Compare and Contrast

John (from the story "By the Waters of Babylon") and Coyote (from "Coyote Kills a Giant") have similar purposes for embarking on their journeys. They both are motivated by a calling. John wishes to learn about the world and seeks to visit place of the gods, and Coyote decides to seek the giant. Both in a way are searching for truth (John searching truth about the gods; Coyote about the giant) and both journey to places they have not witnessed before.

There are similarities and differences between the settings of the two stories. The obvious differences would be the exact locations of the stories. "Coyote Kills a Giant" takes place in the southwestern United States (as it is a Navajo folk tale) and "By the Waters of Babylon" is situated somewhere in the Northeast near present day New York City. There also aren't any giants that John encounters, and Coyote doesn't stumble upon great rivers or deserted cities. There are similarities however; both stories exist in an uncivilized world, and nature plays a major role in the story. In addition, the unfamiliar environments of the Giant's insides are similar to the winding roads and wondrous remains of the destroyed New York City. Both characters journey through these environments to seek what they are looking for. These are the similarities and differences of the settings between the two short stories.