• In the science fiction world, the Parable is a novum
    • Incorporates new aspects of science fiction
    • Many “strange” aspects of the reality in the Parable; Lauren’s hyperempathy is unrealistic but has roots in reality
      • Lauren gets hyperempathy due to her mother taking drugs while pregnant
      • Bankole suggests that hyperempathy might be a good thing, as people would be hesitant to hurt others
  • Drugs in Parable
    • Many of the characters are directly affected by drugs
      • Either their family took drugs and got addicted or were hurt by drug addicts
    • Pyro, or “Ro”, causes people to commit arson and murder
    • The paints are another group of people who murder others, especially the rich
    • Lauren’s mother takes Paracetco which acts as a performance enhancer; increases positive traits and minimizes negative ones
    • Drugs act as a form of escapism from the harsh reality of the Parable
    • During Butler’s time, drugs were newly used and uncommon
      • Drug use was emphasized in Parable to create the dystopia; an extreme version of her reality
  • Neoliberalism
    • The most prevalent form of political theory currently
    • Accepts that there is a free market and asserts that each person is responsible for themselves and must “play” in the free market
      • Everything is economized, every entity is governed as a firm, humans are nothing but market actors
    • Because neoliberalisms values competition and the free market, social welfare goes into decline
      • The 20th century saw the erosion of social welfare into free market policies
    • The Parable of the Sower takes capitalism to an extreme
      • Commodities are rare (rather than luxuries) and jobs are few because people are naturally greedy and take more than they should have
      • Basic necessities now have markets: food, water, shelter
      • Government agencies such as police and firefighters only service the highest bidder
      • The paints described in the book literally kill the rich because they are disillusioned with income disparity
  • Hyperempathy
    • Acts as a foil to drugs; instead of numbing or escaping reality, the condition forces one to closely examine it
    • How does the world become the one in Parable? Where are the people who care?
      • Hyperempaths therefore have the power to change the world, seen in Parable of the Talents
    • Butler wants people to become more empathetic (“make people feel”) and uses hyperempathy as a vehicle to do so
  • Butler’s writing attempts to encourage others to build a new world where people are more empathetic and caring
    • Linked the Republic, Decameron, etc. because both encourage the telling of stories to better society
    • Acknowledges that hyperempathy isn’t always a good thing, but some progress can go a long way