• pet the cat, walk the dog@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    clearly some abstract artsy metaphor

    Hmmm, not really — it actually has elements similar to those in ‘Interstellar’. It’s just that the happenings are delivered in a much more vague manner. From what I’ve heard, Arthur Clarke’s novel describes them clearer.

    • JamesTBagg@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      The novel is more clear. Dave has evolved, literally. The monoliths are mile markers set out by ethereal aliens; the first teaching apes how to use tools, the other monitoring our progress to becoming space-faring.
      Aliens ushering us into a next plane of evolution is a recurring them with Clark. Childhood’s End has the extraterrestrials taking a much more deliberate role in our species transition.