What is one important distinction that Butler draws between her father’s understanding of the world and Lauren’s? Where is the specific point in the novel’s first half that made that distinction clear to you?
7 thoughts on “Parable (first half)–Group 4”
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Like Chase, the first major point of difference I noticed was in regards to religion. Very early on, it is established that Lauren does not subscribe to the same faith her father touts as a pastor. Indeed, this is how the character of her father is introduced–an antithesis to the protagonist’s rebellious worldview–an automatic foil. It preys on the conventions of father-daughter dissent, but contorts them into Butler’s dystopia–creating an accessible entry into such a culturally distant relationship. By establishing that the two characters disagree on something as grounded/comprehensible as religion–the question of God–Butler is teeing us up for the sci-fi twist. Lauren and her father also do not see eye-to-eye on her extreme hyper-empathy. Her father sees it as something to be overpowered–defeated. He doesn’t treat it with the same air of legitimacy Lauren is forced to, being its victim and all. She knows her dad doesn’t understand it. This entire dynamic was really clarified for me though with the discussion of prior eras–suddenly the conflict became generational. “To the adults, going outside to a real church was like stepping back into the good old days when there were churches all over the place and too many lights and gasoline was for fueling cars and trucks instead of for torching things. They never miss a chance to relive the good old days or to tell kids how great it’s going to be when the country gets back on its feet and good times come back.” Again, another instance of Butler using accessible characteristics (i.e. adults reminiscing about the “good old days”) to frame a distant dystopia. Beyond that though, this quote was especially illuminating in its subtle creation of a loose timeline–just how distant said dystopia is–as well as its connection between religious fervor and age. Lauren’s father is clinging to a bygone era that she is ready to move on from.
I echo Natalie and Elise that the most crystallizing moment for me arrives in chapter 6 when Lauren’s father first confronts her about what she has said to Joanne. On one hand, we see a marked difference between the embrace of inconvenient truths vs. the embrace willful ignorance represented by Lauren and her father, respectively. Her father tells her that it is best not to tell people these things because “these things frighten people” (63). Sounds a bit familiar, doesn’t it? Butler creates a blatant generational difference between what Lauren regards as truth (and what we are obviously meant to understand is the truth) and what her father refuses to accept as truth. Indeed, when he discusses this with Lauren, he does not say that she is right, but rather that she “thinks” she is right (63). Why? Because he is so attached to the way of things that, no matter how dystopia or dysfunctional they become, still see him and his generation in charge. When Lauren continues to press him, he bluntly states that she “does not make decisions for this community” (64). His generation does. He refuses to entertain her “scare talk” because it is inconvenient, perhaps because it scares him, and because the world will come to an end for his generation, either by way of physical destruction or because of his generation’s abandonment of reason for tradition.
An important distinction between Lauren and her father is the way they each have separately defined God, which in return causes them to have different understandings of the world. Lauren’s father is a Baptist minister, and he has a deep commitment to God as understood in the Bible. Lauren’s understanding of God is different: God is change, and though God shapes the universe, the universe also shapes God. This difference in understanding leads to tension between Lauren and her father. The Father’s view of god is that god is static, permanent and shapes us according to his will. The Baptist belief is that one day Sky-daddy will return and save them, and all suffering will be lost and they we be delivered to heaven. I think the father is stuck in a religion that is tunnel vision with a destination to nowhere. He almost seems content (that’s a stretch) with the world he is living in by creating this community that is able to survive but not thrive.
Lauren, however, left her father’s religion for Earthseed, which pulls inspiration from the Christian faith while also being wholly distinct. In Earthseed, the central principle is that God is Change, that change is inevitable and that we have the power to shape God. In Earthseed, the ultimate Destiny is to take root among the stars and create heaven that one does not have to die to reach. Lauren sees that the only way to remove the torment they are facing is to alter the way of thinking and understanding. To learn to live in the present and make actions happen. The parable on page 25 helped understand her views toward a higher power. Unlike her father’s god, she says god can be shaped and focused. Having this mind set I think allows her to see that change must happen in the world to be better, but also that the change only comes as they make it happen while her god just is. It’s two very different natures of god, but because of the various interpretations inevitably imposes on their understanding of the world and how they live in it.
The distinction between Lauren and her father’s world view can best be exemplified by their discussion of space travel and exploration in chapter 3. Lauren believes that living in space could be the future of humanity, an idea that is central to her Earthseed belief system that she is forming. Her father however believes that exploring space is useless because humans will never be able to live there and it’s a waste of time in his opinion. Their ability to imagine life on another planet are rooted in their perception of their current situation on earth. Lauren is very forward looking and believes that their lives in Robledo and human life in general on earth is doomed. Lauren’s father however maintains hope that Robledo can still exist as a free and protected town and is content with living his life there. Her father’s view on this is shaped by his life experience having lived through the better years on earth and seeing what it has become which, makes him cherish his current situation on Robledo. Lauren however has barely experienced life outside Robledo but the recent robberies and deaths give her no hope of continuing her current lifestyle which pushes her to the eventual decision to leave the town when she is 18. These beliefs held by Lauren and her father are also evident in their actions relating to Lauren’s talk with Joanne. Lauren is trying to make Joanne aware of problems and create fear because she wants to create change. Her father is focused on educating people and limiting panic in hopes of maintaining the town as they know it.
I thought the most important distinction that Butler drew between Lauren’s world and her fathers was in Chapter 6, where her father found out she told Joanne. Lauren’s reaction to first finding out I thought was telling: “Was Joanne scared? Not scared enough to use her brain, it seems. Joanne always seemed so sensible. Did she think getting me into trouble would make the danger go away? No, that’s not it. This is just more denial: A dumb little game of “if we don’t talk about bad things, maybe they won’t happen.” Idiot!” (61). Lauren knew her father would be coming down on her hard about “scaring” Joanne and did not seem to care. When her father confronted her, she started crying and responded to her by saying: “You’re fifteen; you don’t really understand what’s going on here. The problems we have now have been building since long before you were born […] These things frighten people. It’s best not to talk about them” (63). Her father understands Lauren’s fears but still is unwilling to support and acknowledge them for fear of spreading panic openly, and in some sense, he is still in denial but believes that it is “best to begin by teaching” (66).
Also, I saw many parallels between this book and The Handmaid’s Tale. We should definitely look at this in class or discuss it further!
The distinction between Lauren’s world view and her father’s was highlighted most clearly in their discussion that occurs after Lauren’s attempted “indoctrination” of Joanne. Lauren compares ignoring their current situation to “ignoring a fire in the living room because [they’re] all in the kitchen” (59), in that their way of living is inherently unsustainable and dangerous. It would be best for them to prepare themselves for a world without “the living room,” the walled community they tenuously inhabit. However, for her father, though he might, at some level, feel the same fears as Lauren, still holds out hope for the restoration of the past. Lauren mentions that the adults in her community “never miss a chance to relive the good old days or to tell kids how great it’s going to be when the country gets back on its feet and the good times come back” (8). For Mr. Olamina and the other adults, change is frightening; if their current situation is to change and that change is not a reversion to the past, it can only change for the worse.
When Mr. Olamina asks Lauren if she thinks the end of the world is coming, she thinks, “No, I think your world is coming to an end, and maybe you with it” (58). Lauren understands that America will never return to its less dystopian past, and thus, her father’s conception of the world is dead. However, this doesn’t mean that Lauren has given up on the future but rather she has accepted the change that everyone fears as inevitable. “In order for to rise from its own ashes, a phoenix first must burn” (143). Something new and good can come from the world Lauren currently lives in, but in order for that new world to come, the old one must be destroyed.
EDIT:
First paragraph, fourth sentence
However, her father, though he might at some level feel the same fears as Lauren, still holds out hope for the restoration of the past.
Got too hasty with my posting!