The Children Of Men
(PD James)
'The Children of Men' is almost Wellsian in plot and characterisation, being pessimistic about human nature and the future of our race. As in H G Wells', 'War of the Worlds', the narrator is an anti-hero, with none of the omnicompetent qualities that we have come to expect of our protaganists. The destruction of the race comes not in the form of Martians, but in the ability of man to procreate.'The Children of Men' is almost Wellsian in plot and characterisation, being pessimistic about human nature and the future of our race. As in H G Wells', 'War of the Worlds', the narrator is an anti-hero, with none of the omnicompetent qualities that we have come to expect of our protaganists. The destruction of the race comes not in the form of Martians, but in the ability of man to procreate.
Set in England in the year 2021, the last birth occurred 26 years ago. The planet is peopled by an aging population, which has no hope of a future, just the wish to live out their years in comfort and security. The country is ruled rather than governed by a warden intoxicated by power. The general population is indifferent to what is happening around them, they are just biding their time till the inevitable erasure of humankind. There have been no advancements in the sciences or arts. The Warden and his Council promote slavery, assisted mass suicides, compulsory fertility testing and state-run prn shops. Citizens are not allowed to travel abroad, there is a ban on meetings and a Gestapo-like police force to keep things in check. Criminals are shipped of to an island never to be heard of again.
Theo Faron, an academic and five others oppose these questionable policies. One of this group we find out is pregnant. The birth of the child brings hope, yet the future is still uncertain as we see Theo kill the Warden and slip on the Coronation Ring. We get the feeling that Theo,after getting a taste of power may turn out n o better than his predecessor.
A dystopian social commentary that we would all do well to take heed of.
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