In P. D. James’s The Children of Men, the story takes place in 2021.
The novel opens in January 2021, in an England facing the consequences of a worldwide infertility crisis. Human sperm has lost its potency, no children have been born since 1995, and society is preparing for the possible extinction of humanity. People born in 1995 are known as Omegas, the youngest generation and a privileged class in the aging nation.
The setting is not simply a futuristic backdrop. James uses 2021 to examine what happens when a society loses its expectation of a future. Political participation has collapsed, and Xan Lyppiatt has become England’s self-appointed Warden after taking power in 2006. The government maintains order through authoritarian measures while the population grows increasingly apathetic.
The year 1995 is an important neighboring date and a frequent source of confusion. It is “Year Omega,” marking the last year in which human beings were born—not the main year of the story. The 2021 setting also distinguishes James’s novel from the 2006 film adaptation, Children of Men, which uses a different timeline and plot.