When Worlds Collide: Applying Critical Race Theory and Ecocriticism to Parable of the Sower

In Octavia E. Butler’s novel Parable of the Sower, the protagonist, Lauren Olamina, faces life through the lens of a young black woman in a dystopian world. The novel depicts our planet as a place where government systems have broken down from years of abuse and neglect of the environment. Although written over thirty years ago, modern society must change globally or face Butler’s vision. Through her protagonist, Butler details future world problems such as unstable inflation, growing racial tension, and global warming. This article analyzes the depiction of the characters as they treat each other through a lens of critical race theory (a systematic construct) and how they treat their environment through an ecological lens. Critical race theory (which is defined by the links between injustice and systematic racism present in our society) and ecocriticism (which looks at the relationship between the environment and humans) are both essential topics in Butler’s novel. Via Pippa Marland’s call for a reassessment of the human/nature dynamic in her chapter “Ecocriticism” found in the textbook Literary Theory: An Anthology and Toni Morrison’s insights on race in her book “Playing in the Dark,” this article shows the discerning reader how they can view the ways that the novel’s setting is synonymous with how humans treat each other as they affect Butler’s character.