Behind the fantasy magic is colonial history, and at the center of that history is humanity.
Babel's book is divided into four parts, the first two of which focus almost exclusively on Robin's personal growth: his dependence on and fear of Professor Lovell as an authority and father figure, his longing for and blindness to Oxford and the Translator's Institute, his devotion to his friends and friendships (and love), his fascination with translators and silver-making, his love and fear of his brother Griffin and the mysterious organization, and his gradually beginning to waver in his beliefs.
love and fear of his brother Griffin and the mysterious organization, and his faith, which gradually begins to waver. There are many moments in the early part of the story when Robin is more of a quiet bystander than a protagonist; he is timid, frightened, and ignorant. He is trapped in the shackles of Oxford, unable to see the outside world or his own role.
The first half of the story is about the onset of personal growth and the second half is about the decision of personal destiny.
The so-called growth is inevitable, necessary, a necessary device for the development of the story. If Robin had refused to open his eyes to the world, if Robin had repeatedly avoided and compromised, then he wouldn't be the protagonist. So Robin's growth is indisputable and natural. But by the second half of the story, Robin begins to actively choose and create his own destiny
Choices, pros and cons; destinies, good and bad. Many readers disliked Robin's choices and did not think the plan he led to capture the Tower of Babel was wise, nor did they approve of his final push on the tower.
The subtitle of the book, the necessity of violence, has also generated much discussion and controversy.Isviolence really necessary?Is theviolence that Robin pushes for a useless endeavor? I take exception to this criticism. Because I don't think Robin represents a kind of heroism, and the ending only he can bear.
Based on the growth of Robin in the first half of the book, the reader naturally expects Robin to mature. Expect him to become a hero who saves the world like Harry Potter. However, we all know the true history of the development of Robin's push tower can only temporarily slow down the expansion of the empire, causing some pressure and obstacles, but for a time can not change the big picture.
When you suddenly lose friendship, love and affection, you lose everything.Robin eventually jumps out of the confines of Oxford and the Tower of Babel, but what he can't jump out of is his own personal despair.
So he tells Victoire that his world ended the moment Ramy fell. As he himself admits, everything that happened after that was a sacrifice he had planned.
Through Ramy's mouth, the book actually nails Robin's self-sacrificing and punishing tendencies a few times, but it's still hard for many readers to accept Robin's final outcome.
They were falling in love. I was falling in love with their story, too.