HOPE AS A WAY TO STAY WITH THE TROUBLE IN THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER (1993) AND PARABLE OF THE TALENTS (1998) DUOLOGY, BY OCTAVIA BUTLER
Keywords:
Utopian Enclave; Critical Dystopia, North-American Literature.Abstract
Through a critical reading of Parabole of the sower (1993) and Parabole of the talents (1998) novels, from the north American author Octavia Butler (1947 – 2006), this article aims to investigate the strategies employed by the character Lauren Oya Olamina, the duology’s main character, to survive in the social and environmentally ruined world depicted in the narrative. To develop this reflection, this analysis will be guided by the studies of Tom Molan (2000) and Raffaella Baccolini (2000; 2004; 2013) concerning places of hope in dystopian narratives, focused on how they are created and maintened by the characters. Moreover, we will be based in Donna Haraway’s (2023) discussions about “staying with the trouble” in Anthropocene and the need to formulate most effective actions to living (and dying) well in a devastated world, as to build communities, alliances and kinship beyond the family. Thus, in this paper, we argue that we should learn to deal with the troubles evoked by the crisis, without avoiding them. Conversely, in fact, using the recourses and conditions allowed by this scenario.
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