This course explores Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower (1993), a dystopian novel that follows Lauren Oya Olamina, a young Black woman with hyperempathy, as she navigates a collapsing society and develops her own belief system, Earthseed. Through close reading, discussion, and critical analysis, we will examine the novel’s themes of climate change, systemic inequality, religion, and resilience.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, students will:
Analyze Parable of the Sower as a work of speculative fiction and social commentary.
Discuss the novel’s treatment of race, gender, class, and disability.
Evaluate Butler’s vision of community-building in the face of societal collapse.
Connect the novel’s themes to contemporary social and environmental issues.