The Best Part, 2019-3

"The Guardians," by John Christopher

Sir Percy got up and walked over to one of the windows. The sun was shining; his carefully groomed hair and mustache gleamed in a ray of light. Rob wondered why he was telling him all this – if in fact he was just talking for his own satisfaction. He continued:

“It must appear to be natural because people cannot be contented unless they believe their lives to be natural. But to do this and to keep everything in balance requires intelligence and planning. It requires a special group of dedicated men who will act as guardians over the rest. Thus guns are abolished but a reserve is kept to protect society against insurrection. Not only that – we have psychologists to help us mold people into proper courses of action. We are constantly on the alert for trouble. The Conurb is easier to control than the County in that respect. Anyone showing creative intelligence and initiative stands out conspicuously from the mob and can be dealt with. Here it is less easy. Aristocracies have always provided the seedbeds for revolt. However well we manipulate the gentry, sooner or later there must be an eruption. This is what we have just had. We have watched it gather like a boil and at the right moment have lanced it. It will be fifty years at least before it happens again.”

Sir Percy broke off. “Do you understand me, boy? I am not talking over your head?”

“No, sir.”

“I did not think I was.”

John Christopher’s dystopia is written sparsely, with little hooptedoodle, as a book for young readers should. But there are seeds of subtle sophistication in the story which make it utterly believable. Here, Sir Percy’s speech is the clearest description of dystopian society as I’ve ever read. It’s almost akin to the Ministry of Truth’s running of its own rebellions in George Orwell’s 1984. And has eerie echoes of the imperfect society we call home today.