The Children of Men
Chapter 1
by James, P. D.The chapter opens with the announcement of Joseph Ricardo’s death, the last human born on Earth, who perished in a pub brawl in Buenos Aires at age 25. The news is delivered dispassionately on British state radio, coinciding with the narrator Theodore Faron’s 50th birthday and New Year’s Day. Faron, a solitary Oxford historian, begins a diary as a personal defense against existential emptiness, reflecting on his insignificance despite his connection to Xan Lyppiatt, England’s dictator. He muses on humanity’s futile efforts to preserve its legacy for hypothetical future extraterrestrial visitors, questioning whether they will understand or care about human achievements.
The narrative shifts to the global obsession two decades prior with identifying the last human birth, a contest ultimately won by Ricardo. His birth, officially recorded in 1995, became a symbol of national pride, though the search was acknowledged as inconclusive. Ricardo’s fleeting celebrity faded as the world moved on, and his death now passes with little notice. Faron doubts anyone will revisit the search, highlighting humanity’s resigned acceptance of its impending extinction and the futility of such symbolic gestures.
Faron critiques humanity’s failure to uncover the cause of universal infertility, a blow to the supremacy of Western science and medicine. Despite past triumphs over disease, science has been unable to explain or reverse the sterility plaguing the species. This failure has shattered collective faith in science, once a revered “god” that provided comfort and solutions. Faron, though scientifically illiterate, shares in this disillusionment, comparing it to a deity’s death. The inability to procreate, a basic biological function, has left humanity humiliated and resentful, stripping away its sense of control and purpose.
The chapter concludes with a reference to 1995 as “Year Omega,” marking the beginning of humanity’s decline. Public debates once centered on whether a cure for infertility would be shared globally, but these discussions have since faded into irrelevance. Faron’s reflections underscore the paradox of a civilization that mastered its environment yet remains powerless against its own extinction. The tone is one of resigned melancholy, emphasizing the fragility of human achievement in the face of an inexplicable and insurmountable crisis.
FAQs
1. What significant event occurred on January 1, 2021, and why is it historically important in the context of the novel?
Answer:
On January 1, 2021, Joseph Ricardo, the last human being officially recorded to have been born on Earth, was killed in a pub brawl in Buenos Aires at the age of 25. This event marks a symbolic endpoint for humanity, as it underscores the irreversible infertility crisis that has plagued the species. Ricardo’s death is historically significant because it represents the finality of human extinction—no new births mean the gradual dying out of the human race. The narrator, Theodore Faron, reflects on this event as a grim milestone, tying it to his own personal milestones (his 50th birthday and the New Year) to emphasize the juxtaposition of individual and species-level significance.2. How does the narrator, Theodore Faron, view the role of science in humanity’s crisis, and what metaphor does he use to describe its failure?
Answer:
Theodore Faron describes science as a “god” that has historically provided solutions, comfort, and advancements to humanity—from medical breakthroughs to technological conveniences. However, science’s inability to diagnose or cure the global infertility crisis has led to widespread disillusionment. Faron compares this failure to a “lecherous stud suddenly stricken with impotence,” highlighting the humiliation and helplessness humanity feels at being unable to perform what he sees as a basic biological function. This metaphor underscores the crisis as not just a physical failure but a blow to human identity and pride.3. What was the global reaction to the discovery of the “last human birth,” and how does the narrator critique this obsession?
Answer:
The search for the last officially recorded human birth became an international obsession, driven by national pride and competition. Joseph Ricardo’s birth in 1995 was eventually declared the last, but the narrator critiques the exercise as “ultimately pointless” once the result was proclaimed. The world quickly lost interest in Ricardo, reflecting humanity’s tendency to fixate on symbolic milestones without addressing the underlying tragedy. Faron suggests that the futility of this search mirrors the broader futility of humanity’s efforts to confront its extinction—focusing on arbitrary distinctions rather than meaningful solutions.4. How does the narrator envision the future of human civilization, and what role does he imagine for extraterrestrial beings in preserving humanity’s legacy?
Answer:
Faron speculates that humanity’s legacy will be preserved in artifacts—books, art, and buildings—sealed away in libraries and monuments for potential extraterrestrial visitors. He imagines these beings stumbling upon places like St. Peter’s Basilica, wondering about the meaning of human symbols like the cross. However, he doubts aliens will ever come or understand human culture, given the vast differences in “values and thought processes.” This reflection underscores the novel’s theme of existential loneliness: humanity’s creations may outlive it, but their meaning will likely die with the species.5. What psychological and emotional impact does the infertility crisis have on humanity, according to the narrator?
Answer:
The infertility crisis has left humanity “outraged and demoralized,” not just because of impending extinction but because of the failure to understand its cause. Faron describes a collective loss of faith in science, which had previously been an unwavering source of solutions. The crisis strips humans of their sense of control and superiority, reducing them to beings who can no longer perform a function “the animals do without thought.” This humiliation breeds resentment toward animals and a deep existential despair, as people confront the fragility of their species’ identity and purpose.
Quotes
1. “Early this morning, 1 January 2021, three minutes after midnight, the last human being to be born on earth was killed in a pub brawl in a suburb of Buenos Aires, aged twenty-five years, two months and twelve days.”
This opening line establishes the novel’s dystopian premise - humanity’s extinction through infertility - with stark, clinical precision. The mundanity of the last human’s death (a pub brawl) contrasts powerfully with its cosmic significance.
2. “Western science has been our god… we share the universal disillusionment of those whose god has died.”
This quote encapsulates the chapter’s central theme of scientific hubris and collapse. The metaphor of science as a failed deity powerfully conveys humanity’s existential crisis when faced with an inexplicable biological apocalypse.
3. “For all our knowledge, our intelligence, our power, we can no longer do what the animals do without thought. No wonder we both worship and resent them.”
This insightful passage highlights humanity’s paradoxical relationship with nature in this crisis. The biological simplicity of reproduction becomes the ultimate measure of human frailty, reversing traditional hierarchies between humans and animals.
4. “We are storing our books and manuscripts, the great paintings, the musical scores and instruments, the artefacts… The buildings, those that are still standing, will speak for themselves.”
This melancholic reflection on cultural preservation for hypothetical future aliens illustrates the novel’s concern with legacy and meaning. The futility of these efforts underscores humanity’s struggle to find purpose in its twilight years.