"The Last Generation"

E469484

"The Last Generation" is the final section of Arthur C. Clarke’s science fiction novel *Childhood’s End*, depicting the ultimate evolutionary transformation of humanity.

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The Last Generation 0

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Predicate Object
instanceOf book section
narrative episode
addressesQuestion the cost of evolutionary transcendence
what humanity ultimately becomes
appearsInWork Childhood’s End NERFINISHED
author Arthur C. Clarke NERFINISHED
chronologicalPositionInWork final section of Childhood’s End
concludes the narrative arc of Childhood’s End
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
createdBy Arthur C. Clarke NERFINISHED
depicts merging of human minds into a cosmic Overmind
transcendence of human individuality
ultimate evolutionary transformation of humanity
endsWith absorption of the last human minds into the Overmind
destruction of Earth
exploresTheme cosmic consciousness
end of humanity
evolution
human insignificance on a cosmic scale
intervention of superior alien intelligences
loss of individuality
transcendence
featuresEntity Overlords NERFINISHED
Overmind NERFINISHED
firstPublicationForm part of the novel Childhood’s End
focusesOn Jan Rodricks NERFINISHED
the final human children
hasMainCharacter Jan Rodricks NERFINISHED
hasTone apocalyptic
melancholic
philosophical
language English
literarySignificance often cited as a classic example of cosmic-scale science fiction endings
medium print
narrativeFunction depicts the extinction of the human species as a distinct form
presents the final fate of Earth
resolves the mystery of the Overlords’ mission
partOf Childhood’s End NERFINISHED
portrays the Overlords as midwives of human evolution NERFINISHED
the last generation of human children as different from their parents
relatedWork Childhood’s End NERFINISHED
setAfter The Golden Age NERFINISHED
The Last of the Overlords NERFINISHED
setIn future Earth
workGenre science fiction

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Childhood's End partTitle "The Last Generation"