Money and the American Character in Fitzgerald's Babylon Revisited

In the short story "Babylon Revisited," writer F. Scott Fitzgerald generally centers on a theme of defining American character. Fitzgerald emphasizes that a large part of the American character has to do with money. Essentially, the main point he makes is that money is a very important aspect of the American character and therefore has a large effect on the consciousness and decision-making processes of average Americans. He uses Charlie, the Peters, and Lorraine as different examples of these effects.

The central figure in Babylon Revisited, Charlie Wales, is one example of American character. Charlie is a person who has been in possession of large amounts of money in the past, but squandered it away in a year-and-a-half long partying phase in which he also lost much of his earnings in the stock market crash. In the past, money was a source for Charlie-a source ofsocial betterment, good times, and lots of drinking. However, now that he has lost so much money in the stock market game, he has a better appreciation of money and now uses it for such things as buying his daughter Honoria "anything [she] want[s]" and "presents for all the Peters," the family which has taken Honoria in. Charlie is a character who has lost everything because of money and now seeks to gain back only those things which are important, one of which is the wise use and appreciation of money. Charlie also shows determination of making a good life for himself and his family, which are quite important aspects of the American system of values. In these ways, Fitzgerald demonstrates the definition of American character through Charlie Wales.

Two more characters that Fitzgerald uses to emphasize the theme of American character are Lincoln and Marion Peters. When considering the importance of money, the Peters always seem to be on the opposite end of the spectrum from Charlie. While Charlie was "tearing around Europe throwing money away," the Peters were "just getting along." The Peters symbolize the thrifty American that came about after the collapse of the market and the Depression. Even now that Charlie is more conscious of his money and more responsible with it, he still has a lot more than the Peters do. This again shows another monetary facet of the theme of American character.

Another figure that Fitzgerald uses to highlight the basic theme of money in American character is Lorraine and also her seemingly constant companion Duncan. Lorraine and Duncan are people from Charlie's old life of partying and squandering money. Though times and Paris have changed remarkably, Lorraine and Duncan are still doing what they did in the old days. They just have less money. They still get drunk and squander what money they do have in an attempt to hold on to the glory days of the past. They represent, to a degree, an element of desperation in the American's outlook on money. However, in an odd parallel, they show the same sort of American diligence in what they are doing as Charlie does, though what they are trying to achieve is on the opposite end of the spectrum. In this way, Fitzgerald emphasizes again the element of persistence in the American character, especially in situations fueled by money.

Through the portrayal of the characters of Charlie, the Peters, Lorraine, and Duncan, Fitzgerald highlights the aspects of money in relation to the American character. He comments on the varying elements of greed, thriftiness, and diligence to aptly define this character.