Babylon is a Jamaican patois word that refers to the police, and also more broadly to what is perceived as the corrupt, oppressive system of government, the law, and prison.
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Babylon Term Timeline in A Brief History of Seven Killings
The timeline below shows where the term Babylon appears in A Brief History of Seven Killings. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Chapter 1
...who look like Bam-Bam are frequently harassed by police officers, who Bam-Bam refers to as “Babylon.” He notes that getting killed or beaten by the police is a normal occurrence.
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Part 2, Chapter 7
...occurrence ever since Ras told her to cut ties with those still “trapped in the Babylon shitstem.” Ras flies to New York every six weeks, but still hasn’t got Kimmy a...
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Part 3, Chapter 3
...basis that “when puss and dog kill one another the only one who win is Babylon.”
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