Childhood’s End: Childhood’s End: No Words to DescribeNo Words to Describe

FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

9 January 20159 January 2015

““What has started this thing?” What has started this thing?” asked George. “And where is it asked George. “And where is it going to lead?”going to lead?”

““That is something we cannot That is something we cannot answer. But there are many races answer. But there are many races in the universe, and some of them in the universe, and some of them discovered these powers long discovered these powers long before your species – or mine – before your species – or mine – appeared on the scene. They have appeared on the scene. They have been waiting for you to join them, been waiting for you to join them, and now the time has come.”and now the time has come.”

““Then where do Then where do youyou come into come into the picture?”the picture?”

““Probably, like most men, you Probably, like most men, you have always regarded us as your have always regarded us as your masters. That is not true. We have masters. That is not true. We have never been more than guardians, never been more than guardians, doing a duty imposed upon us from doing a duty imposed upon us from – above. That duty is hard to define: – above. That duty is hard to define: perhaps you can best think of us as perhaps you can best think of us as midwives attending a difficult birth. midwives attending a difficult birth. We are helping to bring something We are helping to bring something new and wonderful into being.”new and wonderful into being.”

Rashaverak hesitated: for a Rashaverak hesitated: for a moment it almost seemed as if he moment it almost seemed as if he was at a loss for words.was at a loss for words.

““Yes, we are the midwives. But Yes, we are the midwives. But we ourselves are barren.”we ourselves are barren.”

In the “Copywriter’s Notice” that In the “Copywriter’s Notice” that precedes the story, Clarke writes that precedes the story, Clarke writes that “the opinions expressed in this book are “the opinions expressed in this book are not those of the author.” not those of the author.”

What may strike you as an odd, What may strike you as an odd, almost Swiftian statement at the almost Swiftian statement at the beginning of the book becomes all too beginning of the book becomes all too clear by its end. clear by its end.

Clarke wasn’t necessarily a Utopian, Clarke wasn’t necessarily a Utopian, but he held a great deal of hope for but he held a great deal of hope for humanity’s future. humanity’s future.

To write a story like this, then – with To write a story like this, then – with the simultaneous fulfillment and the simultaneous fulfillment and destruction of everything our forefathers destruction of everything our forefathers could have dreamed – takes a perverse could have dreamed – takes a perverse sort of ability to disconnect oneself from sort of ability to disconnect oneself from one’s true hopes. one’s true hopes.

By the time we begin to leave the Golden By the time we begin to leave the Golden Age behind, Jan has already successfully stowed Age behind, Jan has already successfully stowed away aboard the Overlords’ ship, ensconced in away aboard the Overlords’ ship, ensconced in the “air-conditioned coffin” nestled within the the “air-conditioned coffin” nestled within the artificial whale being sent back to their planet. artificial whale being sent back to their planet.

When Karellen inspects the whale, Sullivan When Karellen inspects the whale, Sullivan is nervous; whether Karellen knows what Jan is is nervous; whether Karellen knows what Jan is up to and allows it to happen (a la Stormgren’s up to and allows it to happen (a la Stormgren’s attempts at discovery in the book’s beginning) or attempts at discovery in the book’s beginning) or simply misses it during his inspection of an simply misses it during his inspection of an unfamiliar beast (he comments that his world, unfamiliar beast (he comments that his world, being ocean-less, has no creatures of such being ocean-less, has no creatures of such immense size) Clarke leaves intentionally immense size) Clarke leaves intentionally ambiguous. ambiguous.

Once Jan is gone, however, Karellen gives a Once Jan is gone, however, Karellen gives a speech to a group of reporters (and, by speech to a group of reporters (and, by extension, the rest of the world) that brutally extension, the rest of the world) that brutally trivializes ambitions such as the ones the trivializes ambitions such as the ones the escaped “engineering student” held. escaped “engineering student” held.

Your race had shown a notable incapacity for Your race had shown a notable incapacity for dealing with the problems of its own rather small planet. dealing with the problems of its own rather small planet. When we arrived, you were on the point of destroying When we arrived, you were on the point of destroying yourselves with the powers that science had rashly yourselves with the powers that science had rashly given you. Without our intervention, the Earth today given you. Without our intervention, the Earth today would have been a radioactive wilderness.would have been a radioactive wilderness.

Now you have a world at peace, and a united race. Now you have a world at peace, and a united race. Soon you will be sufficiently civilized to run your planet Soon you will be sufficiently civilized to run your planet without our assistance. Perhaps you could eventually without our assistance. Perhaps you could eventually handle the problems of an entire solar system – say fifty handle the problems of an entire solar system – say fifty moons and planets…But in this galaxy of ours, there are moons and planets…But in this galaxy of ours, there are eighty-seven thousand million suns. Even that figure eighty-seven thousand million suns. Even that figure gives only a faint idea of the immensity of space. In gives only a faint idea of the immensity of space. In challenging it, you would be like ants attempting to challenging it, you would be like ants attempting to label and classify all the grains of sand in all the deserts label and classify all the grains of sand in all the deserts of the world.of the world.

Your race, in its present state of evolution, cannot Your race, in its present state of evolution, cannot face that stupendous challenge. One of my duties has face that stupendous challenge. One of my duties has been to protect you from the powers and forces that lie been to protect you from the powers and forces that lie among the stars – forces beyond anything that you can among the stars – forces beyond anything that you can ever imagine.ever imagine.

It is a bitter thought, but you must face it. It is a bitter thought, but you must face it. The planets you may one day possess. The planets you may one day possess. But the stars are not for man.But the stars are not for man.

The operative phrase buried The operative phrase buried within all of that, of course, is “in its within all of that, of course, is “in its present state of evolution.” present state of evolution.”

For therein lies the heart of the For therein lies the heart of the whole matter. whole matter.

Without the Overlords, we’d Without the Overlords, we’d developed just a bit too far for our developed just a bit too far for our own good: our technological prowess own good: our technological prowess outstripped our ability to harness outstripped our ability to harness such powers safely. such powers safely.

With their help, we refrained With their help, we refrained from self-conclusion. from self-conclusion.

We became something better, We became something better, even if it took crushing the ambitions even if it took crushing the ambitions of the more hopeful and starry-eyed of the more hopeful and starry-eyed among us. among us.

As Karellen notes, “for a lifetime, As Karellen notes, “for a lifetime, mankind had achieved as much mankind had achieved as much happiness as any race can ever know. happiness as any race can ever know. It had been the Golden Age…It had been the Golden Age…

““But gold was also the color of But gold was also the color of sunset, of autumn: and only Karellen’s sunset, of autumn: and only Karellen’s ears could catch the first wailings of ears could catch the first wailings of the winter storms. And only Karellen the winter storms. And only Karellen knew with what inexorable swiftness knew with what inexorable swiftness the Golden Age was rushing to its the Golden Age was rushing to its close.”close.”

The final part of The final part of Childhood’s End, Childhood’s End, “The Last Generation,” knocks down the “The Last Generation,” knocks down the various pins the first two acts left in various pins the first two acts left in place. place.

We see the Greggsons, now married, We see the Greggsons, now married, move to a breakaway colony out in the move to a breakaway colony out in the islands called New Athens, quietly adjust islands called New Athens, quietly adjust to their new lives, and narrowly avert to their new lives, and narrowly avert tragedy when Jeff, their oldest child and tragedy when Jeff, their oldest child and only son, survives a tsunami under only son, survives a tsunami under mysterious circumstances. mysterious circumstances.

We see Jan arrive at the homeworld We see Jan arrive at the homeworld of the Overlords. of the Overlords.

And as the two disparate threads And as the two disparate threads collide and intertwine, we learn just why collide and intertwine, we learn just why the first section of the book is so the first section of the book is so important. important.

Jeff survives the tsunami because a Jeff survives the tsunami because a voice – an Overlord’s voice – speaks to him voice – an Overlord’s voice – speaks to him telepathically, urging him to run; when he’s telepathically, urging him to run; when he’s trapped in front of a giant rock, he’s trapped in front of a giant rock, he’s ordered to close his eyes, and the rock’s ordered to close his eyes, and the rock’s been melted away when he opens them. been melted away when he opens them.

George, a man of decent intelligence George, a man of decent intelligence for all his other faults, makes the for all his other faults, makes the connection between the Overlords’ interest connection between the Overlords’ interest in protecting Jeff and Jean’s “performance” in protecting Jeff and Jean’s “performance” in the séance sequence; he just doesn’t in the séance sequence; he just doesn’t understand why that connection exists. understand why that connection exists.

He worries about his son, but the boy He worries about his son, but the boy seems normal, and nobody else’s tests or seems normal, and nobody else’s tests or observations seem to indicate anything observations seem to indicate anything contrary to that initial conclusion. contrary to that initial conclusion.

Six weeks later, however, Jeff begins Six weeks later, however, Jeff begins dreaming of things that he shouldn’t be dreaming of things that he shouldn’t be able to dream about – seeing real worlds able to dream about – seeing real worlds orbiting distant stars, places humanity orbiting distant stars, places humanity has absolutely no knowledge of and forms has absolutely no knowledge of and forms of life even Clarke can’t fully explain. of life even Clarke can’t fully explain.

The Overlords’ reports to one The Overlords’ reports to one another, threaded with increasing another, threaded with increasing frequency through the main narrative of frequency through the main narrative of the story, grow at once more urgent and the story, grow at once more urgent and more portentous. more portentous.

They marvel at the things Jeff’s They marvel at the things Jeff’s accessing, and as they talk we begin to accessing, and as they talk we begin to realize that Jeff, for some reason, isn’t like realize that Jeff, for some reason, isn’t like us anymore. us anymore.

Neither, as it turns out, is his little Neither, as it turns out, is his little sister. sister.

In a scene of unbelievable creepiness In a scene of unbelievable creepiness (if for no other reason than the tone of it (if for no other reason than the tone of it is so dry), Jean hears her daughter’s is so dry), Jean hears her daughter’s favorite rattle shaking with a weirdly favorite rattle shaking with a weirdly rhythmic beating. rhythmic beating.

When she goes to check on it, she When she goes to check on it, she finds the rattle shaking two feet away finds the rattle shaking two feet away from her daughter, who lies with closed from her daughter, who lies with closed eyes and a smile on her face as she bends eyes and a smile on her face as she bends the world around her with her mind. the world around her with her mind.

As Rashaverak tells George As Rashaverak tells George afterward, it’s good that neither parent afterward, it’s good that neither parent touches the rattle – not that they could touches the rattle – not that they could have moved it, but they might have have moved it, but they might have disturbed or upset their daughter, and disturbed or upset their daughter, and there’s no telling what she would have there’s no telling what she would have done if that were to happen.done if that were to happen.

It’s a truly weird sensation that It’s a truly weird sensation that Clarke captures – the feeling that Clarke captures – the feeling that someone you’ve known as well as anyone someone you’ve known as well as anyone can has just changed into something can has just changed into something weird and alien and uncontrollable. weird and alien and uncontrollable.

But that’s much the same as human But that’s much the same as human childhood, as anyone who’s ever raised a childhood, as anyone who’s ever raised a sweet, considerate kid who turns into a sweet, considerate kid who turns into a surly teenager can attest. surly teenager can attest.

The book functions as a metaphor for The book functions as a metaphor for that parenting process – raising that parenting process – raising something, then enduring its departure something, then enduring its departure once it surpasses you – on a number of once it surpasses you – on a number of different levels, not just through the different levels, not just through the Greggsons, but through the Overlords as Greggsons, but through the Overlords as well.well.

As more and more children begin to As more and more children begin to turn into whatever it is that Jeff and turn into whatever it is that Jeff and Jennifer are becoming, “the end of Jennifer are becoming, “the end of civilization” arrives. civilization” arrives.

““In the space of a few days, humanity In the space of a few days, humanity had lost its future, for the heart of any had lost its future, for the heart of any race is destroyed, and its will to survive is race is destroyed, and its will to survive is utterly broken, when its children are utterly broken, when its children are taken from it. There was no panic, as taken from it. There was no panic, as there would have been a century before. there would have been a century before. The world was numbed, the great cities The world was numbed, the great cities stilled and silent. Only the vital industries stilled and silent. Only the vital industries continued to function. It was as though continued to function. It was as though the planet was in mourning, lamenting all the planet was in mourning, lamenting all that now could never be.”that now could never be.”

But when Karellen speaks to us for But when Karellen speaks to us for the last time, we begin to understand the last time, we begin to understand the true nature of the Overlords’ the true nature of the Overlords’ sorrow – their inescapable duties, their sorrow – their inescapable duties, their role in our development, and their own role in our development, and their own inescapable place in the universe. inescapable place in the universe.

In a supremely ironic narrative In a supremely ironic narrative stroke, Clarke pulls back the curtain to stroke, Clarke pulls back the curtain to reveal that it is the Overlords, not we, reveal that it is the Overlords, not we, whose potential seems to be limited by whose potential seems to be limited by a force greater than themselves. a force greater than themselves.

When they came to us, we could When they came to us, we could still believe in gods, still create works still believe in gods, still create works of art, still explore without a jaundiced of art, still explore without a jaundiced eye; they couldn’t. eye; they couldn’t.

They are, in George Greggson’s words, They are, in George Greggson’s words, trapped in an evolutionary cul-de-sac, with no trapped in an evolutionary cul-de-sac, with no future of their own; they live to serve a future of their own; they live to serve a mysterious force called the Overmind, the mysterious force called the Overmind, the thing which all great races eventually merge thing which all great races eventually merge with…only the Overlords themselves have with…only the Overlords themselves have been denied entrance. been denied entrance.

Clarke doesn’t really try to hide it – Clarke doesn’t really try to hide it – Karellen virtually says as much repeatedly Karellen virtually says as much repeatedly during “Earth and the Overlords” – but we during “Earth and the Overlords” – but we don’t suspect it because, to us, it makes no don’t suspect it because, to us, it makes no sense: that the Overlords, seemingly magical sense: that the Overlords, seemingly magical for all their technological savvy, are merely for all their technological savvy, are merely galactic midwives trying to prevent breach galactic midwives trying to prevent breach births and maternal deaths.births and maternal deaths.

When he ends with “We shall always When he ends with “We shall always envy you,” it’s the most powerful moment in envy you,” it’s the most powerful moment in the entire story – and we feel pity for those the entire story – and we feel pity for those whose power we once resented. whose power we once resented.

When Jan reaches the Overlords’ When Jan reaches the Overlords’ world, he sees things that Clarke finds world, he sees things that Clarke finds difficult to accurately depict with mere difficult to accurately depict with mere words. words.

He does a non-flashy but highly He does a non-flashy but highly effective job of trying to describe the effective job of trying to describe the indescribable, including the Overmind’s indescribable, including the Overmind’s bizarre avatar. bizarre avatar.

One of my favorite moments is when One of my favorite moments is when Vindarten doesn’t just push Jan’s camera Vindarten doesn’t just push Jan’s camera down while he tries to photograph it, but down while he tries to photograph it, but asks him repeatedly to describe exactly asks him repeatedly to describe exactly what he saw. what he saw.

In that moment, Jan realizes he sees In that moment, Jan realizes he sees something that Vindarten doesn’t and he something that Vindarten doesn’t and he realizes that the Overlords have masters realizes that the Overlords have masters as well.as well.

He returns to Earth, speaks with He returns to Earth, speaks with Karellen about what he sees, watches the Karellen about what he sees, watches the children begin bizarrely reshaping the children begin bizarrely reshaping the world…and plays a piano in lonely fashion, world…and plays a piano in lonely fashion, the Last Man among us all. the Last Man among us all.

When the children take to the sky, When the children take to the sky, destroying our world in their wake, it’s a destroying our world in their wake, it’s a simultaneously horrifying and beautiful simultaneously horrifying and beautiful image: mankind achieves his potential and image: mankind achieves his potential and takes his place in the universe. takes his place in the universe.

It just takes leaving mankind behind It just takes leaving mankind behind to do it. to do it.

And one wonders, in the end, whether And one wonders, in the end, whether it’s worth losing all of that.it’s worth losing all of that.

But then we see the But then we see the Overlords, forever denied that Overlords, forever denied that same place, forever left behind – same place, forever left behind – the barren midwives of the the barren midwives of the universe, masters of logic but lost universe, masters of logic but lost all the same. all the same.

And we realize that staying And we realize that staying here forever may be a worse fate here forever may be a worse fate than leaving it all behind – that than leaving it all behind – that being born again is perhaps being born again is perhaps preferable to waiting for the end.preferable to waiting for the end.

Just as G.K. Chesterton’s quote Just as G.K. Chesterton’s quote reminds us that the love that endures reminds us that the love that endures is really just the love that renews as it is really just the love that renews as it changes shape – that you don’t fall in changes shape – that you don’t fall in love once, but over and over again – love once, but over and over again – Clarke reminds us that you’re not Clarke reminds us that you’re not born only once either. born only once either.

From the moment you entered From the moment you entered this world, we’ve been preparing you this world, we’ve been preparing you to join us in it – your parents and to join us in it – your parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles and grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins, coaches, priests, and, yes, cousins, coaches, priests, and, yes, teachers. teachers.

Childhood is a special time Childhood is a special time because, in many ways, it doesn’t because, in many ways, it doesn’t really mirror life.really mirror life.

You don’t have many responsibilities, You don’t have many responsibilities, you’re blissfully unaware of the stuff you you’re blissfully unaware of the stuff you can’t do yet, and you spend most of your can’t do yet, and you spend most of your time imagining or exploring things. time imagining or exploring things.

When you have questions, you just When you have questions, you just assume somebody knows the answer – assume somebody knows the answer – with that somebody specifically being the with that somebody specifically being the one who’s raising you. one who’s raising you.

The things that make up adult human The things that make up adult human existence – job duties, providing for a existence – job duties, providing for a family, managing the health of one’s body family, managing the health of one’s body as it declines instead of grows – are as as it declines instead of grows – are as alien to a little kid as the daily routines of alien to a little kid as the daily routines of a polar bear (or, depending on the kid, a polar bear (or, depending on the kid, maybe more so).maybe more so).

Childhood’s end always requires some Childhood’s end always requires some form of collateral damage. form of collateral damage.

In the novel, the children take over a In the novel, the children take over a continent as they continue shifting into continent as they continue shifting into something else, then destroy all life on it, then something else, then destroy all life on it, then consume the entire world as they go, using it to consume the entire world as they go, using it to fuel their travels to better places. fuel their travels to better places.

And most of you will consume your And most of you will consume your parents’ worlds when you go – not just because parents’ worlds when you go – not just because you’ll drain them of material resources (money, you’ll drain them of material resources (money, goods, etc.), but because you change the goods, etc.), but because you change the identities they’ve spent the past two decades identities they’ve spent the past two decades crafting irreversibly. crafting irreversibly.

Even if you end up living with them after Even if you end up living with them after you graduate, you will never look at them again you graduate, you will never look at them again the way you looked at them when you were the way you looked at them when you were little, when they meant more to you than your little, when they meant more to you than your undeveloped vocabularies could express – undeveloped vocabularies could express – when, indeed, you had no words to describe when, indeed, you had no words to describe what you felt for them, and they for you.what you felt for them, and they for you.

And you will still love them, but you And you will still love them, but you leave them, and shatter their worlds as leave them, and shatter their worlds as you go, harnessing that wreckage for you go, harnessing that wreckage for your own needs as you propel yourselves your own needs as you propel yourselves outwards to greater heights, to learn outwards to greater heights, to learn with and from people who are smarter with and from people who are smarter than them, or more influential, or more than them, or more influential, or more ambitious. ambitious.

You will go to a better place, one You will go to a better place, one where they cannot join you, and leave where they cannot join you, and leave them at this point in space and time them at this point in space and time forever.forever.

Compared to your future, the Compared to your future, the futures of the adults who raised you, futures of the adults who raised you, nurtured you, cared for you, and cared nurtured you, cared for you, and cared about you…they’re barren too. about you…they’re barren too.

Our purposes changed when you Our purposes changed when you entered our orbits; your well-being is our entered our orbits; your well-being is our greatest accomplishment. greatest accomplishment.

GilgameshGilgamesh argued that our lives take argued that our lives take on meaning through the things we build.on meaning through the things we build.

When you stand in front of that crowd When you stand in front of that crowd of ten thousand cheering people at the of ten thousand cheering people at the race track in less than six months, clad in race track in less than six months, clad in gowns and mortarboards with your tassels gowns and mortarboards with your tassels still turned to the wrong side, perhaps still turned to the wrong side, perhaps you’ll understand why, even if you have you’ll understand why, even if you have no words to describe what you’re feeling.no words to describe what you’re feeling.

And perhaps you’ll finally understand And perhaps you’ll finally understand what you truly meant to us – the ones what you truly meant to us – the ones who’ve always belonged to you, the ones who’ve always belonged to you, the ones you’ll leave behind, the ones who will you’ll leave behind, the ones who will always envy you.always envy you.