The Apocalyptic World of Butler's Parable of the Sower

 As we were discussing Parable of the Sower in class the other day, we were talking about what makes a dystopia vs. eutopia vs. apocalypse.

If I were to categorize the books we have read in the class I would say they are all very dystopian, aside from this one. Parable of the Sower to me feels much more apocalyptic than any of the other books we have read based on three key things: the state of the world, the expanse of time the book covers, and the violence. Since the world is pretty much "ending" in a sense because of climate change, the circumstances feel much more dire than a classic dystopia. Moreover, the book covers a series of years as Lauren makes her way through life. This is a trope I see more in apocalypses, as people are "surviving" and going on journeys along the way. Finally, everyone is dying, literally. That sentiment to me is much more apocalyptic than a dystopia, which can have violence, but more people are living. 

I still think Parable of the Sower fits with this class and merges the two (apocalypse and dystopia) but it feels different than BNW and 1984. What do you think?

Comments

  1. L. MoffittMay 21, 2021 at 7:38 AM

    Well said. I didn't plan it this way, but it really works out well that Parable is the last book and that it merges apocalyptic and dystopian fiction -- as though society has broken down after BNW and 1984 and now we're rebuilding. Actual hope for a new future??

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