Childhood’s End

by

Arthur C. Clarke

Alexander Wainwright Character Analysis

Wainwright is a clergyman and leader of the Freedom League. He meets with Stormgren to petition the formation of the World Federation and to express his disdain for the Overlords’ secrecy and governance over humanity, though much of his disdain comes from an underlying fear that the Overlords’ presence will make organized religion obsolete, which indeed comes to pass. In a later meeting, when Stormgren announces to him that the Overlords will reveal themselves in fifty years, Wainwright insightfully notes that anyone who can remember what it is was like to be free, without the Overlords, will be dead by then.

Alexander Wainwright Quotes in Childhood’s End

The Childhood’s End quotes below are all either spoken by Alexander Wainwright or refer to Alexander Wainwright. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Science and Mysticism Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

“Can you deny that the Overlords have brought security, peace, and prosperity to the world?”

“That is true, but they have taken our liberty. Man does not live—”

“—by bread alone. Yes, I know—but this is the first age in which every man was sure of getting even that.”

Related Characters: Rikki Stormgren (speaker), Alexander Wainwright (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Overlords, The Freedom League
Page Number: 9
Explanation and Analysis:
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Alexander Wainwright Quotes in Childhood’s End

The Childhood’s End quotes below are all either spoken by Alexander Wainwright or refer to Alexander Wainwright. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Science and Mysticism Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

“Can you deny that the Overlords have brought security, peace, and prosperity to the world?”

“That is true, but they have taken our liberty. Man does not live—”

“—by bread alone. Yes, I know—but this is the first age in which every man was sure of getting even that.”

Related Characters: Rikki Stormgren (speaker), Alexander Wainwright (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Overlords, The Freedom League
Page Number: 9
Explanation and Analysis: