Chapter 6
In chapter 6 Lilith sits on the bathroom floor and starts to think about the day that her husband Sam and her son Ayre died in a car crash. Lilith recalls that Sam and Ayre were on their way to a carnival when a girl with her learners permit crossed over into oncoming traffic and collided head on into their car. Ayre was pronounced dead at the scene and Sam suffered brain damage and died three months later. Lilith stated “He was lucky to have died so quickly” (Butler 76). After thinking about all the pain and suffering Sam went through she started to think about the surgery that was proposed to her by Nikanj; she wanted to know what would happen to her if something went wrong. Lilith finally left the bathroom and claimed into a bed and fell asleep, she woke up from a dream about Sam in a cold sweat and forced herself to make a decision. Before she could let fear take over she told Nikanj to “Wake up and do whatever it is you claim you have to. Get it over with” (Butler 78).
Response 1
Lilith decides to let Nikanj perform the procedure on her even though she was against it when it was first proposed to her. 1.) Why do you think she changed her mind? 2.) If you had the chance to have a procedure done that would allow you to have a better memory would you get the procedure done?
Chapter 7
Lilith awakens from the surgery wondering if Nikanj completed the surgery and if she was alright. Nikanj came back into the room and started to feel around her head with his tentacles to make sure she was alright. Nikanj walked in the room speaking Oankali and Lilith responded to him without even thinking, she felt like the language was natural to her as English was. After the test were complete Nikanj told Lilith he was glad his family them together, because at first he didn't want to work with her. Nikanj was scared that it would be really easy for him to fail and damage Lilith. Nikanj then asked Lilith to help him through his metamorphosis when he went to mate. Lilith agreed to help him as long as he told her everything he had to do before they went. After Nikanj and Lilith discussed the mating process, Nikanj told Lilith he would try and find a English speaking human for her and stated "Ooan will not stand in the way of your meeting one now" (Butler 82).
Response 2
Do you think that Lilith and Nikanj are starting to trust one another and if so what evidence is there to prove they are starting to trust each other?
Chapter 8
Nikanj and Kahguyaht search around and interview English speaking humans for Lilith to go meet with. One day Nikanj took Lilith to go and visit Paul Titus who was captured and awakened when he was fourteen. Lilith sits down and talks with Paul for a while and they discussed many of things like; where they were from, what they liked to do and where they were when the war started. The first thing Lilith asked Paul was “Have you really decide to stay here?” because she was very curious to why he had chose to stay and live amongst the Oankali instead of returning to earth with the rest of the humans (Butler 85). Lilith and Paul proceeded to talk and then started to get in a disagreement about returning to earth. Paul hen got up and but his hands on Lilith forcefully, Lilith was a little uneasy about this. Paul then tried to kiss her and take off her close in an attempted to rape her; Lilith fought back and tried to talk her way out of it in till Paul kicked her with enough force to cause her to lose consciousness.Response 3
If you had a chance to stay and live with the Oankali's where there was food and shelter or had the chance to return to earth where civilization is gone and you had to start over, what would you do and why?
Chapter 9
Lilith awakens to the voices of Nikanj and Kahguyaht surrounding her, telling others to go away. Lilith’s body was badly injured particularly her arm which Paul had broken. Lilith was asking questions to Nikanj about Paul and what happened after she was knocked out. Lilith is upset about what happened to her but doesn’t place all the blame on Paul, “He did what you and his so-called family set him up to do” (Butler 100). Lilith believes it is a mixture of both there faults and blames the Oankali’s for not allowing him to have contact with humans for over fifteen years and by letting him believe he could mate with her. Lilith also got upset when Nikanj kept on referring to the Oankali’s as Paul’s family and Lilith believes that the Paul can’t be an Oankali.
Response 4
Even though Lilith is hurt and upset by what Paul did to her I find her taking his side and blaming the Oankali’s for keeping Paul in away from other humans and setting him up. Who do you think should be at fault for Lilith getting hurt and how Paul snapping and becoming enraged and out of control?
I think I would honestly choose to stay with the Oankali. I don't think I would have the will to start my life over on a planet that has been completely erased of the past. Since all of us have lived such sheltered lives, I can't imagine that every single person would go back to the restored, but much different Earth, especially knowing that your children could not be entirely human, but rather a human-alien hybrid.
ReplyDeleteI think both Lilith and Nikanj are beginning to trust each other. Throughout the book Lilith as shown her uneasiness about genetic trading and being tampered with in general. Yet, she allowed Nikanj to tamper with her memory. Nikanj was changing Lilith for the better but the fact that she allowed the change in the first place showed her trust. Another indicator that Lilith and Nikanj are begining to trust each other is the fact that Nkianj wants Lilith present during his “change.” Although, as readers we don’t know what that entails the fact that Nikanj specifically asked for Lilith’s presence means something.
ReplyDeleteIt would depend on how long I was to stay with the Oankali before being given the choice. I feel that if I had lived with them for a year or so, I would have adjusted enough to want to stay. I resist change, so the fear of a new world would scare me. It's similar to when I came to college. The first few weeks I was here I missed home and wanted to go back. But if I had gone back, it wouldn't be the same life that I left. My friends would be gone, and I wouldn't have the familiarity of high school; so, I would still miss my old life. For Lilith, the Oankali ship is like college because if she were to go back to her home on Earth, it wouldn't be the same; it would still have different people and a different atmosphere. I could either start over now on the Oankali ship or wait months/years until I am able to start over on a planet which may as well be considered foreign to me. I would choose to stay with the Oankali.
ReplyDelete"If you had a chance to stay and live with the Oankali's where there was food and shelter or had the chance to return to earth where civilization is gone and you had to start over, what would you do and why?"
ReplyDeleteI guess I would try to get back to Earth and find out some way to preserve humanity. I do not like the idea of interbreeding with aliens even if it would enhance our memory, communication, healing abilities, etc. The Ooloi really creep me out, except for Nikanj. I think my hope for preserving humanity would be strong.
I might want to find out more about the weaknesses of the Ooloi. I wonder if the Oankali didn't have Ooloi in the past. Was that the right trade? I would consider pitting the Oankali against each other, or even threatening them if they did not allow some humans autonomy.
I would probably stay with the Oankali. I think for many there would be a fear involved with going back to an Earth 250 years after you left it. They said that ruins were destroyed, animals that were harmful are no longer harmful, and once edible foods are toxic, but how radically different would is the world 250 years later? And they'd be living like cavemen, having to completely start over, and it would just be a matter of time before society degrades.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the idea of the future is frightening. I would be seeing the first stages of this Oankali mixing. The idea of this freaks me out, and I wouldn't want to see the effects of this.
I think i would be a little hesitant about going back to Earth but I think ultimately, I would want to. Living with the Oankali would be alright but Earth is where humans belong. Even if we wouldn't able to completely rebuild civilization, I would at least want to be part of the group that tried. I think Lilith wants to go back to Earth because she wants her life to be like it was before the nuclear war. I think she has to realize that things are not going to be the same and that civilization will not be rebuilt in a day. It would be scary but at least they are giving it a try.
ReplyDeleteI think Lilith decided to go through with the memory surgery because after having remembered the really terrible things about Arye and Sam, she thought about how nice it would be to remember the good things with the same vividness that she did the bad things. If I had the chance to have a surgery like this performed, I would definitely go through with it. It would really come in handy for school and other environments where my success is based upon my ability to remember specific facts and concepts.
ReplyDelete