Youth (Asimov)
Encyclopedia
Youth is a science fiction
short story
by Isaac Asimov
. It first appeared in the May 1952 issue of Space Science Fiction
and was reprinted in the 1955 collection The Martian Way and Other Stories
. Youth is one of the rare Asimov stories with alien characters.
When they don't hear from the aliens, the astronomer and the industrialist go out looking for them. They find a small crashed spaceship with a number of tiny dead aliens in it, and the astronomer is convinced that the aliens all died in the crash. When he hears Red admit to the industrialist that he has been keeping two animals in a cage in the barn, though, he realizes that the "animals" are actually two surviving aliens. When the industrialist learns that the aliens allowed themselves to be captured and caged up rather than harm the two youngsters, he is favorably impressed, and agrees to help the aliens begin trading with his people.
The two aliens succeed in repairing their spaceship and set out for their own world.
Youth is unusual in that none of the characters are given names, or physical descriptions until the very end. All the adults, including the two humans, are known by their professions, and the two young aliens are known by their nicknames. This is necessary to preserve the twist at the end, but it has the effect of giving the story a certain artificiality compared to Asimov's usual style.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
. It first appeared in the May 1952 issue of Space Science Fiction
Space Science Fiction
Space Science Fiction was a science fiction magazine published by Space Publications, Inc. of New York and The Archer Press Ltd. of London that ran for eight issues from May 1952 to September 1953. Space was edited by Lester del Rey and featured a monthly book review column by George O. Smith...
and was reprinted in the 1955 collection The Martian Way and Other Stories
The Martian Way and Other Stories
The Martian Way and Other Stories is a 1955 collection of four science fiction novellas previously published by Isaac Asimov in 1952 and 1954. Although single-author story collections generally sell poorly, The Martian Way and Other Stories did well enough that Doubleday science fiction editor...
. Youth is one of the rare Asimov stories with alien characters.
Plot summary
Slim is a boy whose astronomer father is visiting the country estate of an important industrialist. The industrialist's son, Red, has found two strange animals, and he enlists Slim in a plan to turn the animals into a circus act. The astronomer, meanwhile, tells the industrialist that he has been in contact with space aliens who want to open up their world to interstellar trade. Their world needs help, the astronomer says; ever since the atomic wars that destroyed their old civilization, the world has been regressing. Unless something is done, their culture may be facing total collapse.When they don't hear from the aliens, the astronomer and the industrialist go out looking for them. They find a small crashed spaceship with a number of tiny dead aliens in it, and the astronomer is convinced that the aliens all died in the crash. When he hears Red admit to the industrialist that he has been keeping two animals in a cage in the barn, though, he realizes that the "animals" are actually two surviving aliens. When the industrialist learns that the aliens allowed themselves to be captured and caged up rather than harm the two youngsters, he is favorably impressed, and agrees to help the aliens begin trading with his people.
The two aliens succeed in repairing their spaceship and set out for their own world.
Youth is unusual in that none of the characters are given names, or physical descriptions until the very end. All the adults, including the two humans, are known by their professions, and the two young aliens are known by their nicknames. This is necessary to preserve the twist at the end, but it has the effect of giving the story a certain artificiality compared to Asimov's usual style.