Born Again

This study guide will help you analyse the text “Born Again” by Anne Billson. We will show you examples of elements in the text that will be relevant for your analysis. In these notes, we will focus on summary, structure, characters, setting, narrator and point of view, language, themes and message, and help you put the text into perspective.

Presentation of the text

Title: “Born Again”
Author: Anne Billson
Date of Publication: 1993
Genre: Short Story

Anne Billson (b. 1954) is a British author of fantasy novels. She is mostly known for works like Suckers, Stiff Lips or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Several of her novels have also been adapted into films og television shows.

Excerpt

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Symbols

The author includes in the story a few elements that can also be given a symbolic values.

First of all, the story involves a lot of religious references, which create symbolism related to the apocalypse. Nancy is a born-again virgin which is usually related to fundamentalist Christians. Then she is hunted by Brothers of the Divine Order of the Dead Saints which symbolise religious fanaticism. Lastly she is called “Queen of the Bitches! Whore of Babylon!” (p. 77, l. 21) and is miraculously pregnant which is symbolic of an upcoming apocalypse.