Parable of the Sower: Bible & book

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I just read through The Parable of the Sower in the Bible, and I think I can make some comparisons between it and the book of the same name. I won't summarize the passage, so here's the link if you want to read it: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2013&version=NIV

The parable describes a farmer sowing seed. I think this represents Lauren talking about her newly discovered religion, first to Joanne and her father, and later to Harry, Zahra, and the other members of her group. Lauren is sowing the seed of her religion in these people.

Joanne and Lauren's father's reactions to hearing about Earthseed are ones of dismissal and scorn. Joanne insists that the preparations Lauren is suggesting are useless and won't matter, and Lauren's father says that Lauren is too young to fully understand the world. These two are similar to the seeds that fell on the path and were eaten by birds. They listen to Lauren's words, but don't properly consider or understand them; the words don't take root in their hearts.

Harry, Zahra, and the other people in the group Lauren forms while traveling are more accepting of Earthseed. They ask questions and debate with Lauren about the religion, and eventually agree to form a community on Bankole's land that lives by Earthseed's principles. Even the more skeptical group members, like Harry and Allie, occasionally participate in discussions. These people are like the seed that fell on good soil and produced a crop. They understand what Lauren is telling them, or at least consider her words instead of immediately rejecting them.

Comments

  1. L. MoffittMay 20, 2021 at 10:54 AM

    Excellent analysis (and great job on these blog posts overall). It's a little ironic that Butler titles her book after a biblical parable when a huge part of the novel is Lauren's rejection of her father's religion and creation of her own. But that works, too -- Lauren is the product of everything that has happened to her and "taken root."

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