The Children of Men

P. D. James' reputation is as a mystery fiction writer, but this Christmas a movie based on a non-mystery book written by James will be making headlines.

It's not a feel-good Christmas movie. But it may be a movie that addresses an important theme.

Wheaton Professor Alan Jacobs explains the storyline of The Children of Men, which depicts the responses to social chaos triggered by universal infertility:

It's an interesting psychological speculation that James engages in here. People are obsessed by the idea of controlling things. They give over total dictatorial political power to a man who styles himself as the warden of England — and a small counsel of advisers — because he will prevent them from being bored and he will prevent them from suffering any disorder. All they want to do is to live out the remainder of their lives in peace and without any surprises — with electricity still running and hot water for baths, and they are so hopeless that's the most that they ask for.

The external circumstances of this story may not exist today (or ever exist), but the motives that drive the story line certainly do exist. Our culture can well be defined by these three statements: We are bored and unhappy. We don't want to suffer. We want peace (at any and every price).

The movie may or may not be worth seeing (while I have read several novels by James, I have not read this one yet). But James always has important things to say about culture and people in her writings. You can get a flavor for this book and her writing by listening to a Mars Hill Audio podcast called Audition. The podcast includes a lengthy interview with Jacobs, as well as an interview with James herself.