Childhood

’s End Essay, Research Paper

One could never believe that such a piece as Arthur C. Clarke’s

“Childhood’s End,” was written nearly 50 years ago. The story itself

was far ahead of its time and will probably remain so forever. There

are some who dislike or would rather not read science-fiction because

of its highly idealistic writing and plot outlines. This novel is the

greatest I’ve read of science-fiction as of yet. Taking consideration

into the fact that I am a novice science-fiction reader, one could

dismiss my statement as being naive. However, even if I am mistaken,

Childhood’s End will remain inside my mind and heart as being the very

best at playing out what contact in our world with a sufficiently

advanced extra-terrestrial civilization and our purpose with them and

the rest of the universe would be like.

In the introduction Clarke wrote in 1989, he gives an account of a time

when he and his late friend Val Cleaver were driving to London when they

saw an awe-inspiring sight of silver barrage-balloons anchored above

London. They were protecting against, “the present peril.” I’d like to

think Mr. Clarke has not lost the appreciation for fiction and the human

instinct to imagine incredible things since that time. I’ve heard recently

that he has lost his interest in fiction and instead is concentrating on

reality. How ironic that as Mr. Clarke is ascending (or descending) into

the more realistic universe, the young 18 year-old kid is going in the

complete opposite direction. I suppose Sir Isaac Newton has something to

do with this.

I am not denouncing Mr. Clarke’s realization of the fraudulence of

humanity’s dabbling into the so-called “paranormal.” He is very much

right. But I was glad to see that even he believes that there is

something to it. “Today, I would like to change the target of that

disclaimer to cover 99 percent of the ‘paranormal’ (it can’t all be

nonsense).” One of things I had to tackle after reading Childhood’s

End was what made humanity so special as to surpass the Overlords.

Then it hit me. The one thing that made us special, the one thing

that separated us from them…our ability to comprehend what was

not logical, possible or even sensible. The Overlords, with all of

their massive intelligence, vastly advanced technology and their

ability to learn at a much faster and more efficient rate, still

didn’t attain something we did. I’m not sure if it was just one

thing as it is many parts of one thing. Imagination I suppose best

describes it. The Overlords were practical, efficient beings. One

could relate them to the Vulcan civilization. However this was not

your average star trek.

Oddly enough, Clarke to me seems to be the best at giving both sides

of the story. As one sees the story unfold in his books, they get the

feeling that they are receiving a very detailed, scientifically

accurate account of everything described. Good, but sometimes hard

to relate. He then redeems his genuine fiction writing by putting

in the creative and wondrous ideas and descriptions of what the

reader sees and the characters experience. He still remembers to make

his stories interesting, in other words.

At first glancing at the words, “The end of strife and conflict of

all kinds had also meant the virtual end of creative art. The world

was still living on the glories of a past that could never return,”

I began to think that Clarke was wrong and beginning to get a little

too idealistic. Then, I realized that just as humanity in the book is

coming out of its childhood ways, I too must realize what can or

can’t be. One must take the good with the bad. I found myself

relating to the novel on a whole new level. I had to learn to

understand why this was happening, and that ultimately, it was for

the greater good.

Clarke mastered the outline and sequences of the story so well that

virtually any reader would find themselves in the exact same

position as any person on Earth would, in the event that something

like that would happen. Almost as if the book was Karellen’s

captain’s log on his ship, dispelling everything that occurred and

leaving the most enlightening part for the end. I truly believed that

I was reading something that was beyond anything I had read before.

Surpassing even the insight the late genius Carl Sagan made into Pi

at the closing pages of “Contact.” While the descriptions of the

Overlords’ home planet were somewhat trifling for my abilities to

imagine inside my head, I had to re-read a few of the passages Clarke

wrote. I’m sure even the character of Jan had difficulty taking

it all in.

I have, under much consideration, contemplated the production of

this story into a full-fledged motion picture event. Each page keeps the

reader addicted. I found myself reading

Внимание, отключите Adblock

Вы посетили наш сайт со включенным блокировщиком рекламы!
Ссылка для скачивания станет доступной сразу после отключения Adblock!

Скачать