Against the Fall of Night by Arthur C. Clarke
"Against the Fall of Night" is a science fiction story by Arthur C. Clarke, set in a distant future where Earth is reduced to a single city, Diaspar. The narrative follows Alvin, a 7,000-year-old man who is distinct from his fellow citizens due to his curiosity and desire for exploration. When he escapes Diaspar, he discovers a contrasting civilization known as Lys, characterized by lush landscapes and a society that embraces birth and growth, unlike the immortal and stagnant life of Diaspar. The story delves into the philosophical divergence between these two societies, exploring themes of mortality, the impact of technology on humanity, and the balance between urban and rural lifeways.
As Alvin interacts with the inhabitants of Lys, including wise figures like Seranis and her son Theon, he learns about the histories and myths surrounding their civilizations, including legendary battles and cosmic entities. The narrative ultimately addresses the clash between technological advancement and human experience, as Alvin strives to bridge the gap between Diaspar and Lys, seeking to rejuvenate the Earth and humanity's connection with the universe. Recognized for its thought-provoking themes, "Against the Fall of Night" is considered an early work of Clarke that raises important questions about existence and progress.
Against the Fall of Night by Arthur C. Clarke
First published: 1948, serial; 1953, book; 1956, revised and expanded as The City and the Stars
Type of work: Science fiction
Themes: Social issues
Time of work: The distant future
Recommended Ages: 15-18
Locale: Planet Earth and the City of Diaspar
Principal Characters:
Alvin of Loronei , a seven-thousand-year-old “juvenile”Convar , the father of AlvinJeserac , Alvin’s tutor, who is conservative and timidRorden , the Keeper of the Records, whose access to information about humanity’s past intrigues AlvinGerane , the first member of Lys whom Alvin meetsSeranis , a wise older woman, who is the ruler of LysTheon , the son of Seranis, who becomes Alvin’s companionVanamonde , a disembodied being of pure mental energy
The Story
Against the Fall of Night begins on the planet Earth, in the city of Diaspar, the only one that remains as far as its citizens know. The time is the distant future. Alvin of Loronei is a “young man” approximately seven thousand years of age. Unlike most of the inhabitants in Diaspar, Alvin is curious and asks questions. He finds a way out of the city through an air vent, which leads to a platform above the surrounding desert.
Rorden, the Keeper of the Records, believes that Alvin is an atavistic throwback to the great ages; vast advancements in technology have all but destroyed human will. He and Alvin explore the area and discover an illuminated map and tunnel identified by archaic-looking letters that say Lys.
. “Moving ways” rush toward Alvin and he wonders how they work; Rorden is astonished. The systems that maintained and serviced the city were automated millions of years ago; no one ever questioned how they worked. Alvin and Rorden find a bullet-shaped machine floating above the ground. Alvin gets in and travels to Lys.
Lys consists of vast forests and grass-covered plains so different from Alvin’s desert-like world. He sees a lake with a great, silver fish, the first nonhuman creature he has seen, and finds a village of smiling, alert, golden-haired people with children and animals. Alvin meets Seranis, a wise older woman, and her son Theon. Seranis explains to Alvin that Diaspar and Lys disagreed about the philosophy of life: Diaspar is urban; Lys is rural. Theon explains that Lys does not synthesize certain foods, preferring instead to grow them. Seranis tells how Diaspar chose immortality and gave up birth and growth; Lys refused immortality. The two civilizations must never mix. Seranis regards Alvin as an escapee, but Alvin disagrees and Seranis threatens to control his mind and bring him back if he tries to leave Lys and return to Diaspar.
With his enormous pet insect Krif, Theon takes Alvin on a tour through the mountains and among waterfalls. He tells of Shalmirane, the place of a legendary battle against invaders who conquered the universe at the dawn of history. They travel to Shalmirane in cars that float above the earth on invisible tracks. A large robot flying machine arrives and from within it, an old man emerges. He takes Alvin and Theon to his home and tells them of invaders and The Master from space who, before he died, spoke of the Great Ones who would return.
Alvin finally manages to escape in a flying machine. Home again, he tells Rorden of Lys. Rorden, however, believes that the people of Diaspar should not be told about Lys. Alvin then discovers an underground city of machines, the history of machines, and an interpreter machine. He is called before the aging rulers of Diaspar, who now wish to close off the way to Lys. Alvin responds, saying that the machines are the real rulers of Diaspar and its people have become cowards. Before the rulers of Diaspar are able to destroy the exit, however, Alvin decodes The Master’s secret and finds The Master’s air ship in the desert. He returns to Lys and tries to open the country to Diaspar; talks are arranged.
Theon and Alvin leave the solar system in a space ship to The Seven Suns. They meet Vanamonde, an intelligent being without a body that communicates via telepathy. Vanamonde knows the entire history of the human race and tells Alvin and Theon how beings of pure mentality were built but were insane and hostile to matter. As a result, the Mad Mind was imprisoned in the Black Sun, an artificial star, and the people of the Empire left the galaxy. The story of the invaders and Battle of Shalmirane is a myth. Some less adventurous races simply stayed on earth. Alvin again returns home, where he discovers that Lys and Diaspar have begun to interact. Alvin decides that he will help regenerate and restore the oceans and the earth; he also plans to send an unmanned ship outside the galaxy to search for his cousins.
Context
Arthur C. Clarke, an astronomer born in England, has done a considerable amount of scientific writing but is perhaps best known as one of the leading writers of science fiction. The themes found in Clarke’s work are usually more grand in scope than personal. It has been pointed out by his critics and reviewers that Clarke’s viewpoint frequently focuses on the negative, such as the stagnant and sterile city of Diaspar, rather than the positive. In Against the Fall of Night, ideas are more important than character development and plot. The characters are generally identifiable by only their names. Arthur C. Clarke does not spend much time developing their emotions or relationships to one another; even the descriptions of nature in Lys are sparse and vague. There is little or no suspense, and everything that Alvin wants to do he accomplishes easily. Clarke’s closest attention is given to the technology such as the machine Rorden utilizes to store information electrically, search for it, print it out, or display it on a “synthesizer” when needed.
A relatively short work, Against the Fall of Night is more of a long story than a short novel and is a product of Clarke’s early period (1948). The critic Donald A. Wolheim seems to feel that it is one of his most brilliant fantasies. The questions Clarke poses regarding human mortality and immortality, the positive and negative effects of technology upon humanity, and the moral implications of both are probably the principal factors that have established Against the Fall of Night as a classic for young readers.