Babylon Revisited Memory and the Past Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Part.Paragraph)

Quote #7

Back at his hotel, Charlie found a pneumatique that had been redirected from the Ritz bar where Charlie had left his address for the purpose of finding a certain man. (4.10)

The "certain man" is, of course, Duncan Schaeffer. This is a genius line on Fitzgerald part. It subtly reminds us that Charlie left his address for Duncan, (which we will need to remember in about two pages, at the end of the story), yet hints that the action at the story's start is already fading from Charlie's mind. In Charlie's memory, he left an address for a certain man – not for Duncan. This sets us up for Charlie's forgetfulness at the story's conclusion.

Quote #8

"No, no more," he said to another waiter. "What do I owe you?"

He would come back some day; they couldn't make him pay forever. (5.16-7)

These are two loaded statements at the end of the story. Charlie wonders what he owes the waiter for his tab, but he's also wondering how much more he has to pay before he's redeemed himself from past mistakes.