Babylon Revisited

25 March 2006

Daddy Dearest

Charlie Wales is a reformed man or so we are led to believe. He is a former alcoholic who is blamed for his wife's death. As a result, his daughter was placed with in-laws after her mother died rather than remain with her father. Charlie has spent the last few years changing his life and has returned to retrieve his daughter, Honoria. While in her aunt and uncle's care, Horonia has maintained a fascination and love for her father. She is anxious to be with him. Is this a realistic possibility or a romantic aspiration?

At first hearing of Charlie's situation, the romantic would say that a daughter belongs with her daddy while the realist would say that he could relapse and his daughter would be in danger. Both would be correct. Any alcoholic will say that they are one drink away from falling off the wagon. On the other hand, realistically speaking, they are on the wagon. As such, they must be given a chance at a normal life. Charlie has paid dearly for his mistakes, "his child taken from his control, his wife escaped to a grave in Vermont" (601). Nevertheless, Horonia does not deserve to lose both her parents. After all, Honoria has done nothing wrong and she loves her daddy "better than anybody" (604).

The fact that Charlie has made solid changes in his life speaks volumes of his determination. To further his resolve he takes "one drink every afternoon" (600) and he does so "deliberately, so that the idea of alcohol won't get too big in [his] imagination" (604). That is a huge deal for a recovering alcoholic. His ability to control himself does show that he is unwavering in his desire to put the past behind him and create a future for his daughter with him. There are pros and cons for both the realist and the romantic in this story. In the end, one can only hope that whatever decision