Waters of Babylon

John's journey to the Place of the Gods makes him more knowledgeable,mature,  

brave, and independent. All of these qualities are shown during his excursion 
because he faces his fears and bravely travels alone, down the river going where 
none of his people have gone before. 

At the beginning of the story, John says "My father is a priest; I am the son of 
a priest." Throughout the story, John matures and evolves into a leader, and is 
recognized by the current leader of the hill people, his father, as their future 
leader. This is evident when his father says "Truth is a hard deer to hunt. If 
you eat too much of the truth at once, you may die of the truth." His father, 
through these words, recognized John as the future leader of the hill people. He 
cautioned John about sharing the lessons he's learned from the Place of the 
Gods. His father didn't want John to say anything because he was scared of the 
way people would react because the knowledge that John had was dangerous. 
"Perhaps in the old days, they ate knowledge too fast." According to his father, 
knowledge is power but too much knowledge might kill him. 

John's maturity has completed by the end of his journey as he returns home to 
his father. John's father reflects upon this journey when he says, "You went 
away boy. You came back a man and a priest." John's father is very excited about 
the discoveries that John has made in the Place of the Gods. He is so overcome 
with joy because John made the discovery of men in the Place of the Gods, 
something that he couldn't have done in his time.   "The law is not always the 
same shape-you have done what you have done. I could not have done it my time, 
but you come after me. Tell!"  John explains all about his discoveries in the 
Place of the Gods and his father is overwhelmed by the truth. He cautions that 
the truth is too much for the dear people. 

When John reaches adulthood, he asks his father for permission to go on his 
journey. "It is time for me to go on my journey. Give me your leave." John is 
brave enough to endure the trip on the river and to explore the Place of the 
Gods. He discovers the man and brings the news back to his father. He faces many 
perils during his journey. He was "afraid, afraid. The current of the great 
river is very strong- it gripped my raft with its hands." No one from his tribe 
has ever gone to the Place of the Gods, including his father. Knowing he will be 
alone, somewhere no one has been before, requires bravery and determination. 
John faces his fears and learns from his experiences and brings his knowledge 
back to his father.

John is very independent, his journey to the Place of the Gods has shown 
leadership and independence. When John's father says, " It is forbidden to 
travel east. It is forbidden to cross over the great river...," he expects his 
son to break the rules and do it anyways. This is how he knows that when he 
tells him not to go to the east of the river, that he will go to the Place of 
the Gods. 

Clearly, by the end of John's journey, he has grown in knowledge, independence, 
maturity, bravery, and is ready to take a leadership role as the priest of the 
hill people. His father recognizes these changes and respects the growth, but 
cautions him to slowly impart knowledge to the hill people.