The Library of Babel

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1941

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Summary

Background

Story Analysis

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

How does Jorge Luis Borges use the Library as a metaphor to explore the limitations of human knowledge and language in “The Library of Babel”?

Discuss the role of the narrator in the story. How does the narrator’s perspective shape the reader’s understanding of the Library and its mysteries?

Analyze the themes of existentialism and absurdism present in the story, focusing on the librarians’ search for meaning in an infinite and seemingly chaotic universe.