The Future for Earthseeed?

So far, we have seen Lauren's new community endure numerous hardships on their way to Bankole's farm (or what remains of it), culminating in the end of the story where they settle and start a new life. But will they be able to survive and thrive in this new environment? 

Their new home doesn't seem to be safe from danger, as Bankole's house is burned down and his family murdered shortly before the group arrives in Chapter 24. It doesn't seem like this property is remote enough to truly keep them safe, and even though Lauren and the others are used to constant violence around them, they will likely struggle to keep the land safe in the early days of the community because the resources and shelter would attract criminals who might try to steal the land.

In addition, how are they going to find new people to build the numbers of the community? Mendocino is a small town in a sparsely populated area, so they might have to go further south to the Bay Area and pick up some followers. Since it was mentioned that the Bay Area had a strong earthquake that destabilized the region, there would likely be waves of people moving northwards. But as the community accumulates more people, the greater the likelihood that they will take in someone who isn't trustworthy and could eventually betray them.

Finally, how are they going to go to space, let alone colonize another planet? The United States doesn't support the space program anymore and it should probably deal with more urgent internal problems like poverty and violence first. Earthseed won't have that much influence over the government for several decades at the very least, and could be persecuted or forced into hiding much like Christianity in the Roman Empire. Some of the more developed countries in Europe seem to be in a better state, as they are still actively pursuing a space program, but they could destabilize next since climate change is already ravaging the entire world. And besides, the group doesn't have the money or resources to relocate to another country. It will be interesting to see how many of these predictions become true in Parable of the Talents, the sequel to Parable of the Sower.

Comments

  1. L. MoffittMay 20, 2021 at 8:16 AM

    The space thing is just ... weird. Fun, but weird. Even within the book, people make fun of Lauren for her idea that they need to go out "among the stars." Maybe that's meant to be metaphoric, though there's evidence that they quite literally go to outer space in the sequels. Ah well. Perhaps it's enough that they have hope as well as a plan to survive? Anyway, good job on these blog posts -- lots to think about.

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