Both “Pumzi” and Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” discuss futures devastated by environmental collapse in which the people are governed by oppressive systems. How do Asha and Lauren, the protagonists of each story, use their personal views and individualities to resist the constraints in their respective worlds? In what ways do their journeys reflect hope, resilience, and the belief in rebuilding a more sustainable world? Or is there any hope at all, in your eyes?
With their similarities in mind, how does the iconic quote from Lauren, “The only lasting truth is Change. God is Change.” resonate with Asha’s decision to risk everything for the possibility of life beyond the boundaries of her society?
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and the film Pumzi by Wanuri Kahiu both depict dystopian futures that are characterized by environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and oppressive societal control. Although the environment is bleak (literally), both creators focus on the message of individualism, resistance, and the hope of reconstruction in the face of destruction. In Parable of the Sower, Lauren escapes her walled community and spreads her belief system, Earthseed, as she travels north. Pumzi follows Asha, a girl living in a 0% pollution society that requires everything, even liquid waste, to be reused because the world outside is a wasteland. Asha begins having dreams about being in nature (she’s not supposed to dream because of required dream suppressants) and receives a sample of soil that can harbor plant life. These instances inspire her to risk everything by leaving her society to plant a seed in nature. In both stories, the protagonists are women and POC who resist their society. Although their circumstances differ, their journeys highlight the struggle between survival and reformation. The creators exhibit hope as something that can be cultivated and that rebellion is rooted in persistence.
How do these stories challenge the traditional Western representations of leadership and change?
Both Pumzi and Butler’s Parable of the Sower show a dystopian world struck by an environmental-societal crisis and is in societal collapse. We start our story with our main characters in individually built communities. These stories showcase a potential future for us if our perpetuation of our current institutional systems continue, these individual communities seem to still replicate these systems. Within Pumzi, people are encouraged to keep making energy to stay alive in this almost other-worldly pod, being made into tools of an almost larger machine. In the beginning of Parable of the Sower, we see a gated community that still holds the idea of the nuclear family and gender roles highly among other things. However with these stories, we see through the eyes of Black girls and women, making for an important perspective when looking at capitalistic systems or the failure of such. Why is this such an important viewpoint (a Black girl/women as the main character fighting for a better future) when looking at the societal failings of these dystopian worlds and their potential futures?
In both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower we see a dystopian world set inside societies of a potential future where things that can potentially show individualism such as dreaming or just having empathy are suppressed and for whatever reason people live within walled communities, some other similarities between the two include… both main characters being a woman of color, an emphasis on a seed as symbolism, and treating the outside world as if its full of danger. My question is, what kind of events were the catalysts for these changes that eventually lead to living with in a protected community and viewing the outside as dangerous? For Pumzi at least I remember that near like the very start we see a newspaper article mentioning World War 3 occurred like 30 years ago but I don’t really recall an event ever being mentioned in Parable of the Sower.
In the most obvious way, Parable of the Sower and Pumzi are both set in an eco-dystopian lands that are dealing with the final impacts of climate change. The reactions and severity of and to the environmental devastation differ between the two stories but there are details that can be linked. For one, the strict lifestyle that the main character in Pumzi abides by, (barcode scans for water, dream suppressant pills and creating energy by exercising) is similar to the strict lifestyle that Laurens dad raised her with. Though Lauren may not have always agreed with her dads strategies for survivals, there is a through line in both of the stories that emphasizes structure and order (almost militaristically). However, the tradition that we see with our main protagonists are also similar. They both escape the safety of their structured life, that was never going to serve them well, to go off and attempt, either literally or religiously, to plant a seed.
Both Parable of the Sower and Pumzi start with a vivid dream, one about fire and stars and the other about a tree. How do you think that these are insights into the feelings of loss for these characters and what sorts of imagery can we draw from them now that we are done with each story?
The short film Pumzi reflects themes from Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and resonates with current political trends perpetuating environmental harm. For example, President Trump’s decisions to cut funding for environmental initiatives and the restrictive language around climate change align with the attitudes depicted in the film. In Pumzi, the main character attempts to rebuild after environmental collapse, emphasizing that soil can regenerate, yet the institution remains fixated on the notion of self-sufficient water. Similarly, the current political climate seems overly focused on “drill, baby, drill” policies, disregarding the long-term harm caused to the environment, while silencing those advocating for a more sustainable future, much like the protagonist in Pumzi. Additionally, the concept of self-sufficient water in the film seems symbolic of society’s overemphasis on human needs, “watering” only ourselves while leaving the planet in ruin. Given this, what actions or events are necessary to shift away from the current anthropocentric mindset and allow for a worldview where human and environmental success are intertwined, rather than separated?
The short film Pumzi directed by Wanuri Kahiu takes place in dystopian africa, where civilians face the impacts of a nuclear world war and climate change that has caused a shortage of resources. People are forced to prioritize basic needs and survival over personal goals and aspirations, thus people take dream suppressants. This is very similar to Lauren in Parable of the Sower, as she has a condition that makes her empathize for people and the issues they all face. Other similarities between both Parable of the Sower and Pumzi is both reveal the struggles of black women which shows that these struggles do not go away in future societies. My question is, How does a minority protagonist in both stories reflect key themes in the stories? Comparing these stories to more popular sci-fi, dystopian movies and books I’ve become familiar with, such as Fahrenheit 451 and Wall-e, which do not include the implications of race and gender, I think Parable of the Sower and Pumzi show the strength and necessity of not only women but also community in society. I’ve enjoyed reading about Lauren’s story and comparing it to other stories, and thinking about the implications of exclusion of women and minority communities.
Both “Pumzi” and Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” construct elaborate dystopian worlds decimated by ecological devastation and social collapse, yet they offer stunningly vivid depictions of resistance, hope, and renewal from the perspectives of Black young women. Though informed by divergent worlds, both characters reflect each other in how they engage with, and ultimately resist, the limits of their repressive worlds. Lauren’s iconic line, “God is Change,” is a kind of prophecy that is echoed throughout both character’s lives. Though the protagonist in “Pumzi” does not articulate her philosophy in words or scripture as Lauren does, she embodies the same truth: that survival and advancement are not just a function of adaptability, but of dynamic change. In “Pumzi”, the protagonist even goes as far as risking her life for the hope that life may continue on the planet, just as Lauren risks her life to spread a new theology on a hostile, anarchic world.Both Lauren and Asha choose to abandon the safety of their structured societies. That leads me to my questions…
How does this act of stepping into the unknown convey a deeper belief in the possibility of change? Considering our current environmental and political times, what can these stories teach us about the relationship between individual agency and collective survival?
I enjoyed watching the short film Pumzi (translating to breath). In the beginning, it seemed as though it was set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic community that had figured it out and was living consciously. However, as the film progressed, more and more concerning facts were presented, sometimes subtle, sometimes not. Everything is watched over and strictly enforced, and residents are not even allowed to have dreams. Resources are rationed by armed guards and when Asha does something the council doesn’t like, they force her to exercise to power the electricity. Slowly this community began to remind me of Olivar in Parable of the Sower, a city taken over by a private company. Both are places that provide safety, or the illusion of it, in exchange for your freedom; a notion all too familiar for Appalachia. Water is prominent in both storylines, with it being so scarce in Pumzi that residents purify their urine and sweat to drink. In Parable of the Sower, water has become a luxury for the rich and powerful, while others must do everything they can not to die of dehydration.
How is water portrayed in both storylines as a means of not only control but also transformation?
Both Asha and Lauren leave their communities, leaving behind the illusion of safety they gave them, but also escaping control. How can these risks be seen as strengths and represent the power of hope?
Finally, it is not something to overlook that in both these storylines, the main character is a Black woman. Additionally, they both seek resilience in ecological restoration. How does this shift away from dominant patriarchal leadership present a different narrative about survival and authority? Specifically, how does Lauren’s journey to leading Earthseed differ from traditional paths of violence and dominance to leadership?
Pumzi by Wanuri Kahiu and Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler each portray a vision of dystopian futures that have been shaped by environmental degradation and social injustice, while offering different responses to these issues, which show themselves in the way people survive and resist. The main character in Pumzi lives in a post-apocalyptic society that is under heavy military control, where the environment and ecological life are considered to be extinct, and “order” is prioritized in the place of freedom. Parable of the Sower, by contrast, has a young woman as the protagonist, who escapes from a society that is rapidly deteriorating with the goal of building a new society rooted in hope, spiritual growth, and justice for all people theough her earthseed philosophy. Pumzi presents a narrative of a society under isolation and suppression with a glimpse of resistance while Parable shows us resistance through connection, change, and empathy.
How do Pumzi and Parable of the Sower portray the role of individual agency in the face of environmental collapse and authoritarian control?
After watching the short film, Pumzi, I really enjoyed how this film portrayed how environmental issues played in someone’s life, and the short film shared this common theme with Parable of The Sower. In the short film and Parable of the Sower, it showed how the main character was very intuitive with the environment and people around them due to certain things. Both the short film and the book both take us through the main characters spiritual journey as well as their discoveries of the environment.
My discussion question is: how does the short film and the book portray religion and the environment as being tied together in the same ways or different ways?
In the film, Pumzi, the main protagonist, faces authority and rebels, for the goal of discovery. She escapes to the outside in order to grow and develop this seed. This reminds me of Lauren, in Parable of the Sower, and her journey through religion and formation of Earthseed. All her life, Lauren was directed to and was forced upon her father’s Christian beliefs. While Lauren worked to question these beliefs and their accuracy within present times, she formed Earthseed on her own. The Parable of the Sower and Pumzi both share ideas of rebellion, and development of one’s ideas based on discovery and questioning.
What other ways are the main protagonist from Pumzi, and Lauren from Parable of the Sower similar? Morals? Emotions?
A key connection between these 2 works is the tension between the individual agency and collective survival. While Laurens’ journey focuses on fostering a community, Pumzi focuses on an act of defiance and hope. Both of them of confront the ecological degradation they are facing and how humanities role plays a part in all of this. Both of these works really challenge us in understanding what survival means. I leads me to think about the difference in survival among animals. To us, survival might mean more than to a lion, as a lion does what it needs to survive and not too much else, whereas human animals have generated entire ideas and worlds to help us “survive” during our time here. How can these two stories present the idea of collective versus individual survival and what can we understand about hope as the driving force?
Parable of the Sower and Pumzi both depict futures dilapidated by environmental collapse and social breakdown, yet they center Black female protagonists who navigate these worlds in unique ways. A key point of contact between the two is how they frame survival as not just as endurance, but as transformation, as well as and how they portray the tension between isolation and community in post-apocalyptic areas.
Both Parable of the Sower and Pumzi depict characters who break away from their enclosed, failing societies in pursuit of something new. What do their actions suggest about the role of risk, agency, and faith in building futures after disaster?
In what ways do these stories challenge the dominant narratives of environmental justice or futurism? How do their visions of survival and transformation complicate mainstream ideas about who leads, who follows, and what “the future” should look like?
The short film Pumzi and the Parable of the Sower both show dystopian environments. Both of which seem to be run by private corporations. Both protagonists share a few traits, such as both being women of color, and how they both reject the ‘norm’. Neither character is supposed to think for themselves, in the Parable of the Sower, Lauren shows empathy while the community around her does not. Asha in Pumzi shows humanity towards the cleaner, and provides her with water as well as expresses curiosity and defiance in search of a better life.
What needs to be done so that we as a society change our mindsets, to prevent a future that looks similar to that of Pumzi and the Parable of the Sower?
Both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower take place in a post-apocalyptic world that is devastated by environmental problems and lack of resources. Both main characters are women of color who wish to defy the norms in order to live a more fulfilling life after having lived a more solitary one due to the barriers their society had set up to protect them from the outside world. A connection I found most interesting between the two medias was the theme of empathy. In Parable we know Lauren has a condition called hyperempathy that makes her more vulnerable to the pain going on in the world, and in the end of Pumzi the main character takes better care of the plant that she took with her on her journey rather than herself. She used the last of her water to plant and water the seedling, and the film ends with her curling up as if to die next to the growing tree. My question is:
Why do both of these medias set in post-apocalyptic worlds treat empathy as a foreign and brave subject? What does that say about what humans have done to the environment and where we are going from here?
Pumzi and Parable of the Sower share many key similarities as they explore themes of climate change, societal collapse, dystopianism, and the fight to enact change. Both stories are set in a future that has been ravaged by environmental collapse and societal decay, where we see a young, black, female lead aim to combat an increasingly dire situation. We see both Asha and Lauren leave their enclosed communities in the hopes of a better future, Asha with her seedling and Lauren with the Earthseed philosophy. Both protagonists actively go against the oppressive states of their societies with their thoughts as well as actions. Their stories highlight the importance of remaining faithful and confident in one’s beliefs in the face of repression.
How can the contemporary sustainability movement learn from the stories of Lauren and Asha? What aspects of their realities are connected to our current society?
Pumzi and Parable of the Sower both explore a world post-ecological disaster. They demonstrate the extremes society will reach when conservation of natural resources is overlooked for the sake of “progress.” The two stories collide when they demonstrate different sparks of hope, both stemming from young black women. In Pumzi, Asha holds to her belief that life can continue to exist beyond the walls of her home, leading her to achieve the growth of life on a barren planet. In Parable of the Sower, Lauren plants the metaphorical seed of her new religion, Earthseed. As young black women following their beliefs to achieve real change, how do their journeys challenge traditional views of leadership and prophecy?
The short film Pumzi is directed by a Kenyan native and is a science fiction movie set in a post-apocalyptic future. The story of Pumzi begins with a somber and emotional tone, following the aftermath of WWIII, which left the world barren and led to the extinction of naturally derived organic compounds. At the center of the short film is a courageous and hopeful scientist who is determined to change her reality, resisting and challenging authoritarian rule that is controlling the underground city. The scientist personal mission is to nurture and protect the planted seed she discovered in the lab. Her motivation stems from a psychological mutation counteracting the effects of the dream suppression pills, which created a mirage or delusion about the outside world. Dreams can be quite illuminating, so I sympathize with her reaction. Unfortunately, the false dream led to her demise; however, her persevering actions ignited a global germinating surprise and a miracle. The death of the scientist led to the growth of the seed.
How reassuring the ending is. To see humanity push and resist against all odds. Will our generation eliminate cultural strife and create a separate but equal world?
The Kenyan film Pumzi and Parable of the Sower, the media we explored this week in class, share common themes and messages. Both take place in post-apocalyptic societies of the near future where resources like water, energy, and infrastructure are scarce. The word “pumzi” is a Swahilli term meaning breath or, with a more metaphorical translation, life force or essence. This metaphorical translation reminded me of Lauren Oya Olamina and her reinterpretation of religion in Parable of the Sower. Lauren uses the teachings of what she calls her fathers God to create a new faith. Her interpretation of God and faith centers the human experience and uses religion as a tool of reflection and empowerment. Essentially, Lauren creates a religion that highlights the life force/essence of God instead of subscribing to the Almighty-ness of God. I also thought it interesting that the society in Pumzi contrasts that of Lauren’s world and did not seem to have religious influences. Was this intentional?
How does this new interpretation on God impact Lauren and the other characters in the novel. Do you think a new interpretation such as Lauren’s would be beneficial to our society?
In Pumzi, the main character’s journey emphasizes the importance of individuality and courage in the face of societal norms that prioritize safety and conformity over exploration and growth. She challenges the oppressive environment around her, pushing against the boundaries that limit her understanding of the world and her potential. This desire for knowledge and connection to nature drives her to seek a more vibrant reality outside her community. Similarly, in The Parable of the Sower, the protagonist, Lauren Olamina, represents strength and hope in the face of a collapsing society. Her ability to imagine a different future through her religion of Earthseed demonstrates the power of belief in shaping one’s destiny. Lauren’s determination to gather allies and create a new settlement in the name of community rather than fear of what’s outside the walls reflects the need for collective action in overcoming oppressive systems.
“How do the main characters in Pumzi and The Parable of the Sower show that challenging fear and conformity can lead to growth and change? How can this be achieved in today’s society?”
Both Parable of the Sower and Pumzi are pieces of are pieces of futuristic science-fiction created by black women. They each imagine a post-apocalyptic future, and explore the intricacies individuality, religion, and race within the new society that has emerged following the collapse of society. Despite influences ranging from Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451) to George Lucas (THX1138), the perspectives that Octavia Butler and Wanari Kahiu bring to the post-apocalyptic genre are unique in the world of science fiction. How do these artists re-contextualize tropes of science fiction and post-apocalyptic media to create something new?
Pumzi takes place in a futuristic society that is closed off from the outside world. The main character works in a lab tasked with purifying urine to turn back into drinking water. She receives a mysterious sample of water-saturated soil and requests a trip to the outside world in hopes of discovering the origin of the sample and potential life outside of their isolated society. The council rejects her requests but she ends up venturing outside and planting the soil sample which ultimately grows into a standalone tree in the desert. This story draws a handful of comparisons to Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. Most obviously, both stories take place in a futuristic, somewhat dystopian society that is closed off from the rest of the natural world due to some sort of natural catastrophe. Both main characters are also black women who take upon themselves the responsibility of enacting a change within their stagnant respective societies. My question to the class is this: At the core of both of these stories is the need for an individual to spark a change in order to break the perceived acceptable way of life within a society. How could this notion be applied to present-day America or humanity as a whole? Are there similar instances that exist within our current societies we could look to as examples?
In the Power of the Sower society has crumbled under climate change, a lack of resources, and economic collapse. Communities are usually walled off and resources like water are even more precious. A girl named Lauren in this story rebels against the status quo by leaving the safety of her community and spreading her Earthseed philosophy. On the other hand, the women in the flim Pumzi were living in a world after World War III and I can only ecpect that this war happened over resources. Anyway she used the bathroom and used her sweat where the water was recycled. She eventually leaves her community to plant a tree in the desert. I suppose this symbolizes hope to a dying world.
The only question I have is why did the woman die with her tree? Wouldn’t has been better if she lived on to tell the tale and why did she plant it so far away from the community?
This film was a very interesting watch because it relied more on storytelling through images rather than character dialogue. This film was very interesting to me because it felt like any other science fiction film with a flawed utopian society. The idea of having a utopia shows that there is always something that is wrong in society, and we as people can never be perfect because nothing in this world is perfect. Humans achieved sustainability at the cost of conserving reprocessed water and living in the settlement. The dream-suppressing drugs were funny to me because the mind allows for creativity and change, but for this settlement, they did not encourage any sort of growth. The same can be said for our society in today’s world because people with new ideas are usually shot down or critiqued for not having the “correct” way of going about a task. In the film, the monitor came on to say “Do your part,” and to me, I would think that it would be to help better preserve and improve the planet, but the settlement wants you to be a mindless ant that works for the immediate betterment of the colony. The woman breaking out showed that she was determined on her mission, not knowing what was to lie ahead, because she had seen what society thinks of her and the work she is trying to achieve. Mt question is why does the society not want her specifically to explore the world? It is a dangerous place, and they do not want anyone to leave, but the solution to their problem is right in front of them, and they do not want to take a chance for change. It is shown to be dangerous at the end of the film when the woman dies next to the plant. Seeing her walk to the tree that she’s seen in her dreams, only to be met with reality, made me think about the Lorax with the trees and how, once they are all gone, there is no hope until someone truly cares. The careless sacrifice of the woman gave life to the tree so that it could continue because she was only playing a starting role in changing the future.
In both Pumzi and POTS, the protagonist is a young girl living through an uncertain future marked by environmental degradation and authoritarianism in walled-in areas meant to protect them. Asha and Lauren feel trapped by these walls and are both called to leave to pursue a better future for themselves and humanity via sowing seeds of hope, either literally or metaphorically. In both of these narratives, the protagonists have a unique capacity to see past the life expected of them and imagine a better way forward, one they would die fighting for. How does this radical world-building threaten the oppressive systems that aim to uphold the status quo and further subjugate the population? How do their identities as sensitive and imaginative young women shape their revolutionary capacity?
the most unsettling part of PUMZI was the dream suppressants, the tree, the subconscious, the dreams coming through the suppressants, that which needs to happen usually happens. both feed on people dying and living for the future through survival, pushing through a society that focuses on the longevity of life over the quality. Dying with little water, the desire to feel full but not having the conditions and choices to match what the human psyche wishes for. Then breaking out of the wall of survival and comfort that kept both characters alive for so long, to go and follow an urge, a wish, for something more, both chased from their own homes. into a desolate land scape that struggles to keep life alive, so many outer factors trying to contradict life itself. focusing on sacrificing one life to save another, we see this in PUMZI the women dying at the base of the tree and through out the parable of the sorrow whenever someone died or lived usually was the gain or loss of someone else. the give and take and cycle that in times of not having enough for everyone, sacrifices must be made…
what would you be willing to sacrifices for your survival or would you sacrifice yourself or things you have for someone else?
In both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower, there are common themes of dystopian society and environmental ruin. These themes are both highly relevant to the world that we live in today, albeit not as extreme. It is a reasonable assumption to say that if we continue to exist in the same fashion, we could end up living very similar lives to Asha and Lauren. In what ways do both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower serve as a warning to our modern day society in regards to environmental degredation? How do Asha and Lauren serve as examples of resistance to this degredation and hopeful images of future sustainability?
Both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower feature black women as protagonists in settings of dystopian social and environmental climates. Both Lauren and Asha embody resistance among their interactions with the oppressive systems in which they live. Asha is determined to escape the confines of the facility in which she is kept after realizing that life can be supported outside its walls. She goes against the orders of her ‘higher ups’ (whoever, or whatever that may be), even risking her life in pursuit of growing the “Mother Seed”. Lauren is resemblant of Asha, as she risks her life in pursuit of sharing her philosophy with a broken world. With each chapter of Parable of the Sower, we come to understand Lauren’s actions as less of those of personal necessity (though, they are quite necessary) and more as those working toward the common good. Both protagonists, who are parts of historically undermined communities (women and black women, at that), sacrifice their comfort with a (as they’ve been told) seemingly secure and more comfortable future in attempts to show the world that there is more.
What implications do the author and filmmaker hint at with the use of black women as the change makers? What role do you think the identities of the protagonists play in their passions for making change? Do you think that being a part of oppressed groups enables these characters to be better- or worse- fit in taking on these challenges?
In Parable of the Sower and Pumzi, Lauren and Asha push beyond the boundaries of broken worlds, not through force, but through vision. Lauren’s belief that “God is Change” guides her journey to reshape a crumbling society, while Asha risks everything for a single seed and the hope of growth. Both protagonists, young women of color, challenge systems that suppress emotion, dreaming, and connection to nature. Their resistance lies in imagining something better. In worlds built on fear, they choose faith, in nature, in change, in possibility.
If planting a seed is an act of resistance, what kind of seeds are we planting in our own world today?
The short film Pumzi showed what our future could look like if continue to treat the environment the way that we do. This film brought me to the conclusion that she was giving her life to bring more life. Throughout the course of my major I have learned more and more about how dire it is that we are proactive against climate change, but felt less and less like I could do anything about it. We could work our whole lives to protect the planet and still end up just dying for no real change. Is the work we do really going to make a change when there are so many poeple fighting against it.
So my question is, Is that what we are all doing, the ones fighting for the environment, giving our lives to a tree in the desert? Is the change we do make worth it?
In both the short film Pumzi and the book Parable of the Sower, there are themes of control versus freedom. In Parable of the Sower, the characters were in a gated community with the knowledge that outside of the gates/walls is complete chaos and widespread violence. In Pumzi, the characters are living inside a modern dystopian society that is completely self-run with no access to the outdoors. When the main character tries to find out more about dirt that is showing signs of life on the outside, the dystopia quickly tries to shut it down by saying that the outside world is dead. Both stories have control over the characters by either fear keeping them inside their gated community or higher authority not allowing them to be curious/go outside.
My question is, how is freedom portrayed in both the book and the film and why is it portrayed in that way?
Another question: are there any parallels/similarities regarding systems of control in our world?
In both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower, we’re shown a dystopian future filled with the restriction of expressions of individualism, such as dreaming and empathy that are suppressed. People are living within these walled communities and are, physically and ideologically pulled from the world that has been deemed chaotic and dangerous. These societies that are enclosed showcase a broader fear of the “outside” where the idea of survival has overtaken connection. Both narratives are centered around women of color who are the protagonists, the use of seeds are seen as potent symbols of hope and rebirth, they share the idea that the natural environment has been forgotten and lost while fear has taken hold. In Pumzi, we aregiven a brief glimpse a newspaper clipping that references World War III that occurred thirty years prior. This one-part hints at a massive global event that is the catalyst for current day conditions. But in Parable of the Sower, the collapse feels more like a slow and causal shift. Rather than one large scale apocalyptic event there are small slowly unraveling events such as climate change, corporate takeovers, and wealth inequalities to show the slow erosion of our social systems. This brings to attention questions such as, what events led to such radical shifts in how people live and think and are sudden cataclysms more effective at creating change in these worlds—or is the slow decay even more haunting?
Both Pumzi and Parable of a Sower show science fiction, dystopian futures that detail a life with limited resources and the aftermath of corrupt politics. The main characters, Lauren and Asha, rebel against the unjust system that they have been put in. These two characters both act in rebellion to their circumstances, and try to pave a better hope for the future of their people. Asha plants a tree, the first in years, and Lauren begins an empowering religious movement, like nothing that has been seen before. Although these two works are very dystopian, I can see similarities between the two of them and our modern world.
How possible are both the futures seen in Pumzi and in Parable of a Sower? What trends in modern day have implications mirroring what is seen in these pieces of media? What would have to happen, or continue happening, in our reality that could lead to these levels of outcomes?
Both Pumzi and Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower establish a dystopian world of environmental collapse and the takeover of oppressive systems. In Pumzi, the earth is seemingly uninhabitable, and water is scarce, which parallels Laurens’ experiences. Even so, both characters find hope to hold on in search of a better life. I compare Asha’s plant, which she was able to give life and Laurens’ Earthseed. The similarities between Asha and Lauren provide hope for a better future and a life that is not confined by authoritative structures. Lauren rebels against the harmful nature of the community she was once a part of and inspires others to find hope in change and new beginnings. Similarly, Ashna rebels against the authority of her colleagues on a mission to find life outside of the community.
Asha, at the end of the film, gives the last of her water to the plant, hoping for its survival. Later, the film pans out to show a forest of trees, I believe to be symbolizing renewal. I find the importance to be that we are capable of resiliency and change. But I also found myself questioning if the world could recover after an ecological collapse. I’ve also recognized that change can not happen without hope and effort. I also question the authority of the community Asha was a part of because they failed to encourage her curiosity. Do they not care for change or life outside of their community? Would they not hope for a better future for themselves?
SD 3800 Voices in Sustainable Development 
Both “Pumzi” and Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” discuss futures devastated by environmental collapse in which the people are governed by oppressive systems. How do Asha and Lauren, the protagonists of each story, use their personal views and individualities to resist the constraints in their respective worlds? In what ways do their journeys reflect hope, resilience, and the belief in rebuilding a more sustainable world? Or is there any hope at all, in your eyes?
With their similarities in mind, how does the iconic quote from Lauren, “The only lasting truth is Change. God is Change.” resonate with Asha’s decision to risk everything for the possibility of life beyond the boundaries of her society?
-Hadley Tavernier
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler and the film Pumzi by Wanuri Kahiu both depict dystopian futures that are characterized by environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and oppressive societal control. Although the environment is bleak (literally), both creators focus on the message of individualism, resistance, and the hope of reconstruction in the face of destruction. In Parable of the Sower, Lauren escapes her walled community and spreads her belief system, Earthseed, as she travels north. Pumzi follows Asha, a girl living in a 0% pollution society that requires everything, even liquid waste, to be reused because the world outside is a wasteland. Asha begins having dreams about being in nature (she’s not supposed to dream because of required dream suppressants) and receives a sample of soil that can harbor plant life. These instances inspire her to risk everything by leaving her society to plant a seed in nature. In both stories, the protagonists are women and POC who resist their society. Although their circumstances differ, their journeys highlight the struggle between survival and reformation. The creators exhibit hope as something that can be cultivated and that rebellion is rooted in persistence.
How do these stories challenge the traditional Western representations of leadership and change?
-Fia Mascari
Both Pumzi and Butler’s Parable of the Sower show a dystopian world struck by an environmental-societal crisis and is in societal collapse. We start our story with our main characters in individually built communities. These stories showcase a potential future for us if our perpetuation of our current institutional systems continue, these individual communities seem to still replicate these systems. Within Pumzi, people are encouraged to keep making energy to stay alive in this almost other-worldly pod, being made into tools of an almost larger machine. In the beginning of Parable of the Sower, we see a gated community that still holds the idea of the nuclear family and gender roles highly among other things. However with these stories, we see through the eyes of Black girls and women, making for an important perspective when looking at capitalistic systems or the failure of such. Why is this such an important viewpoint (a Black girl/women as the main character fighting for a better future) when looking at the societal failings of these dystopian worlds and their potential futures?
-Iona Blackburn
In both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower we see a dystopian world set inside societies of a potential future where things that can potentially show individualism such as dreaming or just having empathy are suppressed and for whatever reason people live within walled communities, some other similarities between the two include… both main characters being a woman of color, an emphasis on a seed as symbolism, and treating the outside world as if its full of danger. My question is, what kind of events were the catalysts for these changes that eventually lead to living with in a protected community and viewing the outside as dangerous? For Pumzi at least I remember that near like the very start we see a newspaper article mentioning World War 3 occurred like 30 years ago but I don’t really recall an event ever being mentioned in Parable of the Sower.
-Connor Kuharcik
In the most obvious way, Parable of the Sower and Pumzi are both set in an eco-dystopian lands that are dealing with the final impacts of climate change. The reactions and severity of and to the environmental devastation differ between the two stories but there are details that can be linked. For one, the strict lifestyle that the main character in Pumzi abides by, (barcode scans for water, dream suppressant pills and creating energy by exercising) is similar to the strict lifestyle that Laurens dad raised her with. Though Lauren may not have always agreed with her dads strategies for survivals, there is a through line in both of the stories that emphasizes structure and order (almost militaristically). However, the tradition that we see with our main protagonists are also similar. They both escape the safety of their structured life, that was never going to serve them well, to go off and attempt, either literally or religiously, to plant a seed.
Both Parable of the Sower and Pumzi start with a vivid dream, one about fire and stars and the other about a tree. How do you think that these are insights into the feelings of loss for these characters and what sorts of imagery can we draw from them now that we are done with each story?
Posey Lester-Niles
The short film Pumzi reflects themes from Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and resonates with current political trends perpetuating environmental harm. For example, President Trump’s decisions to cut funding for environmental initiatives and the restrictive language around climate change align with the attitudes depicted in the film. In Pumzi, the main character attempts to rebuild after environmental collapse, emphasizing that soil can regenerate, yet the institution remains fixated on the notion of self-sufficient water. Similarly, the current political climate seems overly focused on “drill, baby, drill” policies, disregarding the long-term harm caused to the environment, while silencing those advocating for a more sustainable future, much like the protagonist in Pumzi. Additionally, the concept of self-sufficient water in the film seems symbolic of society’s overemphasis on human needs, “watering” only ourselves while leaving the planet in ruin. Given this, what actions or events are necessary to shift away from the current anthropocentric mindset and allow for a worldview where human and environmental success are intertwined, rather than separated?
The short film Pumzi directed by Wanuri Kahiu takes place in dystopian africa, where civilians face the impacts of a nuclear world war and climate change that has caused a shortage of resources. People are forced to prioritize basic needs and survival over personal goals and aspirations, thus people take dream suppressants. This is very similar to Lauren in Parable of the Sower, as she has a condition that makes her empathize for people and the issues they all face. Other similarities between both Parable of the Sower and Pumzi is both reveal the struggles of black women which shows that these struggles do not go away in future societies. My question is, How does a minority protagonist in both stories reflect key themes in the stories? Comparing these stories to more popular sci-fi, dystopian movies and books I’ve become familiar with, such as Fahrenheit 451 and Wall-e, which do not include the implications of race and gender, I think Parable of the Sower and Pumzi show the strength and necessity of not only women but also community in society. I’ve enjoyed reading about Lauren’s story and comparing it to other stories, and thinking about the implications of exclusion of women and minority communities.
Amelia Hagen
Both “Pumzi” and Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” construct elaborate dystopian worlds decimated by ecological devastation and social collapse, yet they offer stunningly vivid depictions of resistance, hope, and renewal from the perspectives of Black young women. Though informed by divergent worlds, both characters reflect each other in how they engage with, and ultimately resist, the limits of their repressive worlds. Lauren’s iconic line, “God is Change,” is a kind of prophecy that is echoed throughout both character’s lives. Though the protagonist in “Pumzi” does not articulate her philosophy in words or scripture as Lauren does, she embodies the same truth: that survival and advancement are not just a function of adaptability, but of dynamic change. In “Pumzi”, the protagonist even goes as far as risking her life for the hope that life may continue on the planet, just as Lauren risks her life to spread a new theology on a hostile, anarchic world.Both Lauren and Asha choose to abandon the safety of their structured societies. That leads me to my questions…
How does this act of stepping into the unknown convey a deeper belief in the possibility of change? Considering our current environmental and political times, what can these stories teach us about the relationship between individual agency and collective survival?
-Tyler Nece
I enjoyed watching the short film Pumzi (translating to breath). In the beginning, it seemed as though it was set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic community that had figured it out and was living consciously. However, as the film progressed, more and more concerning facts were presented, sometimes subtle, sometimes not. Everything is watched over and strictly enforced, and residents are not even allowed to have dreams. Resources are rationed by armed guards and when Asha does something the council doesn’t like, they force her to exercise to power the electricity. Slowly this community began to remind me of Olivar in Parable of the Sower, a city taken over by a private company. Both are places that provide safety, or the illusion of it, in exchange for your freedom; a notion all too familiar for Appalachia. Water is prominent in both storylines, with it being so scarce in Pumzi that residents purify their urine and sweat to drink. In Parable of the Sower, water has become a luxury for the rich and powerful, while others must do everything they can not to die of dehydration.
How is water portrayed in both storylines as a means of not only control but also transformation?
Both Asha and Lauren leave their communities, leaving behind the illusion of safety they gave them, but also escaping control. How can these risks be seen as strengths and represent the power of hope?
Finally, it is not something to overlook that in both these storylines, the main character is a Black woman. Additionally, they both seek resilience in ecological restoration. How does this shift away from dominant patriarchal leadership present a different narrative about survival and authority? Specifically, how does Lauren’s journey to leading Earthseed differ from traditional paths of violence and dominance to leadership?
Pumzi by Wanuri Kahiu and Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler each portray a vision of dystopian futures that have been shaped by environmental degradation and social injustice, while offering different responses to these issues, which show themselves in the way people survive and resist. The main character in Pumzi lives in a post-apocalyptic society that is under heavy military control, where the environment and ecological life are considered to be extinct, and “order” is prioritized in the place of freedom. Parable of the Sower, by contrast, has a young woman as the protagonist, who escapes from a society that is rapidly deteriorating with the goal of building a new society rooted in hope, spiritual growth, and justice for all people theough her earthseed philosophy. Pumzi presents a narrative of a society under isolation and suppression with a glimpse of resistance while Parable shows us resistance through connection, change, and empathy.
How do Pumzi and Parable of the Sower portray the role of individual agency in the face of environmental collapse and authoritarian control?
Landon Dancy
Landon Dancy
After watching the short film, Pumzi, I really enjoyed how this film portrayed how environmental issues played in someone’s life, and the short film shared this common theme with Parable of The Sower. In the short film and Parable of the Sower, it showed how the main character was very intuitive with the environment and people around them due to certain things. Both the short film and the book both take us through the main characters spiritual journey as well as their discoveries of the environment.
My discussion question is: how does the short film and the book portray religion and the environment as being tied together in the same ways or different ways?
Ciara Gurganus
In the film, Pumzi, the main protagonist, faces authority and rebels, for the goal of discovery. She escapes to the outside in order to grow and develop this seed. This reminds me of Lauren, in Parable of the Sower, and her journey through religion and formation of Earthseed. All her life, Lauren was directed to and was forced upon her father’s Christian beliefs. While Lauren worked to question these beliefs and their accuracy within present times, she formed Earthseed on her own. The Parable of the Sower and Pumzi both share ideas of rebellion, and development of one’s ideas based on discovery and questioning.
What other ways are the main protagonist from Pumzi, and Lauren from Parable of the Sower similar? Morals? Emotions?
Abbey Smith
A key connection between these 2 works is the tension between the individual agency and collective survival. While Laurens’ journey focuses on fostering a community, Pumzi focuses on an act of defiance and hope. Both of them of confront the ecological degradation they are facing and how humanities role plays a part in all of this. Both of these works really challenge us in understanding what survival means. I leads me to think about the difference in survival among animals. To us, survival might mean more than to a lion, as a lion does what it needs to survive and not too much else, whereas human animals have generated entire ideas and worlds to help us “survive” during our time here. How can these two stories present the idea of collective versus individual survival and what can we understand about hope as the driving force?
Parker Williamson
Parable of the Sower and Pumzi both depict futures dilapidated by environmental collapse and social breakdown, yet they center Black female protagonists who navigate these worlds in unique ways. A key point of contact between the two is how they frame survival as not just as endurance, but as transformation, as well as and how they portray the tension between isolation and community in post-apocalyptic areas.
Both Parable of the Sower and Pumzi depict characters who break away from their enclosed, failing societies in pursuit of something new. What do their actions suggest about the role of risk, agency, and faith in building futures after disaster?
In what ways do these stories challenge the dominant narratives of environmental justice or futurism? How do their visions of survival and transformation complicate mainstream ideas about who leads, who follows, and what “the future” should look like?
Kendall Williamson
The short film Pumzi and the Parable of the Sower both show dystopian environments. Both of which seem to be run by private corporations. Both protagonists share a few traits, such as both being women of color, and how they both reject the ‘norm’. Neither character is supposed to think for themselves, in the Parable of the Sower, Lauren shows empathy while the community around her does not. Asha in Pumzi shows humanity towards the cleaner, and provides her with water as well as expresses curiosity and defiance in search of a better life.
What needs to be done so that we as a society change our mindsets, to prevent a future that looks similar to that of Pumzi and the Parable of the Sower?
Both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower take place in a post-apocalyptic world that is devastated by environmental problems and lack of resources. Both main characters are women of color who wish to defy the norms in order to live a more fulfilling life after having lived a more solitary one due to the barriers their society had set up to protect them from the outside world. A connection I found most interesting between the two medias was the theme of empathy. In Parable we know Lauren has a condition called hyperempathy that makes her more vulnerable to the pain going on in the world, and in the end of Pumzi the main character takes better care of the plant that she took with her on her journey rather than herself. She used the last of her water to plant and water the seedling, and the film ends with her curling up as if to die next to the growing tree. My question is:
Why do both of these medias set in post-apocalyptic worlds treat empathy as a foreign and brave subject? What does that say about what humans have done to the environment and where we are going from here?
Ella Holmes
Pumzi and Parable of the Sower share many key similarities as they explore themes of climate change, societal collapse, dystopianism, and the fight to enact change. Both stories are set in a future that has been ravaged by environmental collapse and societal decay, where we see a young, black, female lead aim to combat an increasingly dire situation. We see both Asha and Lauren leave their enclosed communities in the hopes of a better future, Asha with her seedling and Lauren with the Earthseed philosophy. Both protagonists actively go against the oppressive states of their societies with their thoughts as well as actions. Their stories highlight the importance of remaining faithful and confident in one’s beliefs in the face of repression.
How can the contemporary sustainability movement learn from the stories of Lauren and Asha? What aspects of their realities are connected to our current society?
Max Lawrence
Pumzi and Parable of the Sower both explore a world post-ecological disaster. They demonstrate the extremes society will reach when conservation of natural resources is overlooked for the sake of “progress.” The two stories collide when they demonstrate different sparks of hope, both stemming from young black women. In Pumzi, Asha holds to her belief that life can continue to exist beyond the walls of her home, leading her to achieve the growth of life on a barren planet. In Parable of the Sower, Lauren plants the metaphorical seed of her new religion, Earthseed. As young black women following their beliefs to achieve real change, how do their journeys challenge traditional views of leadership and prophecy?
Sofie Crump
The short film Pumzi is directed by a Kenyan native and is a science fiction movie set in a post-apocalyptic future. The story of Pumzi begins with a somber and emotional tone, following the aftermath of WWIII, which left the world barren and led to the extinction of naturally derived organic compounds. At the center of the short film is a courageous and hopeful scientist who is determined to change her reality, resisting and challenging authoritarian rule that is controlling the underground city. The scientist personal mission is to nurture and protect the planted seed she discovered in the lab. Her motivation stems from a psychological mutation counteracting the effects of the dream suppression pills, which created a mirage or delusion about the outside world. Dreams can be quite illuminating, so I sympathize with her reaction. Unfortunately, the false dream led to her demise; however, her persevering actions ignited a global germinating surprise and a miracle. The death of the scientist led to the growth of the seed.
How reassuring the ending is. To see humanity push and resist against all odds. Will our generation eliminate cultural strife and create a separate but equal world?
The Kenyan film Pumzi and Parable of the Sower, the media we explored this week in class, share common themes and messages. Both take place in post-apocalyptic societies of the near future where resources like water, energy, and infrastructure are scarce. The word “pumzi” is a Swahilli term meaning breath or, with a more metaphorical translation, life force or essence. This metaphorical translation reminded me of Lauren Oya Olamina and her reinterpretation of religion in Parable of the Sower. Lauren uses the teachings of what she calls her fathers God to create a new faith. Her interpretation of God and faith centers the human experience and uses religion as a tool of reflection and empowerment. Essentially, Lauren creates a religion that highlights the life force/essence of God instead of subscribing to the Almighty-ness of God. I also thought it interesting that the society in Pumzi contrasts that of Lauren’s world and did not seem to have religious influences. Was this intentional?
How does this new interpretation on God impact Lauren and the other characters in the novel. Do you think a new interpretation such as Lauren’s would be beneficial to our society?
Clara NeSmith
In Pumzi, the main character’s journey emphasizes the importance of individuality and courage in the face of societal norms that prioritize safety and conformity over exploration and growth. She challenges the oppressive environment around her, pushing against the boundaries that limit her understanding of the world and her potential. This desire for knowledge and connection to nature drives her to seek a more vibrant reality outside her community. Similarly, in The Parable of the Sower, the protagonist, Lauren Olamina, represents strength and hope in the face of a collapsing society. Her ability to imagine a different future through her religion of Earthseed demonstrates the power of belief in shaping one’s destiny. Lauren’s determination to gather allies and create a new settlement in the name of community rather than fear of what’s outside the walls reflects the need for collective action in overcoming oppressive systems.
“How do the main characters in Pumzi and The Parable of the Sower show that challenging fear and conformity can lead to growth and change? How can this be achieved in today’s society?”
Aura Cochran
Both Parable of the Sower and Pumzi are pieces of are pieces of futuristic science-fiction created by black women. They each imagine a post-apocalyptic future, and explore the intricacies individuality, religion, and race within the new society that has emerged following the collapse of society. Despite influences ranging from Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451) to George Lucas (THX1138), the perspectives that Octavia Butler and Wanari Kahiu bring to the post-apocalyptic genre are unique in the world of science fiction. How do these artists re-contextualize tropes of science fiction and post-apocalyptic media to create something new?
John Turner
Pumzi takes place in a futuristic society that is closed off from the outside world. The main character works in a lab tasked with purifying urine to turn back into drinking water. She receives a mysterious sample of water-saturated soil and requests a trip to the outside world in hopes of discovering the origin of the sample and potential life outside of their isolated society. The council rejects her requests but she ends up venturing outside and planting the soil sample which ultimately grows into a standalone tree in the desert. This story draws a handful of comparisons to Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. Most obviously, both stories take place in a futuristic, somewhat dystopian society that is closed off from the rest of the natural world due to some sort of natural catastrophe. Both main characters are also black women who take upon themselves the responsibility of enacting a change within their stagnant respective societies. My question to the class is this: At the core of both of these stories is the need for an individual to spark a change in order to break the perceived acceptable way of life within a society. How could this notion be applied to present-day America or humanity as a whole? Are there similar instances that exist within our current societies we could look to as examples?
In the Power of the Sower society has crumbled under climate change, a lack of resources, and economic collapse. Communities are usually walled off and resources like water are even more precious. A girl named Lauren in this story rebels against the status quo by leaving the safety of her community and spreading her Earthseed philosophy. On the other hand, the women in the flim Pumzi were living in a world after World War III and I can only ecpect that this war happened over resources. Anyway she used the bathroom and used her sweat where the water was recycled. She eventually leaves her community to plant a tree in the desert. I suppose this symbolizes hope to a dying world.
The only question I have is why did the woman die with her tree? Wouldn’t has been better if she lived on to tell the tale and why did she plant it so far away from the community?
Kye
This film was a very interesting watch because it relied more on storytelling through images rather than character dialogue. This film was very interesting to me because it felt like any other science fiction film with a flawed utopian society. The idea of having a utopia shows that there is always something that is wrong in society, and we as people can never be perfect because nothing in this world is perfect. Humans achieved sustainability at the cost of conserving reprocessed water and living in the settlement. The dream-suppressing drugs were funny to me because the mind allows for creativity and change, but for this settlement, they did not encourage any sort of growth. The same can be said for our society in today’s world because people with new ideas are usually shot down or critiqued for not having the “correct” way of going about a task. In the film, the monitor came on to say “Do your part,” and to me, I would think that it would be to help better preserve and improve the planet, but the settlement wants you to be a mindless ant that works for the immediate betterment of the colony. The woman breaking out showed that she was determined on her mission, not knowing what was to lie ahead, because she had seen what society thinks of her and the work she is trying to achieve. Mt question is why does the society not want her specifically to explore the world? It is a dangerous place, and they do not want anyone to leave, but the solution to their problem is right in front of them, and they do not want to take a chance for change. It is shown to be dangerous at the end of the film when the woman dies next to the plant. Seeing her walk to the tree that she’s seen in her dreams, only to be met with reality, made me think about the Lorax with the trees and how, once they are all gone, there is no hope until someone truly cares. The careless sacrifice of the woman gave life to the tree so that it could continue because she was only playing a starting role in changing the future.
-Vincent Spinelli
In both Pumzi and POTS, the protagonist is a young girl living through an uncertain future marked by environmental degradation and authoritarianism in walled-in areas meant to protect them. Asha and Lauren feel trapped by these walls and are both called to leave to pursue a better future for themselves and humanity via sowing seeds of hope, either literally or metaphorically. In both of these narratives, the protagonists have a unique capacity to see past the life expected of them and imagine a better way forward, one they would die fighting for. How does this radical world-building threaten the oppressive systems that aim to uphold the status quo and further subjugate the population? How do their identities as sensitive and imaginative young women shape their revolutionary capacity?
Aaron Batty
the most unsettling part of PUMZI was the dream suppressants, the tree, the subconscious, the dreams coming through the suppressants, that which needs to happen usually happens. both feed on people dying and living for the future through survival, pushing through a society that focuses on the longevity of life over the quality. Dying with little water, the desire to feel full but not having the conditions and choices to match what the human psyche wishes for. Then breaking out of the wall of survival and comfort that kept both characters alive for so long, to go and follow an urge, a wish, for something more, both chased from their own homes. into a desolate land scape that struggles to keep life alive, so many outer factors trying to contradict life itself. focusing on sacrificing one life to save another, we see this in PUMZI the women dying at the base of the tree and through out the parable of the sorrow whenever someone died or lived usually was the gain or loss of someone else. the give and take and cycle that in times of not having enough for everyone, sacrifices must be made…
what would you be willing to sacrifices for your survival or would you sacrifice yourself or things you have for someone else?
-elan
In both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower, there are common themes of dystopian society and environmental ruin. These themes are both highly relevant to the world that we live in today, albeit not as extreme. It is a reasonable assumption to say that if we continue to exist in the same fashion, we could end up living very similar lives to Asha and Lauren. In what ways do both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower serve as a warning to our modern day society in regards to environmental degredation? How do Asha and Lauren serve as examples of resistance to this degredation and hopeful images of future sustainability?
-Jack Brion
Both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower feature black women as protagonists in settings of dystopian social and environmental climates. Both Lauren and Asha embody resistance among their interactions with the oppressive systems in which they live. Asha is determined to escape the confines of the facility in which she is kept after realizing that life can be supported outside its walls. She goes against the orders of her ‘higher ups’ (whoever, or whatever that may be), even risking her life in pursuit of growing the “Mother Seed”. Lauren is resemblant of Asha, as she risks her life in pursuit of sharing her philosophy with a broken world. With each chapter of Parable of the Sower, we come to understand Lauren’s actions as less of those of personal necessity (though, they are quite necessary) and more as those working toward the common good. Both protagonists, who are parts of historically undermined communities (women and black women, at that), sacrifice their comfort with a (as they’ve been told) seemingly secure and more comfortable future in attempts to show the world that there is more.
What implications do the author and filmmaker hint at with the use of black women as the change makers? What role do you think the identities of the protagonists play in their passions for making change? Do you think that being a part of oppressed groups enables these characters to be better- or worse- fit in taking on these challenges?
-Carson Mease
In Parable of the Sower and Pumzi, Lauren and Asha push beyond the boundaries of broken worlds, not through force, but through vision. Lauren’s belief that “God is Change” guides her journey to reshape a crumbling society, while Asha risks everything for a single seed and the hope of growth. Both protagonists, young women of color, challenge systems that suppress emotion, dreaming, and connection to nature. Their resistance lies in imagining something better. In worlds built on fear, they choose faith, in nature, in change, in possibility.
If planting a seed is an act of resistance, what kind of seeds are we planting in our own world today?
-Will Bradford
The short film Pumzi showed what our future could look like if continue to treat the environment the way that we do. This film brought me to the conclusion that she was giving her life to bring more life. Throughout the course of my major I have learned more and more about how dire it is that we are proactive against climate change, but felt less and less like I could do anything about it. We could work our whole lives to protect the planet and still end up just dying for no real change. Is the work we do really going to make a change when there are so many poeple fighting against it.
So my question is, Is that what we are all doing, the ones fighting for the environment, giving our lives to a tree in the desert? Is the change we do make worth it?
-Corrin D
In both the short film Pumzi and the book Parable of the Sower, there are themes of control versus freedom. In Parable of the Sower, the characters were in a gated community with the knowledge that outside of the gates/walls is complete chaos and widespread violence. In Pumzi, the characters are living inside a modern dystopian society that is completely self-run with no access to the outdoors. When the main character tries to find out more about dirt that is showing signs of life on the outside, the dystopia quickly tries to shut it down by saying that the outside world is dead. Both stories have control over the characters by either fear keeping them inside their gated community or higher authority not allowing them to be curious/go outside.
My question is, how is freedom portrayed in both the book and the film and why is it portrayed in that way?
Another question: are there any parallels/similarities regarding systems of control in our world?
Margo Smith
In both Pumzi and Parable of the Sower, we’re shown a dystopian future filled with the restriction of expressions of individualism, such as dreaming and empathy that are suppressed. People are living within these walled communities and are, physically and ideologically pulled from the world that has been deemed chaotic and dangerous. These societies that are enclosed showcase a broader fear of the “outside” where the idea of survival has overtaken connection. Both narratives are centered around women of color who are the protagonists, the use of seeds are seen as potent symbols of hope and rebirth, they share the idea that the natural environment has been forgotten and lost while fear has taken hold. In Pumzi, we aregiven a brief glimpse a newspaper clipping that references World War III that occurred thirty years prior. This one-part hints at a massive global event that is the catalyst for current day conditions. But in Parable of the Sower, the collapse feels more like a slow and causal shift. Rather than one large scale apocalyptic event there are small slowly unraveling events such as climate change, corporate takeovers, and wealth inequalities to show the slow erosion of our social systems. This brings to attention questions such as, what events led to such radical shifts in how people live and think and are sudden cataclysms more effective at creating change in these worlds—or is the slow decay even more haunting?
-Lex Blake
Both Pumzi and Parable of a Sower show science fiction, dystopian futures that detail a life with limited resources and the aftermath of corrupt politics. The main characters, Lauren and Asha, rebel against the unjust system that they have been put in. These two characters both act in rebellion to their circumstances, and try to pave a better hope for the future of their people. Asha plants a tree, the first in years, and Lauren begins an empowering religious movement, like nothing that has been seen before. Although these two works are very dystopian, I can see similarities between the two of them and our modern world.
How possible are both the futures seen in Pumzi and in Parable of a Sower? What trends in modern day have implications mirroring what is seen in these pieces of media? What would have to happen, or continue happening, in our reality that could lead to these levels of outcomes?
Caroline Laschinger
Both Pumzi and Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower establish a dystopian world of environmental collapse and the takeover of oppressive systems. In Pumzi, the earth is seemingly uninhabitable, and water is scarce, which parallels Laurens’ experiences. Even so, both characters find hope to hold on in search of a better life. I compare Asha’s plant, which she was able to give life and Laurens’ Earthseed. The similarities between Asha and Lauren provide hope for a better future and a life that is not confined by authoritative structures. Lauren rebels against the harmful nature of the community she was once a part of and inspires others to find hope in change and new beginnings. Similarly, Ashna rebels against the authority of her colleagues on a mission to find life outside of the community.
Asha, at the end of the film, gives the last of her water to the plant, hoping for its survival. Later, the film pans out to show a forest of trees, I believe to be symbolizing renewal. I find the importance to be that we are capable of resiliency and change. But I also found myself questioning if the world could recover after an ecological collapse. I’ve also recognized that change can not happen without hope and effort. I also question the authority of the community Asha was a part of because they failed to encourage her curiosity. Do they not care for change or life outside of their community? Would they not hope for a better future for themselves?
Ava Allen