Friedrich Engels once stated, “The state is nothing but an instrument of oppression of one class by another - no less so in a democratic republic than in a monarchy.” It seems as if society is always failing when it comes to equality. No matter how many governments pass laws guaranteeing basic human rights to previously marginalized populations, certain social structures have been in place for thousands of years. It seems to be human nature to treat others that are different with disdain and a lack of empathy. Within Octavia Butler’s “The Evening, the Morning, and the Night” and “Amnesty,” this class delineation is present throughout by the ideas of social exclusion, prejudice, and marginalization.
“The Evening, the Morning, and the Night” …show more content…
Lynn explains that Non-DGD’s, even those whom she has never met, will look the other way or leave when they notice her emblem. She continues with the fact that "biology school is a pain" like normal, and "[she] didn’t like the way people edged away from "her" when they caught sight of [her] emblem,” because she felt the judgment from her peers (38). She expected things to be different due to the change in atmosphere, but even with the switch, Non-DGDs continue to oppress her. Change does not always mean that something new will happen, but in "Amnesty" the difference creates an entirely new world, and most humans marginalize the switch without a second thought. Noah talks to those shadowing her that although the Communities have hurt her, it was the government officials that put her through more pain. She explains, "The only difference between the way [the humans] treated me during the early years of my captivity was that the so-called human beings knew when they were hurting me," because the aliens did not realize that they were putting humans through pain (170). Noah claims that the group that held her captive did it because "they knew—knew absolutely—that a captive who survived twelve years of captivity and who is then freed must be a traitor of some kind, willing or unwilling, knowing or unknowing,"(171). They continued to
“The Evening, the Morning, and the Night” …show more content…
Lynn explains that Non-DGD’s, even those whom she has never met, will look the other way or leave when they notice her emblem. She continues with the fact that "biology school is a pain" like normal, and "[she] didn’t like the way people edged away from "her" when they caught sight of [her] emblem,” because she felt the judgment from her peers (38). She expected things to be different due to the change in atmosphere, but even with the switch, Non-DGDs continue to oppress her. Change does not always mean that something new will happen, but in "Amnesty" the difference creates an entirely new world, and most humans marginalize the switch without a second thought. Noah talks to those shadowing her that although the Communities have hurt her, it was the government officials that put her through more pain. She explains, "The only difference between the way [the humans] treated me during the early years of my captivity was that the so-called human beings knew when they were hurting me," because the aliens did not realize that they were putting humans through pain (170). Noah claims that the group that held her captive did it because "they knew—knew absolutely—that a captive who survived twelve years of captivity and who is then freed must be a traitor of some kind, willing or unwilling, knowing or unknowing,"(171). They continued to