Jessi Duffner
Dr. Adam Johns
Seminar in Composition
19 November 2014
Final
Project Proposal
Bibliography:
Chow,
Esther. "Gender Matters: Studying Globalization and Social Change in the
21st Century." Sage Journals. N.p., 1 Sept. 2003. Web. 18 Nov.
2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fiss.sagepub.com%2Fcontent%2F18%2F3%2F443.full.pdf%2Bhtml>.
"Gender
Issues in Lilith's Brood." Intro to Critical Reading. N.p., 31 Jan.
2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
<http://pitt-crit-reading.blogspot.com/2012/01/gender-issues-in-liliths-brood.html>.
"Lilith's
Brood as a Post-Colonial Window." Academia.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 18
Nov. 2014.
<http://www.academia.edu/1539521/Liliths_Brood_as_a_Post-Colonial_Window>.
Nanda,
Aparajita. "Power, Politics, and Domestic Desire in Octavia Butler's
Lilith's Brood." Project MUSE. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.
<http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/callaloo/v036/36.3.nanda.html>.
Sands,
Peter. "Octavia Butler's Chiastic Cannibalistics." Utopian Studies
14.1 (2003): 1-14. JSTOR. Web. 17 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/20718543?ref=no-x-route:bdab39d3d49b7972ab30f7240e61fc02>.
Question intended to lead to an argument:
How does gender play a role
throughout Octavia Butler’s Lilith’s
Brood and how does this relate to the way gender plays a role in society
today?
Why is this question is a reasonable way to generate an argument:
I believe this question is a
reasonable way to generate an argument because the structure of the Oankali
society plays a large role in the books. They have three genders in their
society, which influences the way everyone interacts with one another. The
presence of these genders contrasts with the structure of our actual world.
Why does this argument matter:
I believe this argument matters
because in our society today, like in the Oankali society, gender plays a role
in our everyday lives. Even though genders now have equal rights, there are
still distinct roles expected from males and females. Although these roles are
not blatantly express, they are most certainly implied.
Possible Counterargument:
Gender does not play a role in
society today. We have accomplished equality in society and therefore, gender
does not matter.
Outline:
Gender in society today:
- - While
women and men have equal rights, there are still gender stereotypes in 21st
century America
- - Gender
stereotypes begin when we are young. Many little kids associate certain colors,
toys, and jobs with either male or female.
- - How
do these stereotypes affect the way people act and perform within society?
Gender in Lilith’s Brood:
- - Three
genders: Male, Female, and Ooloi
- - All
three genders are necessary for reproduction
- - Children
are born sexless and then go through a metamorphosis
- - The
books imply that Oankali are incapable of deliberate cruelty or deception,
however, the last book of the trilogy implies that ooloi, unlike the other
genders, are capable of deception, keeping secrets and feelings of
possessiveness.
- - “Lilith glanced at the humanoid body,
wondering how humanlike it really was. “I don’t mean any offense,” she said,
“but are you male or female?”
“It’s wrong to
assume that I must be a sex you’re familiar with,” it said, “but as it happens,
I’m male” (Butler 23).
- - “
Males and females were closely related and ooloi were outsiders. One
translation of the world ooloi was “treasured strangers.” According to Nikanj,
this combination of relatives and strangers served best when people were bred
for specific work—like opening a trade with an alien species. The male and
female concentrated desirable characteristics and the ooloi prevented the wrong
kind of concentrations” (Butler 193).
I certainly have nothing negative to say here, and I don't see a hint of any problems. There are several things here that I like. For instance: "The books imply that Oankali are incapable of deliberate cruelty or deception, however, the last book of the trilogy implies that ooloi, unlike the other genders, are capable of deception, keeping secrets and feelings of possessiveness." Also, the fact that Oankali more or less choose their sex is fascinating and important.
ReplyDeleteSo you're asking the right questions, and clearly you understand you're not far enough along to have answers for them. Just remember that more focus is better. You might focus, for instance, on one aspect of sex/gender issues in the book (example: what is the relationship between the ability to choose biological sex among the Oankali and the various trans identities which we now have among us? Is there a metaphor here about being transgender, for instance?). At some point you'll need to zero in - that's all.