My summary of the Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler does not do it justice. The first book that I read by Octavia Butler was Kindred, and that story haunted me. I was at times traumatized reading it and also could not put it down.
Parable of the Sower is gentler, well gentler may not be the right word as we enter a post-Apocalyptic, dystopian world with its own brand of horror. It is the story of Lauren Olamina. In a world that’s falling apart, with civil war between people based on economic class, Lauren finally finds herself thrust from her relatively safe, relatively comfortable, walled community outside Los Angelos into the larger world. Homeless, orphaned, she joins the migration north, hoping to find a place to make a better life. Along the way, Lauren grows a movement.
From Robledo, Moving North
Lauren starts off with two people that she’s knew from Robledo, Harry and Zahra. Harry is white while Lauren and Zahra are black. Starting out as a diverse group, something less common on the road, they gradually collect other people, mixed families, people with children.
Although growing up in a Christian family where her father was the reverend, Lauren had her own ideas about religion. Observing the chaotic world around her, and disgusted by the politicians and their determination to get rid of the space program, she sees space as a possible salvation.
Lauren started writing her verses while living with her family and even shared some of them with family and community members. However, she protected her big ideas, the ones incompatible with Christianity until she had to leave home.
The first people that Lauren taught about her teachings were Harry and Zahra. Then as they amassed more refugees in their group, she continued teaching, and as people converted to her way of thinking, they taught the others. The journey north is both a physical and a spiritual journey. Lauren’s teachings unites the group and will end up deciding where they build their community.
Concluding Thoughts on Parable of the Sower
Octavia Butler’s writing is rich yet accessible. The people who paint their faces are the paints, and they like to watch fire, so they’re the pyros. Earthseed is planted in each person but an important element is Destiny. There is much world-building in this book but the use of descriptive language makes the details accessible.
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