User:Figueroa Lea/sandbox

Aha! Moment

Summary

Octavia Butler’s essay the Aha! Moment reflects upon some of her greatest realizations of human and animal interaction as a child. She discusses how her fascination with communication first began when she was about 2-3 years old. Butler met a cockier spaniel named Baba who lead her to realize that even though Baba wasn’t human he was certainly alive. She had stared at him and he stared back, and the amount of focus between the both of them prompted her to believe that eyes are what matters. To Butler it is the eyes that have the ability to either scare someone away or draw them in, expression is all in the eyes. Butler then moves on to explain another experience, from when she was 7 years old on a trip to the zoo with her second grade class. All the children taunted and abused a chimpanzee who was frantic and upset. Butler looked at the chimpanzee’s eyes and immediately could see the distress that it felt, she too could feel the misery of the chimpanzee. This was the age where Butler finally came to realize not only are there more means of communication other than speaking, but that cruelty is within human nature. This article will help contribute to my essay because in Amnesty she really stresses that we need to explore means of communication other than violence. Her depiction of the U.S military and its treatment towards Noah shows that humans lack that ability. Just as the children treated the chimpanzee’s terribly, the U.S government treated Noah terribly, without mercy and with no valid reasoning.

Diversity, Change, Violence: Octavia Butler's Pedagogical Philosophy

Summary

Sarah Outterson’s article compares Butler’s ideals of change, violence, dominance and diversity amongst species, in her Xenogenesis series. She discusses different criticisms and interpretations of Butler’s perspective on human behavior. As well as her ability to extend that throughout all her writings. Butler maintains the ideal of achieving a Utopia for both humans and other beings, which in the case of Amnesty is aliens. Throughout the article Outterson’s main focus is the contribution of violence in Butler’s stories, and how many of her concepts such a change inevitably lead to notions of violence. This article will help me with my essay because I can easily relate Outterson’s analysis of violence in Butler’s story to my theme of fear and human irrationality. It is because people are afraid that they act violently.

Quotes

• "Butler's treatment of the idealized concepts of learning, change, and the reconciliation of difference demonstrates the hidden violence within them, her treatment of violence reveals its transgressive possibilities." (Outterson 434)
• "Butler envisions a seeming utopia whose hidden stagnation is suddenly ripped open by the violence of change." (Outterson 433)
• "Butler also seems to intend the continuous violence, physical harm, and suffering in the novels to reveal to us our own inherent violence as humans." (Outterson 437)

Theorizing Fear: Octavia Butler and the Realist Utopia: Claire P. Curtis

Summary

This source discusses Octavia Butler’s “Amnesty” in relation to human emotion, particularly fear. We do things simply out of fear, whether it’s fear for others, fear for ourselves, fear of the unknown or more importantly fear of the known. Curtis acknowledges the difference between what Noah fears and what other humans fear. While most people experience fear of the unknown which is fear of the communities, Noah’s experiences with both the communities and humans lead her to fear the humans more than anything else. In addition to the concept of fear this article ties the human reaction towards the communities with a search for security. There is the common feeling of uncertainty towards the purpose and existence of humans. They question how could they continue to pursue their lives when their survival depends on the communities. Which relates to the idea of the human need to find themselves in a dominant situation, when the reality is that there is nothing they can really do about the communities.

Quotes

• “The communities have the power to destroy us; in a sense, they are superior. However, they neither use nor threaten us with that power.” (Curtis 418)
• “All that she wants for them is to recognize those emotions while still seeing that the Communities must now be factored into any human’s calculation of what it means to live life as a human.” (Curtis 420)
• “There is no security from the Communities. There is only security in recognizing that we must learn to live of not with, then at least among, the Communities.” (Curtis 420)

Crossover

Summary

Influenced by the odd people Butler noticed from her experiences working terrible small jobs, "Crossover" is a story of a woman named Jane who turns to alcoholism to drown her problems. Working in a dreadful factory Jane takes notice to her how deplorable her life really is. Having previously contemplated suicide Jane decided to just drink, not only as a result of her fear of death but simply because she felt as though if she drank enough she wouldn’t have to feel a thing. Jane’s alcoholic tendencies are not just a result of her job, it was also a way for her to shift her focus away from her ex-boyfriend who had just spent the last three months in prison. However Jane’s inability to prevent herself from being with her ex-boyfrined once he was released from prison only adds her depressive lifestyle.

Quotes

• “It was just another one of the things she didn’t have the courage to do. Like accepting the loneliness or dying or...” (Butler 223)

The Book of Martha

Summary

Butler’s “The Book of Martha” portrays a situation where mankind is destroying themselves as well as their environment. Martha is a middle aged writer who is approached by a vision of God who asks of her to help rid of man's selfish way of life in order to avoid eradication. Martha was raised in a religious household and while she had believed in the notion of God, she is taken aback by this entity that not only promises to endow her with powers to change the world but shape shifts into different human forms of Martha’s desire. Martha consistently questions an contemplates whether or not she is the right for such a big responsibility, or if she is ever actually speaking to God. However her vision leads her to believe that not only is she the right person to complete this task but whatever mistakes she makes could greatly impact whether or not humans will survive. Both frightened and intrigued by this responsibility Martha comes up with a series of issues and possible solutions to solving what she considers to be the Earth’s most troubling problems. Her main idea is to bestow upon people the ability to create their own personal utopias within their dreams. Through this Martha believes that people would be able to accomplish all the things they wish without ever having it actually affect the world. While there are some possible risks to how some humans may react to this ability, Martha believes that the satisfaction people will receive from these dreams will create a more well rounded society.

Quotes

• “You will help mankind to survive it’s greedy, murderous, wasteful adolescence. Help it to find less destructive, more peaceful, sustainable ways to live.” (Butler 342)
• “Free will isn’t a guarantee anything, but it’s a potentially useful tool-- to useful to erase casually.” (Butler 421)
• “Each person will have a private perfect Utopia every night--or an imperfect one. If they crave conflict and struggle, they get that. If they want peace and love, they get that. Whatever they want or need comes to them.” (Butler 433)

Amnesty

Summary

“Amnesty" depicts a situation in which humans go above and beyond to cope with their fear of no longer being the only dominant species on earth. When the alien life forms called the communities take over earth’s desert lands, it doesn’t take long for the human race to lose its grip. Noah the protagonist of the story was abducted by the both the communities and her own government. When it came to Noah’s abductions she stated that she had never faced such cruelty with the communities as she did with her own species. The torture Noah faced with the humans lead her to go back to the communities where she knew they would no longer hurt her. Noah never blamed the communities for their actions, because she knew they had no knowledge of how humans functioned. Instead Noah teamed up with the communities in an effort to establish not only a better understanding but a union between the communities and the humans. Noah’s job was to help hire other humans to service the aliens, and while the group of six people she interviewed were rather naive and angry towards the communities, Noah had no doubt that there would be a better chance of human survival if they worked together.  

Quotes

• "It mattered more than I know how to tell you that this time my tormentors were my own people. They were human. They spoke my language. They knew all that I knew about pain and humiliation and fear and despair. They knew what they were doing to me, and yet it never occurred to them not to do it." (Butler 307)
• ""They're here," Noah said flatly. "They're here until we find a way to drive them away!" "They're here to stay," Noah said more softly. "There's no 'away' for them--not for several generations anyway." (Butler 297)
• "I want to make them think. I want to tell them what the human governments won't tell them. I want to vote for peace between your people and mine by telling the truth." (Butler 271)

Speech Sounds

Summary

"Speech Sounds" is a rather unique twist on Butler’s disappointment with humanity and their lack of respect towards one another. She portrays people’s inability to properly communicate with one another as an illness that has spread among us,causing many people to lose their basic concepts of reading, writing and language and therefore destroying everything. Butler depicts the struggles of humanity through Rye, a strong yet doubtful woman who has lost her family as well as her ability to read and write. Having been a history professor at UCLA Rye is both angered and depressed by the effects of this illness, yet resists the urge to kill herself. She instead decides to travel to Pasadena in hopes of finding the last possible family she has. While attempting to get herself across L.A, Rye crosses paths with a bearded man named Obsidian. Obsidian being what Rye considers to be rare in this new world, gives Rye reason to pursue her life despite the conditions around her. He helped her to learn that there might just me hope within young children to change the face of humanities lost speech.

Quotes

• “She has experienced longing for the past, hatred for the present, growing hopelessness, purposelessness, but she had never experienced such a powerful urge to kill another person.” (Butler 190)
• “She knelt beside Obsidian, dry-eyed, frowning, trying to understand why everything had suddenly changed. Obsidian was gone. He had died and left her--like everyone else.”(Butler 201)
• “What if children of three or fewer years were safe and able to lear language? What if all they needed were teachers? Teachers and protectors?” (Butler 206)

The Evening and the Morning and the Night

Summary

"The Evening and the Morning and the Night" illustrates the life of Lynn a young woman born with DGD otherwise known as Duryea-Gode Disease. DGD is a very dangerous and terminal genetic disease that lies dormant within an individual until they’ve reached adulthood. Both of Lynn’s parents died tragically due to DGD, which causes violent outbursts, the feeling of entrapment and most disturbingly self mutilation. While attending the University of Southern California Lynn met Alan living with a group of other DGDs. Together they shared a special connection that gave Lynn newfound hope in knowing she won’t have to live out what is left of her life alone. After learning much about each other Lynn and Alan set out to the Dilg facility a place for where they are surprised to see that Alan’s mother and many other DGD patients continue to live out their lives, despite such a low life expectancy. Based on the cruelty and neglect of DGD patients in other wards, they soon come to realize that Dilg is very different and may have much more to offer them than they could have ever imagined. Soon becoming conflicted by their previous knowledge of their disease and the possibilities of improvement for the future Lynn and Alan have to decide whether or not they are willing to attempt to change the course of their condition and lives forever.      

Quotes

• “They didn’t all commit suicide or murder, but they all mutilated themselves to some degree if they could. And they all drifted-- went off into a world of their own and stopped responding to their surroundings” (Butler 94)
• “Our people work instead of tearing at themselves or staring into space.” (Butler 98)
• “I won’t be a puppet. I won’t be controlled . . . by a goddamn smell!” (Butler 133)

Bloodchild

Summary

Octavia Butler’s "Bloodchild" is a short story in which describes an unusual bond between the Terran a colony of humans, who live amongst the Tilc alien lifeforms. Inhabiting the Tilc planet, male humans are used as hosts for Tilc children. Gan a young boy has come to the age where he will carry the children of T’Gatoi, the alien his mother has arranged for him. All his life Gan and his siblings, mainly his sister Hoa, perceived being a host as a privilege and having T’Gatoi around was wonderful for them. However when a man named Lomas is separated from his Tilc while pregnant, Gan is forced to help T’Gatoi perform surgery on the man to retrieve the alien children. After witnessing the horrendous process that a male Terran must go through to give birth to the Grubs, Gan begins to question whether or not he actually wants to pursue being host himself. His fear of being a host clouds his mind and pushes him to challenge T’Gatoi and the purpose of his people to the aliens. He soon finds himself doubting his worth as a human, and the relationship he had formed with T’Gatoi. However Gan soon realizes that he doesn’t have the selfishness to attempt to save himself from carrying the alien eggs. Despite being afraid of having to give birth and risking his life, Gan finds himself in a position where the love for his family as well as for T’Gatoi overpower his fear to become impregnated.

Quotes

• “I had no idea why she was lying, or even what she was lying about. It was an honor to have T’Gatoi in the family, but it was hardly a novelty.” (Butler 4)
• “I looked into the yellow eyes, wondering how much I saw and understood there, and how much I only imagined.” (Butler 23)
• ‘“Yes." I leaned my head forehead against her. She was cool velvet, deceptively soft. “And to keep you for myself,” I said. It was so. I didn’t understand it, but it was so.”’ (Butler 28)

Citation Practice:

Octavia Butler was shy as a child