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(2015
midterm assignment) Model Student Midterm answers 2015 (Index) Essay 1: Compare, contrast, and evaluate Narratives of the Future |
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Victoria Webb
21
June 2015
God is Change:
An Analysis of Change and Progression in Narratives of
the Future
In Octavia Butler’s novel Parable
of the Sower, Lauren, the protagonist, tells us that “God is Change”. What
exactly does this mean in terms of science fiction? Perhaps religion and science
fiction are not as opposing as many would traditionally believe. The traditional
understanding of time, for example in terms of creation/apocalypse driven
narratives, is that time moves in a forward linear motion; there is a beginning,
and ultimately, an end. A linear timeline asserts the “cause and effect”
concept, and gives our actions a sense of permanence and purpose. In terms of
other sorts of science fiction narratives, the idea of time becomes so great
that it may deviate from the traditional beliefs of always moving in one motion,
and may find itself diving into more complex concepts, like evolution and
alternate futures. Evolutionary driven narratives asserts that while time is
always moving forward, we may change in a way that progresses us, or in way that
declines us. However, time never ceases; time is constant, nature is not.
Narratives that explore the concept of alternate realities or futures are quite
a bit more complicated, and in some cases give the sense that actions are
impermanent and time is malleable; here is where time changes with people. While
each narrative carries its own distinction, each works individually to create a
narrative in which time is in
constant movement, assuming change and/or progression.
Parable of the Sower, one of
the first novels read in Literature of the Future, shares elements of both
Evolution Narratives and Creation / Apocalypse stories. In regards to Creation /
Apocalypse narratives, the setting of the novel is a dystopic or an apocalyptic
setting, with the protagonist Lauren struggling with finding the truth about
humanity in the midst of chaos. Much like Babylon in
Revelation, the world has become the
“habitation of devils” (Rev. Ch. 18),
with “crazies” running amuck, looking less than human with painted faces and
shaved heads. Imagery such as her brother’s description of the pyromaniac drug
addicts in the cities, depict a clear apocalyptic setting. Striving to survive
in the dangerous world that is left she begins to struggle to find the meaning
of this. Her struggles lead to the revelation that, in order to restore the
humanity of mankind, a change must happen. As written in the webpage
“Evolution”, “revolution is evolution at its boiling point”: this is the driving
force behind Lauren’s determination to help the progression of humanity.
Lauren’s entire philosophy and personal religion “Earthseed” is driven by the
idea that humans are meant to be constantly changing, or
evolving, and the belief that god is
not “who” but rather “what”. She tells us that “God is Change”, and it is
because of this that humans are meant to perpetually move forward. She imagines
that life for humans on Earth is no longer viable, and it is time that we move
on to other planets.
The
concept of Earthseed itself, is fundamentally evolutionary; the idea that humans
are meant to leave Earth and plant their roots among the stars, appeals to the
idea that while the world is created in a certain way, there is an inherent need
for change or adaptability. However, this great revelation taking place in the
midst of an apparent apocalypse, are distinctive characteristics of a
Creation/Apocalypse story; Lauren plays the role of savior who is driven to lead
the people back to a time of peace, or creation. In regards to
Creation/Apocalypse stories, according to Dr. White, there are elements of
revelation or revealed truths, as well as the linear timeline of beginning,
middle, and end; usually these involve a time of peace, which is later lost due
to actions of man, and finally there must be a restoration of the original peace
(“Future Narratives”). Dr. White states on his page “Future Narratives” that the
narratives may combine with one another, resemble, or turn into each other; we
see this with the protagonist Lauren and her motivations. With Lauren taking
lead of her newfound religion Earthseed like a “savior”, the novel displays yet
another identifiable characteristic of a Creation/Apocalypse story, as well as
an identifiable characteristic of an Evolutionary narrative: “potential for
progress and heroic potential” (“Future Narratives”). Lauren’s primary
motivation is to keep moving; much like time, progress cannot take place if she
is static.
Dr.
White writes on the webpage “Future Narratives”, that the different types of
narratives may be seen as overlapping when the reader begins to see the cycles
of evolution taking on the appearance of a “creation-apocalypse” cycle, giving
the appearance of many apocalypses. The timeline of Evolution narratives follow
a sort of spiral progression forward. Time continues to move forward, but the
inhabitants within it will circle back to the original state continually; this
can be inferred as nature perpetually reclaiming itself from man. In H.G. Well’s
novel The Time Machine, we are given
a depiction of what appears to be, to the reader and the Time Traveler, an
apocalyptic future for man. However, further evaluation of the novel reveals
that the current state of man is due to the once continual progression of man,
finally coming to a halt, which causes a division between classes and transforms
into a development of separate species: Eloi and Morlocks. I found similarities
between the Eloi and Morlocks, and the early Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals. To
me, this was representative of the devolution of man; the forced progression of
man eventually led them to an apocalyptic devolution of the species. Dr. White
writes that in an Evolution narrative, there is no definite answer to
how life began or how it will end,
and there is always the question of whether or not life will simply change or
adapt to the changing environment (“Evolution”). It is safe to conclude from
this, that regardless of life, time
will still move and change. When the Time Traveler moves throughout time, he
states that he sees “saw huge buildings rise up faint and fair, and pass like
dreams”, and describes them as “more massive than any buildings of [his] own
time” (TM, 3.5-7); the world is
quickly changing before his eyes. His description of the world around him seems
to imply that man’s world has reached the peak, or high point, of man’s
evolution, which would mean that there is an apocalyptic aftermath that would
revert the state of nature to its original form. Similarly to Lauren in
Parable, the Time Traveler takes on
the role of the heroic figure that will aid in the progression of the Eloi.
Despite the portrayal of the Time Traveler, I believe that his interference with
the Eloi essentially corrupts the current natural state that evolution has
brought the two species into, and will in turn, become the demise of the Eloi,
who are too feebleminded to care for themselves. Like the spiral representation
of time, the Eloi and Morlock’s relationship is represented by a “circle of
life” type of relationship; the Morlocks feed and clothe the Eloi, who later
become “like cattle” to the Morlocks. As grotesque as it may be, the fact
remains that the two species cannot survive without one another. The Time
Traveler’s interference, while to him heroic, may perhaps cause the ultimate
demise of what is left of the human species; this is due to his disruption of
the Morlock-Eloi food chain. After his assumed heroicness, the Time Traveler
manages to continue even further in time, he ceases to see anything similar to
human life on Earth, and rather, sees giant crab-like beings and a mysterious
dark rock-like entity flopping in the water (TM,
11.8-12); the Time Traveler concludes that it is the end of the Earth’s life
by this point. The depiction that Wells gives to the reader, has us imagine the
world without humans. It is an inherently egocentric belief that the world
ceases to be without man present to inhabit it, but it’s clear that Wells
understood that nature does not need humans; when man ceases to progress and/or
changes beyond recognition, nature will continue to reclaim itself and move
forward in time.
Wells
gives us an imaginative look into the world of time travelling, however, the
idea of time traveling continues to amaze people, even in the modern world. What
would happen if we could travel through time like one travels from one point to
another? While many would jump at the idea, the consequences may be far too
astronomical to imagine. With the theory of time travel, comes the theory of
multiverses and/or the theories of alternate timelines. The old saying about
stepping on a butterfly in the past and changing the future may be the most
heard-of warning to any aspiring time traveler, but there are some stories that
touch base on the idea of time resembling something of a tree; each branch
representing an alternate timeline, which sprouts at each and every choice made
and every choice rejected.
In
the short story Mozart in Mirrorshades,
Bruce Sterling and Lewis Shiner give the audience a satirical and comical look
at time travel and alternate timelines, using the tree-branch timeline.
Alternate timelines are more complex because they contain both the
characteristics of evolutionary and apocalyptic narratives. They do so by
displaying the perpetual progression of time and life, as well as the potential
to collapse a timeline and bring about a sort of apocalypse. In
Mozart, the ethical issue is
presented when Thomas Jefferson accuses the time travelers of destroying his
world and essentially ruining their past. They explain to him that when they
travelled back and interfered with the past, they created an alternate future,
which split their timeline. This means that
their world is not affected by their
actions in the past, because every action creates an alternate timeline. If the
timeline splits itself and branches off into a new path, then it affirms the
idea that time does not reverse, but continually moves forward. Similarly to the
Creation/Apocalyptic narrative belief in a set beginning and end, the alternate
timeline appears to have a starting point as well. When a choice is made, that
is the starting point of one branch of the timeline; regardless of the choice
made, the starting point is still the moment before the choice is made. I
imagine this like a fork in a road, and everything leading up the fork was one
timeline, until I make the decision to go right or left; once the choice is
made, the timeline splits.
In
terms of Alternate realities, life becomes an “invisible labyrinth” (“Alternate
Futures”), or a maze that we go through unknowingly. In
Garden of Forking Paths, the Doctor
Albert explains to Tsun that the labyrinth of his ancestor was his unfinished
story: a story that provided all the possible futures for the protagonist,
depending on the path chosen. The story was incomplete, which gives us the idea
that the story, being a labyrinth, is essentially endless. This reiterates the
concept of time being changeable, but unstoppable.
“All
that you touch/ You change” (Butler
3). In all of the narratives of the future, time is constant, and life is not.
Sera Perkins asks the question in her 2013 essay
Tell me a Story, “is a narrative of
the future about decline or progress?” and she answers her question by stating
that “the objectives of narratives are the answer”. I believe that the
objectives of all of the narratives of the future
is change and progression. In
Revelation, humanity has reached its
ultimate decline, and it must return back to paradise from the ashes. In
Parable, life is similar to the end
of times in Revelation, as man has
reached its ultimate decline, and the only key to survival is change,
progression, and eventual adaptability. H.G. Wells depicts a future of constant
evolution and adaptation until man ceases to be man, and time’s progression
without humans. Finally in Mozart and
Gardens, alternate timelines depict
the malleability of time; time, which seemingly never ceases, only changes. Time
is constantly moving, constantly progressing, and constantly changing. “The only
lasting truth is Change. God is Change.” (Butler
3).
Works
Cited
“Alternate Futures”. N.d. Terms and
Themes. Web. 28 June 2015.
“Apocalypse”. N.d. Terms and Themes.
Web. 28 June 2015.
Butler, Octavia. Parable of the Sower.
New York: Grand Central Publishing, 1993. Print.
“Future Narratives”. N.d. Terms and
Themes. Web. 28 June 2015.
Sterling, Bruce & Shiner, Lewis. Mozart
in Mirroshades. 1984.
“The
Revelation of John”. N.d. Online Texts
for Craig White’s Literature Course. Web. 28 June 2015.
“The
Time Machine.” N.d. Online Texts for
Craig White’s Literature Course. Web. 28 June 2015.
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