83 pages • 2 hours read
Octavia E. ButlerParable of the Sower
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1993A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler follows Lauren Oya Olamina, a teenage girl with hyperempathy, navigating a post-apocalyptic society plagued by climate change and societal collapse. Her walled community near Los Angeles eventually gets destroyed by arsonists, leading Lauren and two allies to travel north. Along the way, they form a group, adopt Earthseed, Lauren's new belief system, and strive to build a new life on land owned by Bankole, a much older man with whom Lauren develops a romantic relationship. Sensitive topics include sexual abuse, drug use, and violence.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower is praised for its powerful storytelling and profound social commentary. Reviewers commend its visionary, dystopian world and the complex protagonist. Critics, however, note the pacing can be uneven and some plot points may feel underdeveloped. Nevertheless, it remains a compelling and thought-provoking read.
Who Should Read Parable of the Sower?
A reader who would enjoy Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler is likely drawn to dystopian fiction with deep social commentary, complex characters, and themes of survival and resilience. Fans of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and 1984 by George Orwell would appreciate its poignant exploration of societal collapse and human hope.