In the novels, Kindred and Lilith’s Brood (originally titled Xenogenesis), Octavia illustrated humanity’s conflict with identity and hegemony. Dana and Lilith shared the task of mentoring and helping others while also carrying the burden of being perceived as traders amongst their own people. The questionable actions they took were through the efforts of surviving by any means necessary. However, those “means” involved passively accepting a change of identity and naturalizing the oppression caused by hegemony. This conflict is demonstrated in both texts where the protagonists had to endure several moments of pain while trying to integrate into a society they were unwillingly placed in.
In both narratives, Octavia “blurred the lines of distinction …show more content…
Lilith was coerced and manipulated with only a few options to decide on (interbreed and train others, death, or solitary confinement aboard the ship). Lilith reluctantly accepted the role of awakening and training groups of rescued humans. As a new addition to the Oankali society, she became the leader of Earth’s first human-Oankali community. Her new identity brought tension between her and the other humans. They no longer viewed Lilith as one of them and therefore, “some avoided Lilith because they were afraid of her – afraid she was not human, or not human enough” (Section 4, Chapter 12). Her new false identity was feared and foreign to her as well as many others like …show more content…
These women also had to give up their power roles and accept a life of systemic oppression. A process that was naturalized in their individual societies and even in modern society. In modern society, for example, one’s sexual identity can be challenged or even forced to conform to the social normative. Those who refuse to live by the rules of society, must find ways to cope with the subsequent discrimination while those who chose to conform, must uncomfortably live with a false identity. In addition, we also see hegemony being institutionalized through wars, decision making practices, and, transparently, through rigid social roles. Throughout her life, Butler has used her creative writing as a tool to mirror modern society and its flaws to help shift our society towards maintaining its true values of inclusiveness and social
In both narratives, Octavia “blurred the lines of distinction …show more content…
Lilith was coerced and manipulated with only a few options to decide on (interbreed and train others, death, or solitary confinement aboard the ship). Lilith reluctantly accepted the role of awakening and training groups of rescued humans. As a new addition to the Oankali society, she became the leader of Earth’s first human-Oankali community. Her new identity brought tension between her and the other humans. They no longer viewed Lilith as one of them and therefore, “some avoided Lilith because they were afraid of her – afraid she was not human, or not human enough” (Section 4, Chapter 12). Her new false identity was feared and foreign to her as well as many others like …show more content…
These women also had to give up their power roles and accept a life of systemic oppression. A process that was naturalized in their individual societies and even in modern society. In modern society, for example, one’s sexual identity can be challenged or even forced to conform to the social normative. Those who refuse to live by the rules of society, must find ways to cope with the subsequent discrimination while those who chose to conform, must uncomfortably live with a false identity. In addition, we also see hegemony being institutionalized through wars, decision making practices, and, transparently, through rigid social roles. Throughout her life, Butler has used her creative writing as a tool to mirror modern society and its flaws to help shift our society towards maintaining its true values of inclusiveness and social