|
LITR 4632: Literature of the Future  |
Student Midterms 2013 Sample Student Submission
|
 |
Ashley Sauceda
18 June 2013
Evolution in Apocalyptic Tales
During this semester so far we have read Revelation, Parable of the
Sower, and The Time Machine. All of these readings are some way shape or form an
apocalyptic story and also a form of evolution story line. In Revelation, it is
a prime example of apocalyptic narrative. It is the last chapter in the Bible
and to me it is the grimmest. It talks about the end of days and what is coming
to both those who believe in Jesus and those who do not. And since it is talking
about what is to come it can be classified as a future narrative, regardless if
you believe in it or not. Jenn Tullos wrote, “Revelation promises the worlds
devastation with beasts, fire, plagues, and judgment.”(June 2011) That is a not
so bright story to read but yet it is a well-known apocalyptic story for true
believers and even non-believers. Another way to look at an apocalyptic story is
very dark and dramatic and Revelation has plenty of both. In Revelation
20:13-15, “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man for
their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the
second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast
into the lake of fire.” So this is telling you that everything you do in life is
being recorded and when it is the end of days you will be called to judgment and
to have to take responsibility for all of your actions. And if you were already
dead they will send you up for this judgment and if your name is not written in
the book of life you will have a “second death”.
In the Parable of Sower it is also another example of an apocalyptic novel. The
main character is Lauren and she lives in a poverished stricken community where
there is crime daily and a new drug that makes you set things are fire. Though
she lives in such a dark demented time she remains faithful that things will get
better if she just goes up north. As her family all die off she finally starts
to make the journey north and along the way she takes different stragglers in to
help them out. She is a young lady but yet the young and old look to her for
advice and wisdom. To me she is their prophet. The world they live in are full
of destruction so they want a ray of hope and that is what she gives them. So in
one line it is an apocalyptic tale but when talking about moving up north and
creating their own community “Earthseed” it is also evolutionary. This one
brings it out the best to me.
Katherine Fellows writes, “Parable provides a more modern, relatable vision of
apocalypse.” And I would have to agree with her there is no mention of dragons
with seven heads and such. It all seems more realistic.
The last reading is The Time Machine and it is about a time traveler who
goes many years in the future and it is an apocalyptic and evolutionary story.
When the time traveler goes to the year 802,701AD there are nothing but
buildings and creatures that live on the surface called Eloi’s and then you have
Morlocks who live underneath. The Eloi’s are
described as “very beautiful and graceful creature” while the Morlocks
are described as the exact opposite. My evaluation of the Time Machine is not
like anything I heard other students speak of. When I read the Time Machine I
thought that it was an evolutionary tale. Mankind did not neccesarily become
extinct but rather “changed”. Due to all the problems we as a world face humans
are wiped out and we are at the bottom of the pole trying to work ourselves back
to grace. I got a Planet of the Apes feel from it. Having to start all over is a
story of apocalyptic and evolution. In some areas it was dark and grim and
others it seemed beautiful and peaceful.
Before taking this class if someone were to of asked me can one story
have evolutionary characteristics and also apocalyptic characteristics I would
have said absolutely not. But after reading the required texts and discussing
them I understand that not only is it possible it is also like they go hand in
hand. Since apocalyptic story there is usually an end to something which means
there will also be something new thus leaving room for evolution.
Women’s Roles in the Future
Women are a vital part of our human existence. After all women are the ones to
populate. Yes we need a man to help along with that but their part is minimal.
It is women who carry the child for 9 long months. It is women who nurse the
child after he or she is born. For
our future there has to be women in place to make it happen. In Parable and
Stone a woman plays a very important role and they are planning on the future
and the success of the future.
In Parable the main character is a female named Lauren. And while she is not
better than anyone she has an advantage over half the population because she can
read. She sees all the bad
things that are going around her and she has learned to become very
self-reliant. She has also decided that she is going to read every single thing
she can get her hands on about survival.
At such a young age she has decided to take her fate in her own hands and move
up north. She is independent, in the novel it states, “I’m trying to learn
whatever I can that might help me survive out there…I think we should fix places
outside where we can meet in case we get separated.
Hell I think a lot of things” (Butler 58) this is a teenager thinking
about what ifs and back up plans not a seasoned adult.
Sure enough one bad thing after another happens in their community and Lauren
sets out for up north. Lauren is not dependent on a man to help her survive. She
is self-reliant and once they get to where they are going they turn to her for
answers. She has become their new leader, a woman, not a man.
In Stone Lives there are three different characters that all intertwine with one
another. Stone is a blind man who lives as a less fortunate community and he
goes to the Bungle often to try and find work. With him being blind he relies on
his other senses to help him live day today and yet although he is blind he does
not use that as a crutch. He is very self-reliant given his condition. One day
he thinks he is blindly chosen for a once in a lifetime job that will give him
his sight back so he can do his work appropriately, once this takes place he is
given a secretary so to speak to help guide him with his new found vision and
his new cushion job. Her name is June. She is where he goes to when he wants to
calm his nerves and settle his mind.
So while Stone is very strong and self-reliant it is June who helps him stay
self-reliant even after his eye surgery. Alice Citrine who is the women who has
hired him has later revealed that she is his mother. And her to be head of a
huge corporation shows that she herself is a strong woman. She is playing puppet
master, always around behind the scenes.
So the world that each one of these stories took place in were somehow revolved
around a woman in charge but also needing the help of a man. The future seems
like instead of being shocked at our first black president we are going to be
left in awe when our first woman take the oval office. Women are tomorrow’s
future. And this seems to come about through gender inequality and money
inequality in both the Parable and Stone, in the end they are both moving
forward with a woman at the helm.
 |
 |
 |