The Children of Men
Chapter 7
by James, P. D.The chapter opens with the narrator receiving an urgent summons from Jasper Palmer-Smith, his former history professor and mentor. Jasper, a notoriously selective and demanding Oxford don, had a habit of favoring one male student each year, valuing intelligence, looks, and wit. The narrator reflects on their relationship, noting Jasper’s disdain for children and women, as well as his manipulative charm. Despite his unpopularity, Jasper’s favoritism was accepted without resentment, as it was seen as his own eccentricity. The narrator recalls how Jasper’s approval motivated him to excel academically, though their bond remained largely intellectual.
Jasper is depicted as a stereotypical Oxford scholar, with a sharp mind and a disdain for modernity. He harbors a cynical worldview, particularly regarding humanity’s inevitable decline due to universal infertility, a phenomenon he views with detached amusement. He finds solace in the absence of future generations, seeing it as a reprieve from the noise and chaos of youth. Jasper’s survivalist tendencies are evident in his meticulously prepared country home, stocked with supplies to withstand societal collapse. His recent obsession with security, however, hints at growing paranoia.
The narrator visits Jasper’s home, noting the stark decline in his mentor’s appearance and demeanor. Jasper, once composed and authoritative, now seems aged and anxious, with a gleam of paranoia in his eyes. The house, once immaculate, shows signs of neglect, and Jasper’s reliance on alcohol has increased. His wife, Hilda, appears even more withdrawn, barely acknowledging the narrator. The scene underscores the toll of time and isolation on Jasper, whose once-sharp mind now seems clouded by fear and decay.
The chapter paints a bleak portrait of a man confronting mortality and societal collapse. Jasper’s intellectual arrogance and survivalist preparations contrast with his physical and mental decline, symbolizing the fragility of human control in the face of inevitable change. The narrator’s observations reveal the irony of Jasper’s earlier confidence, as even his carefully curated world begins to unravel. The chapter sets the stage for deeper exploration of themes like aging, power, and the human response to existential threats.
FAQs
1. How does Jasper Palmer-Smith’s relationship with his favorite students reflect his personality and values?
Answer:
Jasper Palmer-Smith’s selective mentorship of favored male undergraduates reveals his elitism, need for control, and intellectual vanity. He chooses students based on intelligence, looks, and wit—qualities he values highly—while maintaining emotional distance. The relationship is transactional: favorites gain academic prestige (expected to earn Firsts) while Jasper enjoys shaping protégés who validate his own intellect. This dynamic shows his preference for curated relationships over genuine connection, as well as his desire for legacy through “crown prince” students. The text notes this may be Jasper’s “personal illusion of immortality” against aging (Chapter 7).2. Analyze Jasper’s views on the Omega phenomenon (universal infertility). How do they contrast with societal fears?
Answer:
Jasper sees Omega as a “painless” end to humanity, even welcoming the absence of children (“the intrusive barbarism of the young”). His cynical perspective—focusing on personal comfort and mocking traditions like Christmas—contrasts with broader societal panic over extinction. While others prepare for collapse (stockpiling supplies), Jasper rationalizes Omega as inevitable, reflecting his misanthropy and privilege. His later obsessive fortification of his home, however, undermines his professed indifference, revealing latent fear (Chapter 7).3. What symbolic details in Jasper’s appearance and environment foreshadow his psychological decline?
Answer:
Physical decay mirrors Jasper’s unraveling: his “greyer” skin, “sunken eyes,” and “gleam of paranoia” signal rapid aging and mental strain. His once-meticulous home now shows “incipient neglect” (dust, smeared windows), paralleling his loss of control. The locked gates and fortified cellar—exaggerations of his earlier preparedness—symbolize growing isolation and paranoia. These details contrast his former Vanity Fair-esque academic caricature, illustrating how fear erodes his carefully constructed identity (Chapter 7).4. How does the narrator’s description of Jasper’s teaching style reveal their complex relationship?
Answer:
The narrator acknowledges Jasper’s brilliance (“marvellous teacher”) but critiques his cruelty, especially toward women (destroying their confidence with “insulting courtesy”). This duality—admiration for his intellect but discomfort with his behavior—explains the narrator’s ambivalence. As a former favorite, the narrator benefited from Jasper’s patronage but recognizes its manipulative undercurrents (“grooming me as his successor”). The relationship is rooted in academic validation rather than mutual respect (Chapter 7).5. Why might Jasper’s wife, Hilda, be portrayed as nearly catatonic during the narrator’s visit?
Answer:
Hilda’s silence and vacant stare suggest profound despair or dissociation, possibly from Jasper’s oppressive influence or the weight of Omega’s hopelessness. Her decline outstrips even Jasper’s, hinting at gendered suffering in their childless marriage (Jasper once admitted “regret” over her barrenness). Her invisibility in the scene—ignoring the narrator—mirrors Jasper’s dismissal of women overall, positioning her as another casualty of his emotional neglect (Chapter 7).
Quotes
1. “To be selected from the crowd is always gratifying to self-esteem; one feels the need to make some return, a fact which accounts for a number of otherwise surprising marriages.”
This quote captures Jasper Palmer-Smith’s manipulative dynamic with his favored students, revealing how his selective approval creates obligation. It also offers broader insight into human psychology and transactional relationships.
2. “No one was more adept at demolishing a woman’s self-confidence while treating her with meticulous, indeed almost insulting, consideration and courtesy.”
This sharply observed description reveals Jasper’s misogynistic tendencies and intellectual cruelty, showing how he weaponizes false politeness. It establishes his character as both elitist and subtly oppressive.
3. “This planet is doomed anyway… If man is doomed to perish, then universal infertility is as painless a way as any.”
Jasper’s nihilistic worldview about humanity’s infertility crisis reflects the novel’s central premise. His coldly logical acceptance of extinction contrasts with others’ desperation, showing his detached intellectualism.
4. “Ageing is inevitable but it is not consistent… Then time accelerates and within a week the metamorphosis takes place.”
This poignant observation about sudden aging mirrors the novel’s themes of time and decay. The narrator’s recognition of Jasper’s rapid decline foreshadows society’s broader collapse.
5. “My God, we might even succeed in getting rid of Christmas, that annual celebration of parental guilt and juvenile greed.”
Jasper’s cynical rant against youth culture reveals his deep misanthropy and generational resentment. This quote exemplifies his controversial views that make him both fascinating and repellent.