The second reading of The Parable of the Sower has brought up
more interesting concepts. The crumbling United States is now being invested in
by foreign companies. This form of investment means the literal privatization
of a city named Olivar. The deal presented by the company is protection, water,
and food for very low wages. It sounds like a good deal when heard at first,
but in a small amount of time all residents would be in debt to the company.
This binding debt is looked upon as a form of slavery by Lauren, who I am
inclined to agree with. The future is coming and from the looks of it companies
will be involved. This company involvement could easily cause an even more depressing
future within the terrible future Butler envisions. This could also easily
happen in the world today as there are some companies that have major political
pull and tons of money. Reading this really makes me hope that this future
doesn't ever come to be.
The world is looking terrible but Lauren's family and
community are beginning to look worse. The ties that hold everyone together are
slowly dissolving because of Keith running away and the city of Olivar selling
themselves out. Keith decided that in order to prove that he is a man that he
will go outside the wall. He returns all bloody and just in his underwear,
crying like a small child, and Lauren's father is extremely angry. Since Keith
is Cory's favorite child she hates to see him beaten by her husband and a rift
develops in the family. Keith refusing to come home lives outside the wall with
a group of thieves. When he comes back to give money and gifts to Cory and his
youngest brothers he decides that he will talk to Lauren. Through this
conversation we see that he has now lost all humanity and has become a
survivor. A boy of fourteen years old is able to steal and kill without feeling
like he has done anything wrong. This shows that the world is a place where
generosity and humanity are no longer welcome. The opening of the company owned
Olivar has also caused a rift in the community because people are already
applying to live there. In this society it must look amazing because it can
offer everyone safety and resources. This deal is in my opinion the return of
feudalism. As companies see the profits this privatization will become more
common and soon an American government will no longer be necessary. The
companies will become feudal lords offering protection in exchange for
servitude. Every town will be the equivalent of a fiefdom and every person
living within the walls will become a peasant or serf.
No comments:
Post a Comment