How long must one pay for past mistakes? This question clearly has no definite answer. It is a question that Charles (the main character) has to face. In “Babylon Revisited” Fitzgerald writes about an individual who is trying to escape his past in order to live a better life. Fitzgerald has attempted to portray his characters as believable and as having free choice in their lives. Charles Wales, a businessman from Prague returns to Paris …showed first 75 words of 595 total…

…showed last 75 words of 595 total…fun, and decadence. Now it is quiet and abandoned. This parallels Charlie’s and Fitzgerald’s life. Charlie says at one point that he had spoiled the city for himself. Although Charlie tried to shake off his past he was not successful. He was alone once more and was not able to begin a new life. This character is believable because I believe that our past and present lives are intertwined and cannot be separated.