Multiethnic Literatures in the U.S.

Throughout Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower, Lauren (the main character) talks about the aspects of her newly discovered religion of Earthseed. The religion states that God is change and that you can shape that change. This means that you control your destiny and the destiny of others with your everyday actions.

In this particular section of the book (p. 167-268), Lauren demonstrates one of the important concepts of the religion. “Embrace diversity, Unite—Or be divided, robbed, ruled, killed By those who see you as prey. Embrace diversity Or be destroyed” (p.197). After pyro addicts and thieves take over and burn down Lauren’s community, her family is killed, and she is forced to live on her own. Lauren has to find a way to survive without a home and without the help of friends or family. She is left with nothing. But Lauren, being the strong girl that she is, does not believe that she is left with nothing. She knows that she has Earthseed. She knows that if she keeps it her mind and actions she will survive. In order to survive, Lauren knows that she has to find allies and head north. She meets two survivors named Harry and Zahra when she looks for a place to sleep. They all sleep in the same garage for a night, and become allies from there.

Their journey north becomes a struggle with savages trying to rob or kill them for their supplies, clothing, and money. As they travel through expressways they meet new and different people. They meet a mixed family of three (Travis, Natividad, and their baby Dominic), a former rich man named Bankole, two prostitute sisters named Allie and Jill and a small child named Justin. Before the family joined Lauren’s group, they were attacked by robbers and wild dogs because they were a small group, and therefore, seen as prey. Before Bankole joined the group, he was seen pushing his cart along the road by himself, and would most likely be robbed or killed like every other individual that was seen alone. Before Allie and Jill came along, they were found trapped in a house after an earthquake and would also be dead if they were not saved by Lauren’s group. After his mother was killed, Justin had no chance of surviving if they did not take him in. The way that Lauren takes these people in and allows them to travel with her as a group demonstrates her belief in Earthseed. She embraces diversity by inviting people no matter what race they are. (there are three white people, three black people, and two Hispanics) She also encourages unity because she knows that that is what it takes to survive.

As each of the individuals join the group, they gradually become a community. They take turns watching for scavengers while the others sleep, they advise each other on what supplies to buy, and they kill anyone who attacks anyone in the group. With her belief in Earthseed, Lauren was able to build this community. She starts to prove that she did not just make it up like some people believe. Surviving as a unite shows that the religion is true, and that others should believe in it as well.

This concept of embracing diversity and uniting seems to be Butler’s way of sending a message to readers. She is trying to show today’s society that the only way to survive and prevent the formation of Robledo’s 2027 society is to unite and accept others no matter what race they are.

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