Analysis Of Octavia Butler s Series Of The Parables

I entered Butler University as an English major believing that what we choose to read changes the way we think, and literature shapes the society we live in. I later changed my major to International Studies, an interdisciplinary course of study, which allowed me to foster my understanding of the global society, the complexities of intercultural interactions, and the ability to apply political theories to interpret one situation from multiple perspectives. When choosing the topic for my senior thesis, I was torn between delving into a political crisis or taking the opportunity to re-visit my love of literature in an academic framework. Speculative fiction is the crossroads I have found between my love of literature and my passion for†¦show more content†¦Two prominent, but conflicting, interpretations are presented by Garrett Hardin and Elinor Ostrom. Garrett Hardin first proposed in 1998 that the tragedy of the commons cannot be solved with a technical solution, which he cl aims is the most socially acceptable type of solution. Hardin goes on to point out and question social boundaries by challenging his reader to ask him or herself what is â€Å"good† (Hardin 1244). He acknowledges that â€Å"good† is usually considered to be a varied concept that is open to human interpretation and construction; however, â€Å"natural selection commensurates the incommensurable† (1244). Hardin’s proposal that freedom is the catalyst for ruin in a communal society is one of his most controversial claims because he argues that autonomy leaves room for selfish motivations that lead to the destruction of the overall good. For example, Hardin briefly discusses world pollution. The atmosphere and oceans are shared resourced or â€Å"commons† for which many people do not feel responsible, and thus, they are commons which have been damaged and polluted, affecting both those culpable and inculpable of the created â€Å"cesspool† (124 5). Hardin’s interpretation challenges traditional morals that stemShow MoreRelatedLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesnovel is sometimes used interchangeably with Bildungsroman, but its use is usually wider and less technical. The birth of the Bildungsroman is normally dated to the publication of Wilhelm Meister s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang Goethe in 1795–96,[8] or, sometimes, to Christoph Martin Wieland s Geschichte des Agathon of 1767.[9] Although the Bildungsroman arose in Germany, it has had extensive influence first in Europe and later throughout the world. Thomas Carlyle translated Goethe’s novel