How Many Miles to Babylon Essay

Describe Alecs excursion and discuss the valuable shrewdness or les newss that you gained through the study of the solution of the journey?The novel how many miles to Babylon by Jennifer John parole highlights Alec Moores tragic journey. We see his journey true childishness to adulthood. Interestingly, the novel begins at the terminate of Alecs journey as he waits execution because I am no saturnineicer & a gentlemen they have given me my notebook, ink, pen, paper and comes full circle. Immediately we wonder how Alec mortal so high up in the state of war is being executed, then as we read on we begin to realise how his journey through manner has left him detached and cold, returning to his prison kiosk at the close of the novel. Despite Alecs privileged background or rather because of it, I today realise that the heart breaking terminusing was inevitable.Having studied the protagonists journey I have gained many incursions into how isolated children laughingstock be de spite having a privileged background, isolation and accommodate his capture had over him was a major obstacle, with the support of friendship obstacles can seem meaningless, psychological science and Alecs coping strategies, the impact the journey had on the protagonist and how people dealt with the trauma of war differently.Alec lead a real controlled and confined heart due to his buzz offs control and rein over him. Throughout the novel we see how Alecs mother has very little love for him which makes Alec the carriage he is, Alec has a dysfunctional family and a savage cold hearted mother who shows no sense of motherly love towards him. He grew up as a lonely schoolgirlish boy As a child I was alone I was isolated from surrounding children of my own age. Alec once said if I were to be born again I would choose to be a rook.They lead such joyful, public lives un want him, from this we can note that Alec is very unhappy in his liveness. Despite Alecs privileged life wit h no shortage of material goods he was deprived love and gentleness from his mother. His parents were only together for appearances and status. We know this from when Alec says My fathers face would show little sensation. The insight I gained from send him to this was that money really cannot buy you happiness.During the novel we see how isolation plays a major obstacle in Alecs journey. Alec wasnt allowed go to school he is delicate, Frederick my dear From this retell it is clear how controlled Alec is by Alicia and the power she has over her so, she isolates him. As we know his mother controlled his life and had a life-sized influence on his journey. Alec was cut off socially in many aspects. Alicia was not happy close to him making friends this is clear when she sends Europe to stop his friendship with Frederick. In her eyes it is an unsuitable relationship.Alecs mother Alicia had a powerful upper hand over her son. Whatever she wanted was done. Her orders were obeyed. It was nt until the end of the novel that we see Alec trying to get back at his mother which costs him his own life. Alec went to war because his mother wanted him to I want you to go for all the right reasons as well as a few of the wrong ones. From this we can note that Alicia has the last say in everything and is the decision maker. She oblige Alec to go to war just so she could boast to her women friends over lunch some having a son in the war. But that didnt work out as well as planned as Alec deliberately orchestrated his own execution. Therefore Alicia couldnt gloat about her son being off at war and most certainly couldnt tell them how he died as this was something to be sheepish of in her eyes.The power of friendship between Jerry and Alec helped the protagonist through his journey. The insight I gained from this was friendship is rattling, it can help you through some of the hardest things in life and we see this at inaugural hand in the novel How Many Miles. Alec for the fi rst time experienced love he had never experienced this emotion before up to this point he was a very emotionless character.Alec and Jerry were so in adjust and understood from each one(prenominal) other so well the beating of our hearts was like the cracking fly of a swan. Jerry and Alec were like tweedledum and tweedledee. They two were extremely close and very innocent ever had a sup before? I considered my chances of getting a focusing with a lie and then shook my base on balls, Id of thought youd have been with a girl. From this we can take that both of these characters were very innocent and open with each other, they have great trust in one another(prenominal) and can confide in each other.Their friendship was the only thing Alec had they never let each other down and always supported one another. From my reading of the novel I learnt that Alec and Jerry always had each others backs of course Ill speak for you but my voice is not very earthshaking. From this quote it ce rtifies that my above statement is true. With the support of Jerry on Alecs journey, his obstacles of isolation, Alicia, Glendenning, no father figure and his Anglo/Irish class all seem meaningless and in ways we can see Alecs life improve after he befriends Jerry. I gained a very valuable insight that friendship is vital in every walk of life and it really can make problems seem meaningless when you intuitive feeling you have someone else on your side willing to take the fall with you.I learnt a very valuable lesson on psychology trough out this novel. From the very beginning right up until the end we see how twisted and devious Alicia is. She is willing to put her only childs life at risk by forcing him off to war, his opinion does not matter. The way Alicias mind functions is very interesting. I someoneally was engrossed with Alicias character. I had never even considered the fact that ones mother could have such a negative influence on her own childs life especially in these c ircumstances where Alecs mother present and the wealthy background they had. Alicia also on purpose sets out to upset her child when she drops the bomb shell Perhaps he were not your father. This really helps me understand how crafty and devious Alecs mother is. I had never even anticipated how cruel a mother could be to her own flesh and blood. She was so blunt and carefree.I also put together it tantalizing on how Alec evoked his mother. He obeyed her wish about going to war but by design left early so Alicia could not celebrate his departure with the neighbours like she had planned. Also how Alec did not publish to his mother at the start, he rejected his mother. Alec also made sure that Alicia did not get her way at the very end when he orchestrated his own execution. He felt he had no more reason to live, nothing worth to live for I love no living person. This really emphasises how Alec did not have any love for his mother. I learnt a valuable lesson on psychology and an in sight into how Alec and Alicia feel about each other. How their relationship is not a usual mother/son type. Alec dealt with issues in his life a very different way than most, he would try his utmost trump out to ignore the problem and forget it even happened.Alec was like a child in the way he dealt with his problems he didnt stand up and face the face problem head on like most men. The title How Many Miles to Babylon is a perfect example of this it is a nursery rhyme which hints to us that Alec is not very mature with his coping strategies. He also uses escapism as a way to block out the real issue, a perfect example of this is his plan to open up a riding school with Jerry. Which he knows heavy down is not going to happen but forces himself to trust so. He focuses on the physical pain of war not the reality of it. Alecs journey had a major impact on him. Throughout the novel we can see Alecs character turn over and mature. We see Alec connect with emotions we didnt think he h ad for example he felt love for the first time, we know this from when Alec says after Jerry has died I love no living thing.From this we can note that Alec had deep feelings for Alec as a friend, he loved him like a brother. Alec journey makes him more of life, he led a very secured and protected up bringing he did not know the evil of this founding they lived in. In ways going to war helped him understand and get a better grasp of life. Alecs journey also allows him to open up more. We see this mainly with Jerry they express feelings and thoughts to each other. As i mentioned above we byword him love and care for another human being but we also saw him express anger I picked up the poker and beat at the fire. All in all this journey had a major affect on Alec in numerous aspects, but i got an insight into how it allowed him to connect with his feelings and allowed him to open up more.In conclusion, after studying this novel I gained an insight into many different aspects of Al ecs life which I would never have considered before, I learnt how Jerry assisted Alec on his journey and that with a friendship like that you get the feeling like you are in control and nothing can stop you. I also learnt a lot about how Alec and Alicia feel about each other after reading more into the novel.