Octavia Estelle Butler - Parable of the Sower - ecocriticism - ecofeminism - eco-apocalypse

This article discusses the novel Parable of the Sower (1993) by the African American futuristic writer Octavia Estelle Butler. Its analysis focuses on two main aspects of the novel: the Earthseed religion, which the main character Olamina creates in response to an eco-apocalypse, and the hyperempathy syndrome, which allows her to share pain and pleasure with living beings, including animals. These aspects are further assessed mainly from ecocritical and ecofeminist perspectives: Olamina’s perception of both living and inanimate nature are examined, as well as the the degree of sustainability of Olamina’s solution to the crisis proposed in her diary.

This article discusses the novel Parable of the Sower (1993) by the African American futuristic writer Octavia Estelle Butler. Its analysis focuses on two main aspects of the novel: the Earthseed religion, which the main character Olamina creates in response to an eco-apocalypse, and the hyperempathy syndrome, which allows her to share pain and pleasure with living beings, including animals. These aspects are further assessed mainly from ecocritical and ecofeminist perspectives: Olamina’s perception of both living and inanimate nature are examined, as well as the the degree of sustainability of Olamina’s solution to the crisis proposed in her diary.