The Theme Of Evolution In 2001: A Space Odyssey

In the book 2001: A Space Odyssey, there is a very obvious theme that is reoccuring throughout the book. That theme is the theme of evolution. The theory of evolution is alluded through the changes that different characters throughout the book go through. There are many characters in the book, however, only a select few characters change and grow in someway. The main group of characters that are changing in the book are humans or forms of humans. The humans want to become this god like figure and they can only do that through the changes in the characters. One person states "The main theme, simply put, will be human evolution. This may sound innocuous to many readers, but this actually cloaks a deeper, darker agenda – an occult agenda where man “evolves” to become God. Not, mind you, in any kind of Christian sense of redemption from death and participation in
Bowman literally evolves into an entirely new creature which is called a star child in the book. He evolves far past man thought they were going to evolve. The quote from the book states "But nothing was being lost; all that he had ever been, at every moment of his life, was being transferred to safer keeping. Even as one David Bowman ceased to exist, another became immortal" (216). This quote from the book alludes to how evolution will never stop and life will keep changing and adapting. Man can go so much farther than they thought the ever could and it is due to what David found in space. The characters that change throughout the book 2001: A Space Odyssey allude to the overall theme of evolution. These characters such as Moon-Watcher, HAL and David Bowman. These character show that all throughout history, people have changed to get life to where it is now. These characters also show that life will constantly be changing and will never stop evolving. Everyone is affecting the way life will go on in the