same language and scattered them over the earth, so the people would not be able to build the tower (Genesis 11:8-9, NIV).
In "The Library of Babel," the books are in different languages. Instead of creating a story that mimics the Genesis 11, Borges writes one that seems to take place after God confused the people's language. However, the library is built like a tower, so it seems that humans still have the same desire that they had before. In the library:
Thousands of covetous persons abandoned their dear natal hexagons and crowded up the stairs, urged on by the vain aim of finding their Vindication. These pilgrims disputed in the narrow corridors, hurled dark maledictions, strangled each other on the divine stairways, flung the deceitful books to the bottom of the tunnels, and died as the were thrown into space by men from remote regions. (83)In the bible, God disapproved of the building of the tower because of the people's arrogance and desire to be like God. They try to use what God gave them for something negative. The people in "The Library of Babel" show the same characteristics when they try to do more than they possibly can. The books in the Library brought people joy and hope, but they then use this treasure and create a mess out of it. The idea of man's desire to be like God or possess His power continues when the people begin looking for the book that is a cipher because it "is analogous to a god" (85). The infinite nature of the Library may contribute to the idea that no matter how hard people try, they cannot complete the task they are set on.
Anyways, it seems to me that Borges really likes dealing with concepts that we cannot understand, like infinity and time (in "The Garden of Forking Paths"). I find them interesting though, so I am not going to argue. Thanks for sticking with me through all my long blog posts. It has been a pleasure.
I really appreciate how you connected the story with the Bible because I did not look further when I read it--your connection between the two stories makes a lot of sense and I finally understand the title of the story, though I'm not quite sure where in the story you are talking about when you mention that they take the treasure and create a mess out of it.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. I like how you connected it with the Bible and saw the meaning behind the title. I also agree that Borges seems to like philosophical topics. His brain really does seem to work that way; it showed up in all three stories, even The Form of the Sword where he had us questioning the nature of human interaction. He's a great writer.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed learning about the biblical connection. It now makes sense why the people seem forever unable to attain their goals, as the design of the Library prohibits them to accomplish their task. The Library's design is reminiscent of how God worked to prevent the people in Genesis from building a tower, and trying to simulate his abilities.
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