Ms. Hen reviews Parable of the Talents

Parable of the Talents

Octavia E. Butler

Hachette Book Group

1998

Ms. Hen decided to read this novel because she read PARABLE OF THE SOWER recently, and loved it, and she wanted to read some sci-fi that she knew would be worth it. She craves sci-fi in times like these, but she doesn’t have a lot on hand, and the library is closed. She doesn’t want to spend extra money buying books, since her house is stuffed with them, and they make a mess because she doesn’t have ample bookshelves, but she bought this book online because she thought she needed it in her life right now.

This novel is the sequel to the above-mentioned novel, and it told through the point of view of Ashe Verde, and the journals of her mother Lauren Oya Olamina, and small passages from Lauren’s husband and brother. It continues the story of Acorn, the community founded by Olamina, and her marriage to Bankole, and the people that help them learn about and grow her religion, Earthseed. Earthseed is a philosophy that Olamina created about how people should live. One of the main tenants is “God is Change.” Ms. Hen thinks that Earthseed has shades of Buddhism or Taoism. Olamina teaches that we, as a human species have to accept change and reach for the stars.

Acorn is a peaceful place where the members work and help each other build houses and grow food and take care of their children. Their place is threatened when President Jarrett comes into power, who is a Christian fundamentalist, and preaches that all other religions besides Christianity are cults, and are practiced by heathens. Acorn gets attacked by Christian America, and the members are put into electronic slave collars and they can’t move without being lashed by the collar. Other people are forced to join the area that was Acorn, and Olamina and her followers suffer under the hands of their captors.

Olamina is a strong character, and she doesn’t take garbage from anyone. She and her group manage to escape, and she makes her way to attempt to find her daughter. She is a person with a vision, and she wants Acorn and Earthseed to succeed. In this way, it seemed to Ms. Hen as if she has a touch of delusion to her, since nobody these days wants to start a religion. But this is a novel, and it does not take place in relevant contemporary times. People now who try to start religions are seen as psychopaths, and are usually locked up. 

Another unstable character in this novel is President Jarrett. He professes that he will “Make America Great Again,” which disturbed Ms. Hen. How did Ms. Butler know this ahead of time? This novel was published in 1998. Is this a common notion that a president would say this? Is it an idea that was floating around in the air, waiting to be spoken by someone in power? America was not great in days of old when there was not as much equality as there is now, but every educated person knows this.

Ms. Hen loved this novel. It’s feminine science fiction, which she admires. A lot of sci-fi is male, filled with fighting and violence, but this novel is about people working together to make the world a better place. We should also try to make society more livable and pleasant, to help see the future as something that is worth working towards, because today we need a vision for what is to come. Books like this assist developing hope.