Childhood’s End

by

Arthur C. Clarke

Jeffrey Greggson Character Analysis

Jeffrey is the son of George and Jean and the first human to start showing signs of Total Breakthrough, wherein he begins developing psychic abilities brought on by the approach of the Overmind. Knowing this, the Overlords have been observing Jeffrey for his entire life, and miraculously protect him from a tsunami—speaking as a voice in his head and burning away a boulder that would have trapped him—giving George and Jean their first indication that there is something unique about their son. Before he begins to show symptoms of the Overmind’s coming, Jeffrey is a simple boy—he enjoys swimming on the coast of New Athens, playing with the family dog, and begins to share his father’s love of the theater. However, after the tsunami, he begins to have strange dreams of distant planets, which Karellen and Rashaverak understand are not actually dreams but Jeffrey’s mind developing its ability to leave his body and roam the universe while he sleeps. As time passes, Jeffrey begins having these “dreams” during the day as well, for hours at a time, greatly disturbing his parents. By the time the symptoms of Total Breakthrough start appearing in other children, Jeffrey is no longer himself, and no longer the son of George and Jean—he has turned into something else entirely. When the Overmind arrives, Jeffrey sheds his bodily form and joins it with the other children. Rashaverak implies that, due to his transformation, he is not technically human.

Jeffrey Greggson Quotes in Childhood’s End

The Childhood’s End quotes below are all either spoken by Jeffrey Greggson or refer to Jeffrey Greggson. 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 18 Quotes

This was a thought that had never occurred to [George]. He had subconsciously assumed that the Overlords possessed all knowledge and all power—that they understood, and were probably responsible for, the things that had been happening to Jeff.

Related Characters: George Greggson , Jean Morrel , Jeffrey Greggson, Rashaverak
Related Symbols: The Overlords
Page Number: 166
Explanation and Analysis:
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Jeffrey Greggson Quotes in Childhood’s End

The Childhood’s End quotes below are all either spoken by Jeffrey Greggson or refer to Jeffrey Greggson. 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 18 Quotes

This was a thought that had never occurred to [George]. He had subconsciously assumed that the Overlords possessed all knowledge and all power—that they understood, and were probably responsible for, the things that had been happening to Jeff.

Related Characters: George Greggson , Jean Morrel , Jeffrey Greggson, Rashaverak
Related Symbols: The Overlords
Page Number: 166
Explanation and Analysis: