Discussion 4 - Discussion Director

1. Why does Xan hate Woolcombe?

Because he had bad memories there (he didn’t really like his family)

2. What were Xan’s feelings towards Theo when they were walking in the park?

Suspicion but Xan still sort of liked theo.

3. Why were the Omega so Arrogant?

Because they were so sheltered as children.

4. Why didn’t they tell Gascoigne about the baby?

Because they didn’t think he needed to and Rolf wanted no one to now except Miriam but Julian insisted Luke knew as well

5. Why did Theo shoot Xan instead of capturing him peacefully?

Because he was shot at??? I’m not really sure.

6. Why did they kill Miriam, Gascoigne and Rolf?

Because they were cruel and power controlling

7. What was the symbolism behind the baptism Julians baby?

It is the world thanksing god and praising god.

My Book Review - Children of Men

The Children of Men

P.D. James

 Sci Fi

A man called Theo, in 2021, is bored with his life.  The human race is about to be extinct. Theo was approached by a women named Julian. Her and her group want Theo to have an audience with Xan, the warden/dictator of England because Xan is Theo’s Cousin. Julian’s group wants change in the world and Theo gets swept up in the adventures that follow.

The main character is Theo. He is not described in the book. He is a depressed character and slightly condescending. He is not someone I would want to be friends with.  His cousin Xan is described as having a lot of charm but not being a particularly nice guy. “When Xan is with another person he gives the impression of intimacy, interest, of not wanting any other company. He could hear of that person's death the next day with equanimity, could probably even kill him without a scruple. Now I can watch him on television as he gives his quarterly report to the nation and see the same charm."  This quote from the book explains Xan very well. Julian is bright but has secrets and one of her hands are deformed as a result is seen as inferior by others. Theo is alike to a boring middle age university professor. Xan is the cold dictator and Julian is the younger revolutionist. I don’t really like any of the characters, they’re not the people I would make friends with. All these characters are extremely important to the story as without them there would be no story.

The story deals with having hope and trusting in god. In the book the human race has no hope and they are bitter with god as they believe he has abandoned them. Almost the entire world has lost hope and is depressed. Theo is one of these people. Theo is brought hope by Julian which, through Julian’s actions, causes the world to gain hope again as well. Because the world has lost hope they have lost their trust an example is when Xan’s driver says “Perhaps His experiment went spectacularly wrong, sir. Perhaps He is just baffled. Seeing the mess, not knowing how to put it right. Perhaps not wanting to put it right. Perhaps He only had enough power left for one final intervention. So He made it. Whoever He is, whatever He is, I hope He burns in His own Hell.” This quote shows the general opinion of the population. They think god had abandoned them and they had lost hope. The book makes me think about hope and faith. The world had lost all hope and few people believed in god but it was those vary things that delivered them.

The reason why I enjoyed the book is because I wanted to know what would happen. I didn’t particularly like the book but it was ok. The book made me think about how fragile human life was and if some disease mutated the world could end up like that. It also made me think how hope aids in delivering from despair. Hope saved the human race and it was inspiring. I really couldn’t identify with them as the characters in the story have personalities that are a stark contrast to me. I learned that even if you are in the worst of troubles, if you plod along and continue hoping you may get out of the mess you find yourself in.