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Examples Of Racism In The Parable Of The Sower

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In her dystopian novel “Parable of the Sower,” Octavia Butler examines issues of racial, gender, and socioeconomic injustice in a future America that is wracked by political unrest and climatic catastrophe. The novel's main issue is racism, which is shown in a variety of ways. The experiences of Lauren Olamina, the heroine and a black woman living in a profoundly segregated society, are one of the main ways racism is portrayed in the Parable of the Sower. Lauren encounters racism in a variety of ways, from little slights from her white peers on a daily basis to violent attacks by roaming bands of white supremacists. Early on in the Novel, Lauren observes that Robledo, which is mostly a black and Latino community, has a small number of white …show more content…

A couple of mixed races and their infant child are labeled as the family. Lauren notes that many families in the area will resemble this in a few years and that the couple they assisted is attempting to establish a family that resembles this. On Wednesday, August 4, 2027, Lauren states, “"All of a sudden you're a Good Samaritan," Harry said. But he didn't mind. There was no disapproval in his voice. "It was the baby, wasn't it?" Zahra asked. "Yes," I admitted. "The family, really. All of them together." All of them together. They had been a black man, a Hispanic-looking woman, and a baby who managed to look a little like both of them. In a few more years, a lot of the families back in the neighborhood would have looked like that. hell, Harry and Zahra were working on starting a family like that. And as Zahra had once observed, mixed couple catch hell out here.” [Butler 171] Harry and Zahra comment on our narrator's transition to becoming friendlier to strangers as they migrate north with Lauren. The fact that the strangers in this situation were of mixed races played a significant role in Lauren's decision to assist them. When we recognize a part of ourselves in the other person, empathy and compassion frequently begin to flow. Perhaps this explains why Lauren cares more about these strangers as people who are not of the dominant race …show more content…

In the book, there are significant racial tensions and racial divisions in society. Young Black women like Lauren, the primary character, must find their way in a society where they face prejudice and marginalization. In the story, racism is shown as a persistent menace in a society where one's character or aptitudes are more often evaluated than the color of one's skin. Unfortunately, this is a problem that persists in modern culture. The work emphasizes the consequences of institutionalized racism, which persists today. The administration in the story is dishonest and unconcerned with the concerns of the underprivileged areas. The police are violent and utilize force to maintain public order. This serves as a sharp reminder of the current instances of police brutality and excessive use of force against individuals of color. Black individuals continue to be disproportionately impacted by police brutality and are more likely to become its victims. The connection of racism, classism, and sexism is also explored in the book. Based on their ethnicity, gender, and economic situation, the characters in the book experience prejudice and marginalization. The experiences of black women, who confront particular difficulties because of their ethnicity and gender, are highlighted in the book. Black women still experience bias and discrimination in both the job and in their personal life, which is a problem

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