Babylon Revisited, Personal Statement Example

My problem with this response to the story in general is that I don’t feel you truly understand the characters as Fitzgerald presents them.  You claim that Marian and Charlie each deserve sympathy for what they have suffered, and you tend to be more sympathetic to Marion.  This is valid in a strictly logical sense; Marion did lose her sister and her brother-in-law is seen by her as responsible.  Then, we certainly understand that the Charlie of the past was grossly careless, if not outright alcoholic.  Nonetheless, it is difficult to feel for Marion, and with good reason.  She is a hard and bitter woman, locked in blaming Charlie and extremely reluctant to take into account her sister’s own part in the tragic circumstances that led to her death.  Marion seems to see herself as victimized so strongly, she ignores the powerful need to repent in Charlie, and the equally obvious love he has for his daughter.  She is simply too unforgiving to be sympathetic, and I do not understand your feeling for her.

At the same time, the second part of your response dismisses Marion and seems to hold all the sympathy for Charlie.  Here, you are hopeful for him and feel he deserves this chance.  This, I agree with, but it is strange that it is a secondary opinion.  More exactly, your response is then conflicted; you state that Charlie was probably a bad father, but he could be a great one, and it is then as though you move from siding with Marion to better understanding Charlie.  That would be fine, except that I think Fitzgerald lays out the character realities  more clearly from the start.  In my view, Marion is hard and Charlie is desperate to atone from the beginning, so I am uneasy about the shifting of sympathy that is seen in your response   This is why I feel there is a failure to comprehend the characters here.