Parable of the Sower is a book by Octavia. It contains many topics that are similar in history. These include slavery, the lack of equality, and the decrease of civilisation. Butler has managed to incorporate the dystopian literature into her novel. This book is filled with many dystopian traits and criteria. These include a fallen civilization, lacks of justice, restrictions on freedom, and the restriction of information. Authors are able to convey their opinion to the reader, leading them to imagine the future. A utopia can be described as a place in which everything seems perfect. The book portrays the dystopia as its opposite. A dystopia refers to a fictional place in which everything is unsatisfactory or negative. Butler talks about the social issues of the United States in the 1980s & 1990s. Butler then moves them forward 30 or 40 years. The current problems are not solved and they get worse every day.
Lauran is a main character who records all the events in her journal. She is able feel the pains that others are experiencing. She lives with her family in Robeldo. The community is secured by a gate. The community builds a wall around itself to protect them from crime outside. People who live in a community may think that they’re safe from dangers outside. The book is filled with attacks on the community, and they happen more than once. Finally in chapter 14, it’s all destroyed. The century they’re in is a problem because many people have started to create more gates for their community. As the people of the community have no access outside their communities, they are restricted in their freedom. The natural resources in the community were scarce due to environmental disasters.
There hasn’t rained in their area for many years. People are willing to do anything to obtain water. Only the wealthy can afford to bathe and wash their clothing. Police and firefighters are paid to provide free services, but they are corrupt. People in the community have no idea what animals are. In the fourth chapter, parents from the Robledo Community take their kids outside to shoot. The children were practicing shooting when they were attacked by a pack of dogs. Lauren asks Aura if she’s ever seen a dog before. She shakes her head. Aura is unaware of this animal. Lauren knows a little about dogs. Lauren explains that she read about dogs being loyal, intelligent pets in books, but this is all the past. Dogs are now wild animals and will eat an infant if possible. Lauren explains it after two characters are attacked. If people were aware of the events outside their community, they would be able to tell about the other animals. The dystopian society is in line with the new traits discovered about animals. The lack of humanity in the characters is a major problem throughout the entire book. Many people attack and kill other people. Lauren says in the book that it was peaceful but people were still trying to kill one another. They probably succeeded. Strange that we can now lie down and listen to the gunfire while people are trying to kill eachother. Lauren thinks about this while listening to gunfire. Humans are not only killing each other, but also eating them. This period of environmental degradation is a perfect example of dystopia. Many people begin to starve due to the lack food. In this period, the government’s services are beginning to fail. Parables fit into both dystopian and Afrofuturistic literature. This book is science fiction set in the near future and includes various aspects of black culture and history that match Afrofuturism.
Lauren, who is black, has white friends but knows that she should not date white men and only choose someone from the same race. Lauren, who is black, has friends that are white. She knows though that she should only date black men. Lauren is aware that traveling with people of another race can be violent and negative for her group. This book discusses the various types of slavery in today’s society. It shows how class and race differences divided people over the years, causing the Robledo community to end. Butler argues that society’s future depends solely on the ability of people to put aside differences and work with each other. If they are not able, then the future could look like what the community of Robledo ended up being. Butler’s book is dystopian, despite the fact that it has many themes. There are several themes because of the various events in the novel. The book contains a message that the world may end up similar to the Parable of the Sower.