Contrast: Hopefulness vs Hopelessness The second quarter of Children of Men revolves around Theodore’s confrontation with Xan and the Council. After agreeing to question Xan on The Five Fishes’ behalf, Theodore approached the situation with an attitude of hopelessness, expecting to fail. Meanwhile, Julian was hopeful and confident that their fight for justice will be met with victory. Theodore knew deep down that talking to Xan won’t make him change his policies on the Quietus, Man Penal Settlement, Sojourners or compulsory examinations; which was why he was reluctant to pass on The Five Fishes’ message since the very start. After consulting with Xan, he reported back to Julian saying, "That's what you asked me to do and that's what I did.
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In response to Theodore’s accusations, both answered by diminishing the value of personal freedom in comparison to the overall good of the society; a key characteristic of totalitarianism. Harriet Marwood, the Council member responsible for Health, Science and Recreation responded to Theodore’s complaint about the living conditions on the Man Penal Settlement by assusing criminals of being unchangeable and their improved treatment being a waste of society’s resources. Harriet said, “Everything has been tried to cure man’s criminality…Cruelty and severity didn’t work, but neither did kindness and leniency...The priests, the psychiatrists, the psychologists, the criminologists- none has found the answer. What we guarantee is freedom from fear, freedom from want, freedom from boredom. The other freedoms are pointless without freedom from fear” (James 113). She clearly has no faith in rehabilitation for criminals, claiming that nothing could be done to turn wrong-doers away from their evil ways. She believes that someone who chooses to assault, rob, abuse or exploit others should be forced to live with others who do the same and the chaos created is their punishment. More importantly, this quote shows her prioritization of freedom from fear. She states that without freedom from fear, all other freedoms are pointless. This means that according to Harriet, all other freedoms including free thought, free speech and every other human right can be taken away from the people in order to minimize fear. When questioned about the treatment of Sojourners, Carl Inglebach, the Minister of Justice and State Security responded by stating the all the benefits provided by the Council and how the treatment of Sojourners is nothing in comparison. Carl said, “We see reversions to old myths, old superstitions, even to human sacrifice, sometimes on a massive
In response to Theodore’s accusations, both answered by diminishing the value of personal freedom in comparison to the overall good of the society; a key characteristic of totalitarianism. Harriet Marwood, the Council member responsible for Health, Science and Recreation responded to Theodore’s complaint about the living conditions on the Man Penal Settlement by assusing criminals of being unchangeable and their improved treatment being a waste of society’s resources. Harriet said, “Everything has been tried to cure man’s criminality…Cruelty and severity didn’t work, but neither did kindness and leniency...The priests, the psychiatrists, the psychologists, the criminologists- none has found the answer. What we guarantee is freedom from fear, freedom from want, freedom from boredom. The other freedoms are pointless without freedom from fear” (James 113). She clearly has no faith in rehabilitation for criminals, claiming that nothing could be done to turn wrong-doers away from their evil ways. She believes that someone who chooses to assault, rob, abuse or exploit others should be forced to live with others who do the same and the chaos created is their punishment. More importantly, this quote shows her prioritization of freedom from fear. She states that without freedom from fear, all other freedoms are pointless. This means that according to Harriet, all other freedoms including free thought, free speech and every other human right can be taken away from the people in order to minimize fear. When questioned about the treatment of Sojourners, Carl Inglebach, the Minister of Justice and State Security responded by stating the all the benefits provided by the Council and how the treatment of Sojourners is nothing in comparison. Carl said, “We see reversions to old myths, old superstitions, even to human sacrifice, sometimes on a massive