The Parable of the Sower is a story of the young girls Lauren Olamina growing up in fictional Southern California. The story is broken down into the years 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027. In this small gated community of Robledo, one get to experience the intrigues that these young girls have to endure as she seeks to experience the life of freedom and develop her religion. She feels that she is not comfortable with the things that are happening around her and despite getting baptized into his father religion; she does not believe that this is the best way to go. The Young girl suffers from Hyperempathy Syndrome which makes her feel other people’s pain and pleasure. In her early years, she gets to realize that her getting community is falling apart and that things are not getting any better. True to her thinking, things start getting worse in the city. The first incidence involves a fire that almost went uncontrolled. Latter own issue of test started escalating with the neighborhoods. Over the following years, the community experienced a total disintegration. However, within this period Lauren holds on her dreams and keeps on writing manuscripts about it. The story seems to reflect and focus on the themes of freedom and self-reliance. While people might argue that in living in a community people should learn to live as a unit, Lauren seems to ages that independence and self-reliance is of the essence.

One of the social issues that the author seems to point at here is the aspect of freedom. The people within these communities tend to live a life of virtual imprisonment. They do not have the freedom to venture out there since they are afraid of the thugs and the drug addicts that roam the streets. This disoriented individual, have developed the vice of breaking into the neighborhood, stealing and causing terror among the people are that living in the community. Besides, the people living in this community are hopeless. There are no chances of jobs, which mean that over time life will even get worse. Thus the young men here are scared of their future since they do not have any assurance of how they are supposed to live. Things are even complicated out there since the government does not have any way that it can deal with the problems that these people face. The other alternative that they have is to get a job in the factories. However, they are still afraid since they cannot be able to risk their freedom to the company. Therefore, here is a classical situation of peoples that are not only jailed by the life they choose but also by the circumstance that seems to control their lives. The reason that people are not ready to work with the company is that it would have to manage aspects of their lives.

However, Lauren seems to defy the odds and refuses either to remain within the community or even go to the factory. She decides that she will work north. Although she does not know where her destiny is and the circumstance that she has to face she is ready to have a shot at freedom. Her bold step inspires other people that are also escaping from the virtual prison that seemed to consume their lives. Some of the people that are fleeing some form of imprisonment here include Zahra Moss who was running from the control of her husband. There is also Jill and Allie that are running away from the power of their father who had forced them into prostitution. In looking at these cases, it is clear that people within this community are devoid of some freedom that they ought to get. While they allow the people that are controlling them to take advantage of their naivety, the truth is that they have an option to get. It is only Lauren that is courageous enough to decide to get out and not to allow the conditions around him to limit the potential that she has. And indeed, herdecision to step out of the comfort zone inspires other people who decide to follow in her footpaths. Most notable, they still face various challenges as they try to move away from these shackles, but the reality is that at least they have free from the oppression.

The story also seems to focus on the aspect of social degradation. In looking at these communities, it is evident that both young and older people have lost the element of virtue and community living. The society is surrounded by thugs and people that engage in the drug. Besides, there is the issue of prostitution and the lack of respect for the right of women. It is even quite alarming that s father forces her daughters to engage in prostitution. One would expect that the elderly are the ones to protect the young and show them the values that this should ascribe to. However, this does not seem to be the case in this lost community. The people that are to offer some form of guidance are individually lost and do not seem to have anything that they can teach or even extend to the younger generation. Besides, the government of the day that should have the responsibility of dealing with the vices in this society does not even seem to have anything to do. Therefore, there is a clear indicator that this community is a state of degradation.

The issue of freedom seems too reminiscent of the things that are happening in the current society. There is clear evidence that most of the people in many parts of the world are living in deplorable condition and they cannot get out of them since they do not have an alternative. A case to consider is the situation that people in countries such as North Korea are experiencing (Watanabe 4). These people are deprived of freedom even to access information. Not only are they not able to obtain information but also their lives are unbearable. Not to mention there is a case of countries like Venezuela. The government of the day that should have the responsibility of providing the security and ensuring that the citizens get the necessary aspects that can give them a comfortable life do not have that chance (Ellner 402). While the government of the day is involved in the politics of the day the people are suffering. In looking at these examples, one thing that seems clear is that freedom only comes when the people are ready and willing to get out of the circumstance surrounding them and chart their course of liberty. Looking back at the history of the world change only comes from the people taking up arms and demanding for what they believe is right. For instance, in the case of the story, Lauren, decides to leave her friends into the demanding for freedom. They successfully achieve this despite the challenges.

We are living in a society that is continuously changing. However, in these changes, there seem to be nothing new. Authors often look at the future and predict it. In this case, Octavia E. Butler looks at the future and seems to postulate what be of that society. Although some of the issues that he seems to focus on seem to to be a fictitious society, they reflect so much on the present day and the experience that people are going through. One of the issues that he seems to highlight is the idea of freedom and need for people to take an active step in the fight for this freedom. There is no option in waiting for others to give you freedom. It is something that one has to get out and fight for.

Works Cited

Butler, Octavia E. Parable of the Sower. Vol. 1. Open Road Media, 2012.

Watanabe, Takeshi. “North Korea, Iran, and the challenge to international order: a comparative perspective.” (2018): 1-4.

Ellner, Steve. “Venezuela: The Challenge to a “Model Democracy”.” Latin America. Routledge, 2018.399-412.

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