Parable of the Sower

[5/5/24] My new favorite book. It was refreshing and powerful to read a Black, female protagonist who was so thoroughly her own person, yet not alienated from her identities. Not only this, but also that she was such a clear-eyed leader, and that not only did she recognize herself as a leader, but others- including men- naturally looked to her as such as well.

Butler did what so many authors neglect or fail to do: to present a world that is realistic in its horror, yet not gratuitous and shocking for its own sake. She wrote at once with solemnity and dispassion about the realities of her dystopian future. Further, she discusses the impolite and grotesque features of such a world that other authors shy away from, especially “women’s troubles”- young women procuring condoms for recreational sex, menstruation, rape, sexual slavery, breast feeding, etc.

Additionally, she writes men of many varieties- foes and allies: those who seek to condescend to women, to minimize and abuse them, and those who would uplift women and support their power in the face of such men, disrupting misogyny and patriarchy.

To read a young, Black, female leader owning and cultivating her strength among ruins was captivating. And yet, she is human and flawed, as are the other characters, though we may like them. The sexual and romantic relationship between Lauren and Bankole is something that sits uneasily with me, for example. And yet, it is difficult to judge it in the same light give the circumstances in which they lived. Nevertheless, despite her being “wise beyond her years” and Bankole being not only a gentleman, but an active ally and supporter of Lauren’s leadership and vision, it is difficult not to feel uneasy about it- is it truly non-exploitative? Nevertheless, Butler does not overly romanticize their relationship, and this is something I found so captivating about her writing: it is so “matter-of-fact.” Butler managers to pen vivid and visceral- at times even beautiful, poignant, sentimental- scenes, yet commands a realism in her voice that is difficult to describe in any way but “clear-eyed” and “refreshing”- yet also visionary!

Something else I appreciated and resonated with so deeply was Lauren’s orientation toward both compassion and survival. I think the book’s sympathy toward gun-ownership, self-defense, and self-reliance- yet also in the interest of one’s community- resonated deeply with me. The refusal to be victims, the insistence on responsibility and survival- these were things that I observe many educated people neglect and reject because they take safety and liberty for granted. But we must not. We must ensure our own lives, happiness, and freedom as best as we can, despite however “peaceful” things may appear to the casual onlooker- and by the way, I don’t think things seem that way to anyone who is not deluding themselves.

Again, this is my new favorite book, and I will now begin the second in the series, which I greatly look forward to.

I wish this had received the same cultural acclaim as The Hunger Games. I hope in the near future this will receive a film adaptation.

This was an excellent read for someone that enjoys a story about a journey and a message that is a call to action. Can’t wait to start book number two.