Name: The Children of Men
Rating: 3.433962264150944 (53 reviews)
ISBN: 9780307279903

P. D. James

In 2021, with the human race becoming extinct because of the infertility of all males, Oxford historian Theodore Faron is drawn into the schemes of an unlikely group of revolutionaries out to save society.

The Children of Men

Nate

For the last sixty years we have sycophantically pandered to the most ignorant, the most criminal and the most selfish section of society. Now, for the rest of our lives, we're going to be spared the intrusive barbarism of the young, their noise, their pounding, repetitive, computer-produced so-called music, their violence, their egotism disguised as idealism. My God, we might even succeed in getting rid of Christmas, that annual celebration of parental guilt and juvenile greed. I intend that my life shall be comfortable, and, when it no longer is, then I shall wash down my final pill with a bottle of claret." 

ikkychan

Throughout history, people have speculated on how humanity might meet its end. From the notion of a fate similar to that of our dinosaur ancestors to the radioactive aftermath of World War Terminus, from the invasion of the Third Kind to the heart-racing, adrenaline-fueled scenario of a zombie apocalypse, various possibilities have been considered as the possible exit from our short stay in this limitless universe. However, what if, instead of with a bang, like these block-busters are, we were to fade away with nothing more than a whimper, a gentle gasp, akin to a candle flickering out in the wind, leaving nothing behind but a faint trail of smoke? This is the scenario envisioned by P.D. James in her dystopian novel, 'The Children of Men'. It’s 2021 and no newborn has ever been recorded since 26 years ago in 1995. Humanity is on the brink of slow but sure extinction and despite the collaborative efforts of governments and the scientific community, no advancements are achieved, no new pregnancies occur, and people have to resign themselves to the fact that this mass infertility would be the cause of their undoing. To avoid further civil unrest and accommodate the rest of the population, Xan Lyppiatt, the Warden of England, sanctioned the three freedoms to ensure public order — Freedom from Fear, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Boredom. These propositions are especially enticing to Britain’s populace, fearful and despondent as they are with such gloomy future prospects, that they grow more receptive and are bound to yield to authoritarian governance, provided that the ruling body guarantees the welfare of its populace. And the provider sure is providing, but not without a few sacrifices, including their moral value. To ensure the public’s Freedom from Fear, they banish every trace of evil from the face of society with an iron fist. The lawbreakers, the wrongdoers, even down to puny offenders and the mentally ill, all face harsh punishment and are sent to Isle of Men, barred forever from the grace of conventional civilization. To the knowledge of the public, this is the best outcome they could get, a sort of win-win solution where these criminals receive room and boarding, regular provisions from the mainland, even gardens and fields where they could grow their own crops. At least, that is how it is supposed to be. In truth, the facility lacks adequate provisions for the care of prisoners, leading to chaotic conditions and a fierce battle for survival. Ironically, when the truth is finally revealed and the brutality behind the policy is made public, the system retains its popularity simply because the elderly population lacks the will to either reform or dismantle it (“And [Have the island] policed by whom?... Surely the Council wouldn’t evacuate the island. There would be an outcry—all those murderers and rapists loose again. And aren’t the Broadmoor inmates there too? They’re mad, mad and bad”), an outcome that the Warden fully expected. Faithful to its colonizer background, Britain preserved what it has been doing for the past few centuries to avoid handling the dirty work in maintaining its gardens and guaranteeing Freedom from Want. Why mend the roads, clean the sewers, or collect the rubbish yourself when you can pay a more desperate, poorer individual to do it? Of course, you can offer these Sojourners basic worker’s rights, such as free healthcare and a guaranteed bonus paycheck, but that would be a waste of public money, right? When they hit 60 and show a significantly decreased productivity rate, just kick them out of the country. There’s always more where they came from. Freedom from Want? More like Freedom to Exploit Marginal Migrants So That You Don’t Have To Do Menial Labor. Perhaps the most bizarre of the three orders would be Freedom from Boredom . With little incentive to plan for the future and much of the everyday tasks outsourced to Sojourners, citizens find themselves with nothing but ample free time. While the government tries to keep the public entertained with state-funded pornography and kitten christening, they couldn’t help with the over looming threat of extinction these activities evoke no matter how distracting they were packaged and advertised to the mass. By and large, it is already proven that the Warden has not been very wise in advocating this order, as too much enforced indulgence only results in misbehaving and disorder. This is proved by the ‘Omegas’, the last generation to have been born, who, despite their exceptional visual aesthetic, exhibit a cold, unfeeling detachment to society and later, sociopathic and criminal tendencies. But that’s hardly their fault, the book believes, as “a regime which combines perpetual surveillance with total indulgence is hardly conducive to healthy development.” Enters Theodore ‘Theo’ Farron, the Warden’s cousin, a 55-year old history professor who, after abdicating his position as the Warden’s personal adviser, steers clear from politics as best he can. Not out of grudge, but more of smug condescension, thinking he's above concerning himself with matters that affect everyone else. Little does he know that his ignorance stems from a place of privilege, secured class, where he enjoys economic and social security that others lack. This state of affairs would have continued for much longer had Julian failed to persuade him to join her cause. Alongside four other members of the Five Fishes – Rolf, Julian's husband, an ambitious and impulsive man; Luke, a priest without a parish; Miriam, a midwife in a world devoid of babies; and Gascoigne – they embark on a daring yet premature mission to liberate Mother England from the tyrannical grip of the Warden, and they need Theo on board. Right from the start, the story poses more questions than it provides answers. The characterization of the involved parties often feels forced, delivered in such a heavy-handed manner that it's fair to say James offers little room for readers to question the nature of things within her novel. They come across more as plot devices than fully developed characters. Take the 'Omegas', for instance, described as '...Many are also cruel, arrogant, and violent, and this has been found to be true of Omegas all over the world.' While it's conceivable that this behavior stems from society's treatment of them since infancy, it oversimplifies the complexity of humanity itself. It suggests a fixed mold for individuals, disregarding their capacity for independent thought and growth. This heavy-handedness is also evident in the way the titular protagonist, Theo himself, develops his character from someone who has shunned any sort of obligations to others and transforms practically overnight into the very person who ultimately bravely safeguards the destiny of humanity. Sure, you could change a cold, unfeeling man through the sheer power of love, but even this motivation used as the reasoning of the shift in his character is hardly convincing, cliched, even, as he has only been in Julian’s company for a total of three hours (max), yet he is risking everything to ensure her safety until her baby arrives. The discrepancy is also shown in portraying Theo's increasing affection for the young woman. James's typically polished writing style becomes overly sentimental and awkward, stripping away the realness and authenticity of Theo’s emotion: “It was as if in one moment the forest was transformed from a place of darkness and menace, in which he was at heart convinced that one of them would die, into a sanctuary, mysterious and beautiful, uncaring of these three curious interlopers, but a place in which nothing that lived could be wholly alien from him.” Given your brief acquaintance, this sentiment seems exaggerated, Sir. What comes as rather surprising is how deeply theological the book is. It might not come across as such at first glance, as it’s not as preachy as other Christian novels, but you can’t deny how clear it is from the way James intertwines Christian values in the narrative. The ‘Five Fishes’, the fact that the sole owner of the last healthy sperm is a priest, and how the last pregnant woman is a devout Christian who says her morning prayer every day without fail are all examples. Theo himself underwent a significant change from a rationalist who prided himself on his academic background to someone who has become progressively more alive to his faith and awakened to the religion of his youth. Although it could be argued that the theme is most apparent in the premise of the book, which suggests that without a legacy to pass on, many ordinary and healthy aspects of human life lose their significance and appeal. People have stopped engaging in sexual relationships as they lose their purpose, even if they are not particularly planning on having a child (“Even those men and women who would normally have no wish to breed apparently need the assurance that they could have a child if they wished. Sex totally divorced from procreation has become almost meaninglessly acrobatic”). It further promotes people’s tendency to deviate from heteronormativity (“Men and women still marry, although less frequently, with less ceremony and often with the same sex”), or even dilutes the meaning of love altogether (“People still fall in love, or say that they are in love… But we read the love poems of previous ages with a kind of wonder”). When humanity fails to be fruitful and multiply, its existence is void of meaning. Which is quite ridiculous to consider from today’s perspective on marriage and relationships. Our expectations of love itself have changed significantly as the discourse around gender dynamics has evolved over time with the ebb and flow of third and fourth-wave feminism. We no longer have to adhere to the traditional notion of marriage solely for procreation (even though historically it was primarily about asset security and creating strong alliances, really). Moreover, some people don’t even want to conform to the stereotypical mold of heteronormative matrimony. People can pursue different paths now. The rise of individualism has influenced the prioritization of personal fulfillment and autonomy in relationships, leading to more emphasis on emotional compatibility over practical considerations like procreation or economic security. Whether choosing marriage or simply cohabitating with a mutual commitment, individuals now have the agency to define their relationships based on their own desires and needs, and sometimes they have nothing to do with parenting. Not to mention that, the key of the discourse is that raising a child is becoming quite challenging, if not impossible. From an economical point of view, the cost of raising children has risen significantly worldwide. Factors such as housing, education, healthcare, and childcare expenses can be daunting for prospective parents. Concerns about overpopulation and the environmental impact of having children also deter some individuals, who worry about bringing a child into a literally dying planet. It is also physically and mentally taxing to have children, with numerous issues related to mental health concerns or medical conditions that may affect individuals' decisions about having children. Moreover, the pervasive influence of society exacerbates the situation, as people can easily impose unrealistic societal expectations and criticize parenting decisions. This often results in the couples choosing smaller family sizes to avoid scrutiny or decide to forgo parenthood altogether. When you look at just how much of a personal trial and challenge having children can be for people who want them, you start to see why it's no surprise that birth rates have declined in many parts of the world today. While P.D. James does explore the various social, political, and psychological implications of the absence of new births in her work (except any notion of technological advancement and the possibility of its impact in the scenario), she fails to effectively engage them in the story and leaves it underdeveloped and, at times, lacking authenticity. I hope her crime and detective novels offer a more satisfying experience than this.

Ben Nathan

Good book. It's one of the few times that I will say I think the movie is better. The thing I find most fascinating is that I found the screenplay (written by men) to be much more feminist than the book (written by a woman). It was good, but just not great.

The  children of men

In 2021, with the human race becoming extinct because of the infertility of all males, Oxford historian Theodore Faron is drawn into the schemes of an unlikely group of revolutionaries out to save society. 125,000 first printing. $125,000 ad/promo. BOMC Alt. Tour.

Alex Stelzhammer

Barış Yarsel

A. D. Knapp

The year is 2021. No child has been born for twenty-five years. The human race faces extinction. Under the despotic rule of Xan Lyppiat, the Warden of England, the old are despairing and the young cruel. Theo Faren, a cousin of the Warden, lives a solitary life in this ominous atmosphere. That is, until a chance encounter with a young woman leads him into contact with a group of dissenters. Suddenly his life is changed irrevocably as he faces agonising choices which could affect the future of mankind. NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE

The Children of Men

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