Xenogenesis: Octavia Butler’s Dawn A Presentation By: Jay M. Gipson-King Gender, Authority, and the Politics of Representation in Science & Art July 29, 2004

Class Goals  To understand some basic background materials about Octavia Butler and Dawn.  To engage in discussion about the various themes and topics of the book, but especially race, gender, and technology.  To apply various concepts we have learned from class to the novel.  To come away with a greater understanding of Butler’s work.

Questions, Questions  What does Lilith want? What is her struggle? Does Lilith loose her humanity in the end or retain it?  Is it better to be human and die, or become something alien and live? Is hybridity, after all, a viable solution?  What is Butler’s commentary on human nature?  What is Butler’s overall message, or point? Does she have one? Can you tell from this novel alone?

Butler’s Works Patternmaster, 1976 (Patternist) Mind of My Mind, 1977 (Patternist) Survivor, 1978, (Patternist) Kindred, 1979 Wild Seed, 1980, (Patternist) Speech Sounds, 1983 Clay's Ark, 1984, (Patternist) Bloodchild, 1984, short stories Dawn, 1987 (Xenogenesis) Adulthood Rites, 1988 (Xenogenesis) Imago, 1989 (Xenogenesis) The Evening and the Morning and the Night 1991 Parable of the Sower, 1993

Butler Resources From: Feminist Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Utopia Allison, Dorothy. “The Future of Female: Octavia Butler’s Mother Lode.” In Reading Black, Reading Feminist: A Critical Anthology, edited by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., New York: Meridian, Foster, Frances S. “Octavia Butler’s Black Female Future Vision.” Extrapolation 23 (1982): pages Friend, Beverly. “Time Travel as a Feminist Didactic in Works by Phyllis Eisenstein, Marlys Millhiser, and Octavia butler.” Extrapolation Volume 23, Number 1 (Spring 1982): pages Gale Publishing. Octavia Butler’s “Kindred”: A Study Guide from Gale’s “Novels for Students.”; ISBN B00006G3KN. PDF format Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild”: A Study Guide from Gale’s “Short Stories for Students.”; ISBN B00006G3R6. PDF format. Govan, Sandra Y. Notable Black American Women. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, Johnson, Rebecca O. “African American Feminist Science Fiction.” Sojourner v. 19, n. 6 (February 1994), pages (includes interview with Octavia Butler) Lesniak, James G. Contemporary Authors. New Revision Series (v. 38). Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1993.

Butler Resources Levy, Michael. “Green SF and Eco Feminism.” Originally published in IAFA Newsletter, Spring 1989 issues. Reprinted in Robert Collins and Robert Latham, editors, Science Fiction and Fantasy book Review Annual, 1989 Edition (Westport, CN: Meckler, 1990). “Review article of recent work by Octavia Butler, Nancy Kress, Pamela Sargent, and Sheri S. Tepper.” Locher, Frances Carol. Contemporary Authors. (v ). Detroit, MI: Gale Research, McTyre, Robert E. “Octavia Butler: Black America’s first lady of science fiction.” Michigan Chronicle, April 26, 1994, pp. PG. Raffel, Burton. “Genre to the Rear, Race and Gender to the Fore: The Novels of Octavia E. Butler.” Literary Review, v.38, April 1, 1995, p Salvaggio, Ruth. “Octavia Butler and the Black Science Fiction Heroine.” Black American Literature Forum. Volume 18, Number 2 (1984): pages , M. Barr, and R. Law. Suzy McKee Charnas: Octavia Butler: Joan D. Vinge. Mercer Island, Washington: Starmont, [Starmont Reader’s Guide, No. 23.] Stevenson, Rosemary. Black Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia. Brooklyn, NY: Carlson Pub., 1993, pp Zaki, Hoda. “Utopia, Dystopia, and Ideology in the Science Fiction of Octavia Butler.” Science Fiction Studies Volume 17, Part 2 (1990): pages

Butler, Octavia. Dawn. New York: Warner, Adulthood Rites. New York: Warner, Imago. New York: Warner, Gaster, Snally [pseudonym]. “Xenogenesis patterns of Octavia Butler.” Sally Gaster’s African American Library. 1 Sept Viewed 27 July Haraway, Donna J. Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature. New York: Routledge, Humm, Alan. Lillith. 17 Feb School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pennsylvania. 27 July Graves, Robert. Hebrew Myths. New York: Doubleday, Quilter, Laura. “An Octavia Butler Bibliography.” Feminist Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Utopia. 26 July Viewed 27 July Young, Sela. Octavia Estelle Butler: An Unofficial Web Page. 7 Jan Viewed 27 July Works Consulted