Major Themes of 2001 A Space Odyssey
A Space Odyssey, by acclaimed science fiction author Arthur C. ... Rather than focusing on an isolated moment in history, 2001 spans the entire course of mankind’s development, from the most primitive cavemen to the final stages of evolution, with each period of evolution being represented by a different character or set of characters. ... The themes that Clarke addresses in this book include the evolution of mankind, the conflict of human evolution as opposed to the evolution of technology, and the role of a higher intelligence in human development. The first theme, which forms the foundation of the 2001 story, is the gradual evolution of the human race. ... While the first monolith was seen on Earth, this second monolith delineates mankind’s ability to extend its reach beyond the earth and into outer space, thus marking a significant new level of human achievement. ... After a series of events involving the malfunctioning of Hal, the ship’s computer, Bowman arrives on the Saturn moon and unlocks the secret of the monoliths, at which time he leaves the physical body and becomes a spiritual creature who exists beyond the time-space continuum.