Children of Time

Architecture is a symbol for the physical and abstract structures of society, and for the internal structures of the individuals that make up the spider and human species. A recurring image in the novel is the structure of the spider cities, which reflects their culture and their psychology. As the narrative states, “The technology of Portia’s kind is built on silk and wood, potential energy stored in tensioned lines and primitive springs. What little metal they use is stolen from the ants. They have no use for fire” (139). Likewise, Fabian’s power over the ants comes from his discovery of a new architecture in the scent-based orders for the ants. By referring to what amounts to communication between the ants and spiders as a form of architecture, Tchaikovsky reinforces the idea of social structures that are shared between species, thereby foreshadowing the resolution of the novel.

The act of planning becomes a symbol for the ability of the mind to reach beyond the current time and extend into the future. The ability to plan is the reason why Guyen was chosen to lead the ship that was supposed to save humanity. Similarly, although the first Portia has almost no brain, she can plan an attack and foresee future moves to ensure success. Elsewhere in the narrative, Kern’s plan to accelerate the evolution of monkeys, the “exaltation of the beasts” (79), leads to a genuine exaltation of the spiders, allowing them to transcend the cultural evolution of the humans that they were designed to emulate. Finally, the spiders’ plan to infect humanity with the nanovirus demonstrates their ability to see well beyond the present and to understand the superiority of problem-solving over simple acts of conquest.

The spiders’ primary family unit is the peer group, which is established by genetic Understanding that is largely shared among siblings from the same clutch of eggs. This motif highlights the novel’s thematic focus on Promoting Coexistence through Mutual Understanding because the peer group is formed by their shared knowledge rather than tribal sensibilities. Spiders have no instinctual reason to bond and connect emotionally as humans do, but their success as an evolved species relies on their ongoing ability to coexist harmoniously. As a result, they organize by peer groups—first for protection, but eventually to gain a deeper sense of understanding and comfort as well. When Fabian advocates for gender equality in the society, he asks for two main things: “I want the right to live […] I want the right to build my own peer house, and to speak for it” (394). The connection offered by the peer house is the primary means of building status in the spider society.