The Parable of the Sower Q&A
- 1
Why do you think Joanne reacted so negatively when Lauren told her that the community should be better prepared? Do you think Lauren's suggestions (such as establishing a rendezvous station or studying edible plants) are paranoid or forward-thinking?
Lauren first reveals her fears to Joanne in her bedroom as they are having lunch, right after the death of Amy Dunn. At the time, Lauren endeavored to approach Joanne from multiple positions to communicate her point, and Joanne reacted poorly to nearly all of the things that Joanne said. Lauren had then reasoned that Joanne is in denial of the reality of her situation, and that could indeed be the true cause. Joanne was sensible, as per Lauren's assessment, and yet Joanne decided to approach her mother to report what Lauren had said. It can be reasoned that the reality of their situation was evident to Joanne, but she perhaps thought that they were both too young to be dealing with that knowledge, which is why she chose to confide her fears to a parent, seeking reassurance. One can conclude that Lauren's talk with Joanne impacted her more than she let on because Joanne's family was the first to leave the neighborhood and seek shelter behind the walls of Olivar.
Lauren's actions are categorically forward-thinking. It seems unreasonable to live in as volatile a world as theirs and to place all their faith in the strength of their walls. The adults in the neighborhood had grown far too complacent, or they were in denial and were thus expecting things to return to how they once were. Lauren had never seen the old world, and so she was not blinded by a nostalgia for the old glory days.
- 2
What lessons does the reader learn from the story of Lauren's brother, Keith? How does Keith's perspective on life differ from Lauren's, and what can the reader learn from the contrast between these two perspectives?
Keith gravitated towards symbols of physical strength from an early age, as evidenced by his unquenchable thirst for a real gun. He believed that the world was dominated by cruel people, and so decided that he needed to be cruel to succeed. He offered his literary services to hardened criminals by reading and writing for them. He was undoubtedly killed by someone who reserved a great hatred for him, given the cruel method in which he had been tortured before death. I believe, Keith's story serves as a cautionary tale, especially when examined against the life of Lauren. It would be unfair to argue that Lauren was completely devoid of any capacity for violence, but she resorted to violence in only desperate situations. She never once considered robbing other living people for the sake of her survival, which her brother seemed to do as soon as he had begun to live outdoors
- 3
How does Butler show the breakdown of society? What are some of the clues in the first few pages or chapters that demonstrate that this world is not the same as the one we live in?
The very first clue to the deterioration of society can be found in the second part of Lauren's dream in the first chapter. During this section of the dream, Cory and Lauren are outside picking their laundry instead of using a machine. Cory also talks about the diminished light of the cities, which had once outshone the light of the stars. Both of these features of their conversation highlight a diminished civilization that struggles in accessing electricity. The second chapter paints a broader picture, as Lauren journeys to a fortressed church guarded by armed policemen. Lauren's group is heavily armed to deter any incidence of violence, and her father has had to ask other people to share the cost to secure clean potable water for the baptism ceremony.
