Katherine Delle
Dr. Adam Johns
Seminar in Composition
10/29/08
Choices regarding the preservation of humanity
Most everyday decisions that modern day humans must focus their attention toward are trivial choices such as “what restaurant shall we eat at tonight?” or “what shirt should I wear today?” The aspect of choice is what interested me right from the start of “Dawn” by Octavia Butler. However, the main difference between the choices that the humans must make in the novel and the choices that people today make on an everyday basis is that the decisions they make in the novel will affect all of humanity. The captured humans must decide if they will succumb to the Oankali, agreeing to be their “trade partners” before returning to Earth or if they will simply refuse. Although humans today aren’t faced with this exact decision, they are faced with the choice of accepting or rejecting controversial new technologies that will affect humanity as we know it such as germ line- engineering. Overall, I have noticed there to be many similarities in the choices that humans today must make and the choices that the captured humans in the novel must make regarding the preservation of humanity.
After being captured/rescued by the Oankali and learning that she as well as the other captured humans are to be cross- bred with the ooloi, Lilith Iyapo is faced with many difficult decisions regarding humanity. She had to decide if she should cooperate with the Oankali, knowing that if she did the future of mankind would be dramatically altered. Pure -bred humans would become extinct because the captured humans (the only humans left in existence) would become “trade partners” with the ooloi, meaning that some of the ooloi’s genetic information and genetic qualities would be transferred into them. This would eventually result in children who are essentially alien creatures, having some ooloi traits and abilities. Lilith was made the leader of the humans on the Oankali ship and it was her job to convince the rest of the humans to trust the Oankali. This was a massive choice that Lilith had to make: should she agree to be this leader, therefore supporting the idea of the trade partnership?
In the book, Lilith definitely was conflicted about what she should do right from the start regarding her situation. When she was first awakened, she refused to answer any of the Oankali’s questions, as she didn’t want to help them in anyway if they wouldn’t give her answers in return. However, after meeting with Jdhaya and learning about the Oankali’s plan for the humans she surprisingly became more agreeable. She says, “I’m willing to learn what you have to teach me, but I don’t think I’m the right teacher for others (33). Lilith learned that the captured humans where going to be bred with the ooloi which would “make sure of a good, viable gene mix” (40). This gene mix was what would help the humans survive when they were put back on Earth to rebuild it. Lilith was initially very shocked and offended by this plan that the Oankali had for humans and she seemed adamant towards to agreeing with it. However, she made the decision to go along with it as soon as Jdaya gave her the offer of killing herself right then and there by touching one of his lethal tentacles. Her choice not to do so showed that she would rather live in the strange new world of genetically engineered alien-human creatures, than die. As she became more comfortable on the ship she became more supportive of the Oankali’s plan. She was also given the choice of staying on the ship forever and not returning to Earth, an option that she decided to be unthinkable.
There is a major similarity between Lilith’s choice to support the Oankali’s plan and the choices that modern humans are faced with today regarding germ-line engineering. There has been much controversy regarding it because of its ability to make “improvements” on reproductive cells, passing on these improvements to the next generations. The ability to do this frightens and angers some people as well as excites and is supported by other people. For couples to be able to choose certain traits for their offspring including their IQ, personality, and even gender would change humanity drastically. The argument is would this change be for the better or for the worse? This is very similar to what the Oankali plan on doing to the humans they have captured. Their genetic makeup will be altered when they are bred with the ooloi so that they would be faster, stronger, easily healed, and more prepared for what they must face on Earth. However, it is my personal opinion that these kinds of changes in humans would eliminate much of the diversity that we value so much today. Also, since after the “trade” humans will have lost some of what makes them who they are, I feel as though they could lose the ability to show emotion including the ability to love or the feeling of being loved. The Oankali and the ooloi certainly don’t show, much emotion in the novel and they don’t seem to take into account the feelings of others. For example, Lilith says to Ahajas, “I’m surprised to realize how good it is to hear your voice” and there was no response from Ahajas. “There was no answer. Nothing more to be said” (179). The Oankali seem to be very systematic and business like, only caring about what will make them survive to the fullest extent. They are unwilling to display feelings because they feel they are unimportant. For example, Jdhaya says, “it renews us, enables us to survive as an evolving species instead of specializing ourselves into extinction or stagnation” (40). In my opinion however, if humans lost any of this it would be a massive tragedy for mankind because emotion is what makes life so wonderful.
As the novel continues, Lilith seems to become even more supportive of the genetic engineering that has begun being done to her and will also be done to the rest of the humans. However, she also contradicts this support as well. An example of her support is when she admits to enjoying the feelings of sex with Nikanj and also likes that it is able to enhance some of her physical qualities. Joseph asks her why she lets Nikanj touch her and she answer by saying, “To have changes made. The strength, the fast healing” (169). Lilith also seems to fight to keep humans the way they are saying, “nobody here is property…we stay human, we treat each other like people, and we get through this like people” (178). Whether or not Lilith’s feelings toward the Oankali are actually conflicting can’t be determined for certain; however, she does seem to be indecisive regarding supporting them or not. This is very similar to the way many people today feel about germ-line engineering. On one hand they may believe that it would destroy humanity as we know it, but on the other hand it would be able to give us many advantages.
In conclusion, modern humanity is on the verge of many technological advances that have the potential to drastically change our definition of what is human. This is mirrored in Lilith’s situation on the Oankali ship because she must decide if she supports or rejects the plan that the Oankali have to genetically alter all the captured humans. Although it seems as though Lilith is a bold and outspoken person, either she does fully support the genetic modifications or she isn’t as audacious as we may think. This is because if she truly cared about preserving humanity she would try to think of a way to plot against the Oankali. Because she doesn’t do so, we must assume that she either supports the Oankali or she simply has given up on trying to stop them. Similarly, people today must choose what is important to them to preserve about humanity. If we would like much of our children’s features and traits to remain being produced somewhat randomly and if we would like to keep diversity among humanity intact then we must fight against germ-line engineering We must not stay indecisive regarding germ-line engineering such as Lilith is because it will be among us sooner than we may think.
2 comments:
Your paper brings up an interesting comparison of humanities problems with germ-line engineering and the problems humans face with the Oankali in "Lilith's Brood". However, a lot of your paper is simply a summary of what has happened in the book.
In your 4th paragraph you start to address the issue of what humanity should do. You talk about how the Oankali lack much emotion and how this would be a con of genetic engineering.
The paragraph about Lilith being indecisive about whether she wants change or not doesn't add much. It doesn't support or refute your argument. Try to connect it to genetic engineering being a bad change.
Talk more about how you feel on the issue of genetic engineering and the Oankali. Use the story for examples to prove your point instead of summarizing the story.
Katherine Delle
Dr. Adam Johns
Seminar in Composition
11/2/08
Choices regarding the preservation of humanity
Modern day humans don’t regularly think about the fact that our society is on the brink of making a massive choice that will change humanity as we know it. This is the choice of whether to accept or reject genetic engineering. This aspect of choice is what interested me right from the start of “Dawn” by Octavia Butler. The captured humans must decide if they will succumb to the Oankali, agreeing to be their “trade partners” before returning to Earth or if they will simply refuse. Similarly, humans today are faced with the choice of accepting or rejecting germ-line engineering. Should we take a stand to preserve mankind without technological interference or should we allow our children’s genes to be tampered with to “improve” things about them? Due to the similarities between the choices of the humans in the novel and those in modern day life, Octavia Butler is arguing that whether we like it or not genetic engineering is among us and we must decide the fate of mankind by accepting or rejecting it.
Lilith was definitely was conflicted about what she should do right from the start regarding her situation on the Oankali ship. When she was first awakened, she refused to answer any of the Oankali’s questions, as she didn’t want to help them in anyway if they wouldn’t give her answers in return. However, after meeting with Jdhaya and becoming more comfortable on the ship she began to realize that succumbing to the Oankali was inevitable and she couldn’t stand up against them alone even if she wanted to. She also had no choice due to the fact that the Oankali are programmed to trade with other species and to keep advancing themselves. Jdhaya says, “We are as committed to the trade as your body is to breathing. We were overdue for it when we found you” (42-43). Similarly, this position of inevitability is one that many people today take regarding the approach of germ-line engineering. They believe that new advances in technology such as germ-line engineering are going to emerge regardless of any effort to stop them and that the only thing we can do is to embrace these changes.
Very early on in the novel, Lilith was forced to support the Oankali when she was made the leader of the humans. Lilith had to decide if she should cooperate with the Oankali, knowing that if she did the future of mankind would be dramatically altered. However, she realized that at least if she cooperated she and the other humans would be eventually put back on Earth. Also, she made the decision to go along with the Oankali when Jdaya gave her the option of committing suicide. Her choice not to do so showed that she would rather live in the strange new world of genetically engineered alien-human creatures, than die. As she became increasingly comfortable on the ship she became more supportive of the Oankali’s plan. By supporting the Oankali, Lilith is similar to many present day humans who support genetic engineering. An example of her support is when she admits to enjoying the feelings of sex with Nikanj and also likes that it is able to enhance some of her physical qualities. Joseph asks her why she lets Nikanj touch her and she answer by saying, “To have changes made. The strength, the fast healing” (169). Much like Lilith, those who support germ-line engineering today like the fact that they would be able to chose certain traits for their children that would allow them to have advantages in life.
Although Lilith displays her support for much about the Oankali, many of the other humans think differently. Some of the humans that Lilith has awoken such as Curt, Gabriel, Joseph, Tate, and Leah don’t trust the Oankali and they don’t accept them as Lilith does. Tate says, “You and Nikanj…you’re closer to him-to it- than we are to Kahguyaht” (210). They even attack Nikanj and the Oankali and ooloi towards the end of the book with the intent of killing them. The ooloi are seem surprised of this and Lilith answers, “What did you think would happen when you told us you were going to extinguish us as a species by tempering genetically with out children?” (231) The negativity that some humans show towards the Oankali can be compared to people today who are against germ-line engineering. Neither those in the novel nor modern humans against genetic engineering want their children’s genes interfered with and the humans in the book are fighting to prevent it from happening to them.
The dislike that the humans in the novel have for the Oankali can be compared to the controversy associated with germ-line engineering today. There has been much controversy regarding it in recent years because of its ability to make “improvements” on reproductive cells, passing on these improvements to the next generations. The ability to do this frightens and angers some people because it would change humanity drastically, they believe in a negative way. Couples would be able to choose certain traits for their offspring including their IQ, personality, and even their gender, which many people believe should be left to chance. It is my personal opinion that these kinds of gene alterations in humans would eliminate much of the diversity that we value so much today. Also, in the novel since after the “trade” humans will have lost some of what makes them who they are, I feel as though they could lose the ability to show emotion including the ability to love or the feeling of being loved. The Oankali and the ooloi certainly don’t show emotion in the same way as humans do and they don’t seem to take into account the feelings of others. For example, Lilith says to Ahajas, “I’m surprised to realize how good it is to hear your voice” and there was no response from Ahajas. “There was no answer. Nothing more to be said” (179). The Oankali seem to be very systematic and business like, only caring about what will make them survive to the fullest extent. They are unwilling to display feelings because they feel they are unimportant. For example, Jdhaya says, “it renews us, enables us to survive as an evolving species instead of specializing ourselves into extinction or stagnation” (40). In my opinion however, if humans lost any of this it would be a massive tragedy for mankind because emotion is what makes life so wonderful.
In conclusion, modern humanity is on the verge of many technological advances that have the potential to drastically change our definition of what is human. This is mirrored in Lilith’s situation on the Oankali ship because she must decide if she supports or rejects the plan that the Oankali have to genetically alter all the captured humans. Although it seems as though Lilith is a bold and outspoken person, either she does fully support the genetic modifications or she isn’t as audacious as we may think. This is because if she truly cared about preserving humanity she would try to think of a way to plot against the Oankali. Because she doesn’t do so, we must assume that she either supports the Oankali fully or she simply has given up on trying to stop them. Similarly, people today must choose what is important to them to preserve about humanity. If we would like much of our children’s features and traits to remain being produced somewhat randomly and if we would like to keep diversity among humanity intact then we must fight against germ-line engineering. Butler presents the fact that we must not stay indecisive regarding germ-line engineering because it will be a reality sooner than we may think.
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