Randy Bragg, the protagonist of Pat Frank"s Alas, Babylon, is a young man who really.

             has no direction in life when he is first introduced in the novel. He has a casual approach.

             to life and cares more about himself than anyone or anything else. After "The Day",.

             however, Randy learns to care more about the well-being of the community and becomes.

             a selfless hero. This is shown through his realization of the problem at hand, his.

             take-charge attitude, and the growing love for his new "family".

             In the novel, Randy is one of the first characters to realize after "The Day", the.

             only way to survive is to discard his casual approach to life and totally reinvent himself. .

             The way of American life disintegrates before his eyes: food vanishes, gasoline becomes.

             gold, money is worthless paper, and banks are no longer significant. Abandoned pets.

             start behaving like wild animals, vicious gangs spring up on the roads, and nearby towns.

             become sinkholes of disease. Randy realizes that something must be done to keep his.

             friends and neighbors alive.

             Because of his realization, Randy is well-prepared for almost anything to go.

             wrong. After attacks from the highwaymen, who steal from and kill people around the.

             community just because they can, Randy puts together and heads a regiment of troupes to.

             protect the community of River Road and Fort Repose. He comes up with a way to.

             eliminate the highwaymen. Also, when a man dies from contamination of radioactive.

             jewelry, Randy knows that it is a threat to his community and that leaving the dead.

             unburied could "be inviting an epidemic". He decides to ask for help burying the man at.

             the town square, which has become the area of trade in Fort Repose. None of the men in.

             the square seem concerned with helping with the burial, so Randy persuades them by.

             threatening the men with a gun. In taking charge like this, Randy takes care of and.

             becomes the leader of his community.