PotS 2-85

                The Parable of the sower focuses around the life of a 15 year old girl, Lauren Olmina, in a future dystopian society. It is written like a journal or diary from Laurens perspective and the narrative jumps around quite often, most of the time there are ten or so day gaps between entries. It is filled with indented and bolded poems that Lauren has written herself, most often the small stanzas are related to her own ideas of god and religion. In addition, each chapter starts with a poem that is very similar to the different things she comes up with in her personal journal. The language used is believable of that of a younger girl and mostly simple sentences lend to the feeling of desperation in the community.

                Throughout the entire book so far there has been a theme of desperation. There is a need for walled communities, children show callousness to decapitated bodies, people race to collect water from scarce rain, rabbits are raised as livestock and acorns are a source of food. The particular area Lauren is from seems to juxtapose outside life. While murdering children, stealing and raping is normal outside of the neighborhood, caring for one another is the norm inside. On more than one occasion precious sources of food are shared with those who were more in need and Laurens father still maintains his own church. Even though there are fights and disagreements they set aside differences to defend each other, which is seen when thieves try to steal the Rabbits. The stress that Lauren herself puts on survival appears to be foreshadowing. Hinting that darker times are coming in the book, and that she will assume a leadership role just as her father has.

                Is it possible to live a decent, moral life, in a world where being evil seems to be necessary? The Hyperempathy Lauren suffers is a way for the questions the book is posing to become tangible in the story. Lauren intends to survive outside the walls but because of her ailment she may struggle or choose to avoid doing some of the things that enable others to survive. This is the same struggle the community makes when deciding to give food to the less fortunate or to teach kids how to use weapons. Parable of the Sower makes a good case for either thought process and I think it will continue to expose the good and bad of either side as the novel progresses.