2001: A Space Odyssey (novel) becomes an immortal 'Star Child' that can live and travel in space. The Star Child then returns to Earth, where he detonates an orbiting nuclear warhead. This is not discussed again until the sequel to the book, "". "2001: A Space Odyssey" explores technological advancement: its promise and its danger. The HAL 9000 computer puts forward the troubles that can crop up when man builds machines, the inner workings of which he does not fully comprehend and therefore cannot fully control. The book explores the perils related to the atomic age. In this novel, the Cold War is apparently still
Interpretations of 2001: A Space Odyssey complex three-level allegory is proposed by Leonard F. Wheat in his book, "Kubrick's 2001: A Triple Allegory". Wheat states that, "Most... misconceptions (of the film) can be traced to a failure to recognize that 2001 is an allegory – a surface story whose characters, events, and other elements symbolically tell a hidden story... In 2001's case, the surface story actually does something unprecedented in film or literature: it embodies three allegories." According to Wheat, the three allegories are: Wheat uses acronyms, as evidence to support his theories. For example, of the name "Heywood R. Floyd", he writes ""He" suggests Helen