Parable of the Sower

Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

Parable of Talents by Octavia Butler (2001)

• the sequel to Parable of the Sower
• continues the themes of Effects of Privatization, Patriarchy, Fluidity of God
• The Parable of the Talents on SuperSummary

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1998)

• set in a dystopian future where women’s rights and freedoms have been revoked
• relates to many of the same themes of Parable of the Sower, including the Effects of Privatization, and Patriarchy
• The Handmaid’s Tale on SuperSummary

Other Student Resources

“Remembering Octavia Butler: Black Sci-Fi Writer Shares Cautionary Tales in Unearthed 2005 Interview”

• Democracy Now reviews a 2005 interview where Butler describes her Parable series as cautionary tales

Map of California

• a detailed map of the state of California with obstacles and geographical details the characters in Parable of the Sower encounter

“7 Black Women Science Fiction Writers Everyone Should Know”