Alas Babylon Survival Analysis

An apocalypse has materialized. Numerous nuclear weapons have ravaged the United States, leaving behind contamination in the air and devastation on the ground. In the novel Alas, Babylon, Randy and his “family” pushed through the bleak times as they possessed the characteristics to do so. According to scientist Charles Darwin, whoever has the most suitable traits for his environment will have the greatest chance of survival. There were several critical qualities that allowed Randy and his family to survive over others. The first quality Randy and his family possessed was loyalty, known as faithfulness and trust. Without loyalty, no other traits would be of value – surviving the crisis depended on trust and union. One instance of loyalty was from Randy to Malachai, his friend and employee, along with Malachai’s family, the Henrys: “As they unloaded, Randy considered the Henrys. They were black and they were poor but in many ways closer to him than any family in Fort Repose ... They could not be abandoned or the truth withheld from them.” (Frank, 46-47). The decision to notify the Henrys to expect crisis was a symbol of loyalty. Despite the fact that Randy and the Henrys lived in a

Resource availability was a major quality for survival simply considering that humans require basic necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter to survive. Randy’s previous displays of loyalty brought in a godsend of assistance: the Henrys. A defense of this claim occurs when Randy exclaims, “I’m a damn fool! We’ve got all the water we want!” … “That’s the same water the Henrys use every day.” (Frank, 147). In a game of survival, the Artesian water that the Henrys owned was a major jackpot; it was a vital resource. As gasoline was already a scarce resource, the inability to access water would be an exceptionally dry confrontation with death. An unlimited, unthreatened supply of water was the current that flowed toward the