Characters
The characters within the novel The Children of Men are all rather unique. The two I find most unusual are Theo and Xan Lyppiat. The underlying concept of these two characters is that they are opposites of one another. Theo is the central protagonist whom the book centers primarily on throughout the novel, and Xan is the central antagonist who is the root of despair in the novel. On the surface, we are shown the extreme contrast between the two men, but closer inspection shows how both lead back to a theme of isolation.
To start, Thelonius "Theo" Faron is who the readers travel through the book with as our protagonist. Theo is portrayed as a historian, a dying art in this new world. He has just been through a divorce at the start of the book, which clearly has affected Theo. Isolation is closely associated with Theo due to the fact that he is both physically and emotionally removed from his perfect life. We see at the beginning of the novel a diary entry by our hero himself. The entry is a justification that his life has finally hit a low. His wife having left him and his daughter killed are affecting him. These traumatic events lead him to isolate himself emotionally from others and live in unspoken detachment. He has no definite affiliations or family, and though he disapproves of the government and its leader, he does so passively, preferring distance to action. His loneliness is not solely private but public as well, for he is the epitome of the typical disillusioned citizen in a crumbling world.
Xan, though, is the antithesis of power and confidence, but he is just as alone. Being self-styled Warden of England, Xan holds unlimited power, yet he wields it with no real friendship or trust. He is abetted by yes-men and annihilates any potential opposition to his dictatorship, whatever the cost. His loneliness is a loneliness of supremacy—he prefers to be above man, sacrificing empathy and ethics for the illusion of command. Despite his charm, he lives without true relationships and seems incapable of finding true emotional connection. His coldness and detachment connect to Theo in a warped way.
Ultimately, both Theo and Xan live in isolation, Theo through loss and guilt, Xan through fear and power. Their contrast shows how loneliness and emotional isolation can occur at all levels of society, especially in a world without hope.
Setting
In The Children of Men by P.D. James, setting plays a critical role in the determination of the characters, more so Theo Faron. The world in 2021 is bleak and bare, with no children having been born for nearly two decades. The dystopian environment significantly affects Theo's character, worldview, and actions throughout the novel. His relationship with the environment reveals not only his inner struggle, but also his transformation as he begins to rebel against the society he once cherished.
At the beginning of the novel, Theo lives in an isolated and peaceful part of Oxford among the remnants of what had once been a thriving academic community. He walks perpetually through the city, describing it in dead terms. The museums, libraries, and parks, institutions that were once teeming with life and knowledge, are now empty and deserted. The environment mirrors Theo's state of mind. Theo is desperate, emotionally drained, and disconnected from the rest of society. The surroundings are a reminder that the world has capitulated, as has he. The way he interacts with the surroundings, looking at it passively and detachedly, shows how withdrawn he has become from life and from concern with the world.
Later in the novel, as Theo becomes involved with Julian and with the Five Fishes, his relationship with the surroundings begins to shift. As the group flees to the countryside, Theo starts to see beauty once more, the trees, animals, and serene nature around them. These kinds of details bring about a feeling of awe and even a little hope. It is reflective of the reawakening of his spirit and growing sense of purpose. More than just a bystander, he begins to take real action, helping Julian, making moral decisions, and finally, opposing Xan. The desolation of the world around him causes him to step out of isolation and connect with others.
Theo would never have transformed if he were in a more normal, positive world. But the world perishing around him causes him to look within himself profoundly and eventually grow stronger. The world around him causes him to question what matters and provides him with the courage to fight for something bigger than himself. In this manner, the barren environment is not just a background, it shapes Theo's journey in its entirety. His connection with the world changes from isolated to connected, illustrating that even in the most desolate of environments, people can discover meaning once more.
Plot and structure
In The Children of Men, one of the underlying conflicts is the external conflict to preserve human existence in a world where human reproduction has ceased. This conflict is mostly external since it deals with societal collapse due to infertility and loss of hope for the future. The central figure, Theo Faron, is caught in the midst of this discord as he finds himself pulled into the battle to save the first expectant mother in two decades, a symbol of hopeful salvation for humankind. This crisis of infertility is not just biological but social and political as well, with various factions, including the oppressive government and revolutionary groups, vying for control over this pivotal pregnancy.
As the novel progresses, this outside conflict becomes intertwined with Theo's inside conflict. He grapples with personal despair, guilt, and indifference after his child's death and the failure of his marriage. The inside conflict of Theo with his sense of purpose and identity is a recurring parallel throughout the novel to the outside conflict of social decay. For example, to begin, Theo is a cynic and isolated man who cares not about any more noble cause than his survival. His development, from apathetic to having a purpose, reflects the wider struggle to revitalize hope within a world of decay. His conflict within runs parallel to his conflict as he becomes ever more drawn in by the promise of the unborn child's survival as a metaphor for rebirth.
The war is one of values of hope versus despair, freedom versus oppression. The oppressive government, represented by the Warden, is one of control and desires to destroy all hopes which would mean rebellion. That is countered by the resistance movement headed by Julian as a value for freedom and faith in humankind to be capable of establishing itself again. Theo's personal journey is a combination of these perspectives as he understands that hope, however frail, has to be maintained to secure the future of mankind.
The resolution of the conflict is uncertain. Theo's sacrifice, in the final parts of the novel, suggests the destiny of the child and mankind is in play. But his sacrifice suggests a provisional solution: the hope that in the face of overwhelming despair, human beings can be capable of acts of redemption and hope. The novel ends unresolved, underlining the uncertainty and fragility of life, and leaving the reader to wonder whether or not humanity can find its way out or is destined to be wiped out.
Narrator and Speaker analysis
In The Children of Men, P.D. James uses specific language choices to reveal the narrator’s perspective, particularly through Theo Faron’s lens. As the protagonist, Theo’s language reflects his disillusionment and cynicism about the world around him. One example of this is when he describes the state of humanity: “The world had grown old and impotent, like the sick man who sees death approaching but cannot summon the strength to resist.” The adjectives “old” and “impotent” convey a sense of decay and helplessness, underscoring Theo’s view of a dying civilization. His tone is resigned and bleak, emphasizing the hopelessness he feels in a world where reproduction has ceased, and humanity’s future is uncertain.
Another example comes when Theo reflects on the government’s role in the crisis: “The Warden’s bureaucrats moved like zombies, shuffling through the empty streets, indifferent to everything but their power.” The use of “zombies” and “shuffling” portrays the government officials as lifeless and apathetic, suggesting a deep-seated corruption and a lack of genuine concern for the people. The syntax here, using a simile to compare the officials to zombies, emphasizes their dehumanizing qualities and heightens Theo’s contempt for their rule. It also reflects his growing frustration with the oppressive regime that seeks to maintain control over the last remnants of humanity.
James also uses omission to highlight Theo’s emotional distance from the world. For instance, when describing the death of his child, Theo’s language is blunt and detached: “The child died, and that was that.” The simplicity of this sentence, paired with the lack of emotional elaboration, reveals Theo’s numbness and internal conflict. By not elaborating on his feelings or providing more insight into the event’s emotional weight, James conveys how Theo’s grief is buried under layers of apathy and despair. This lack of emotional depth in his narration mirrors the broader theme of societal decay and the emotional desensitization caused by living in such a bleak, infertile world.
The choice of words and sentence structure in the novel also reflects the tone James sets toward the characters and events. Words like “impotent,” “zombies,” and the bluntness surrounding personal tragedy contribute to a sense of grim realism and hopelessness. The language reinforces the thematic concerns of despair, loss of purpose, and the erosion of hope, showing how individuals, including Theo, have come to accept their bleak fate. These choices shape the reader’s understanding of the novel’s themes of survival, power, and the human capacity for hope in the face of extinction.