Extension of the 4/25 blog for the reflection of the first 6 chapters of Parable of the Sower to tomorrow night.

Science Fiction Archive Collection.

• Covers are eye-catching
• The Age of Writing molds Science Fiction
• Interesting that City Tech has such a collection of Science Fiction in the Library Archives.
• Variety of Science Fiction books
• Hard work into the archives, with plans of expansion of space and books.
• Historic feel of the Science Fiction Archives ranging from pulp fiction to novels.

Science Fiction vs. Science Fantasy

• Hard Science Fiction: Bare-bones about provable science
• Middle: Uses science, but is not 100% bound to it
• Science Fantasy: Loosely based on science

• Brave New World
  • Cloning
  • Human Manufacturing
• 1984
  • Futuristic Technology
  • Politics
• Parable of the Sower
  • Hyperempathy
  • Post-Apocalyptic

Parable of the Sower was nominated to a Nebula award and Hugo Award.

Mundane Science: Everyday, “normal” science in fiction.

Parable of the Sower

• Settings:
  • Gated Community
  • Targeted community by outsiders
  • Rarely Rains
  • A lot of drugs
  • People, included children and the Priest, uses guns
  • Harsh Environment
  • 20 miles away from Los Angeles in a gated cul-de-sac
• Conflicts:
  • Attacked by gangs, criminals, and arsonists/druggies
  • Lauren finds her religion, but follows her father
  • The possibility of the wall being torn down
• Politics:
  • People see no point in voting, so most people don’t vote.
  • Despite the world being Post-Apocalyptic, Presidents still exists/are important.
• People:
  • Have tall walls around houses and blocks to protect them from arsons, gangs, and thieves.
  • Religious.  Goes to church despite leaving their walls that protects their homes.
  • Schools are small and taught by the community.
  • People teach children about guns and train children 15 years old or older how to use and shoot guns.
  • Denial of the world; hoping things will just get better in the future.

Issues:

• Diseases
• Drugs
• Economy Collapse
  • Water and Gas prices are up and very expensive.
• Environmental crisis like natural disasters, lack of food, lack of clean water.
• Poor State of Affairs

God is Change.  Each chapter has bold excerpts at the beginning of each chapter that talks about this.

• Hyperempathy
  • Lauren, the main character of the book, has this
  • Her description tells about the world
  • Has to change with the world and learn to kill or despite her hyperempathy
• Tone
  • Redemptive apocalypse; hope of things getting better
  • Day by day existence; living/surviving one day at a time
  • Harshness and Tragedy