Childhood's End Freedom and Confinement Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Man was, therefore, still a prisoner on his own planet. It was a much fairer, but a much smaller, planet than it had been a century before. When the Overlords had abolished war and hunger and disease, they had also abolished adventure. (8.13)

It's one of those win-lose type situations: Earth's become a killer, nonstop party, but no one is allowed to leave and take a breather on, say, Mars.

Quote #5

People could indulge in such whims, because they had both the time and the money. (10.8)

The Overlords have equally distributed the two great freedom makers—time and money—to create a world that seems perfect. Yet characters like Jan Rodricks can still feel the claustrophobic effects of a world under the thumb of Overlord rule. And it's a mighty big thumb.

Quote #6

The Overlord ships reach more than 99 percent of the speed of light, so the trip must last forty years of our time. Our time: that's the crux of the matter. (12.14)

When Jan sneaks aboard the Overlord ship, he is freed from the confinements of Earth. All of them. Even time can barely confine him thanks to the speed of the traveling ship.