CULTIVATING COMPASSION
DQGKXPDQWUḊ FNLQJ&UDNHWKHHYLOJHQLXVZKRYLDDELRHQJLQHHUHG virus, brings out the near end of humanity, tells his best friend Jimmy, “Break the link in time between one generation and the next, and it’s game over forever.” And that’s what he does. Crake breaks the link, GHVWUR\VDJHQHUDWLRQDQGUHZULWHVWKHUXOHVIRUKXPDQFLYLOL]DWLRQ He commits genocide. As is always the case, Atwood’s novels give us a warning; and, if we fail to heed it, her words seem to become prophe- FLHVIXO¿OOHG 7KLVFRPLQJVHPHVWHU,ZLOOWHDFKWKHOLWHUDWXUHRIUHVLVWDQFHWRD new tribe of students. We will read Octavia E. Butler’s 1998 novel The Parable of the Talents DWDOHRIDQDSRFDO\SVHWKDWEHJLQVLQ± the Pox – a calamity brought about by “our own refusal to deal with the obvious problems” in “coinciding climactic, economic, and socio- ORJLFDOFULVHV´,QWKLVQRYHO%XWOHU¶VQDUUDWRUZULWHVRID&KULVWLDQQD - tionalist presidential contender with marauding bands of murderers. He’s a narcissist who tells his increasingly violent and disenfranchised followers to join him: “Leave your past behind and become one of us! Help us to make America great again.” Science shows us the facts; literature shows us the possible futures ZKHQ ZH GLVUHJDUG WKHP $V HGXFDWRUV DQG DV JOREDO FLWL]HQV ZH should pay attention to both, particularly now. /DXUD :ULJKW LV WKH IRXQGHU RI WKH ¿HOG RI 9HJDQ 6WXGLHV 6KH LV 3URIHVVRURI(QJOLVKDW:HVWHUQ&DUROLQD8QLYHUVLW\ZKHUHVKHVSH - cializes in postcolonial literature and theory, ecocriticism, and ani- PDOVWXGLHV$FRPSLODWLRQRIKHUSXEOLVKHGZRUNVDQGWDONVLVDYDLO - DEOH DW KWWSV ZFXDFDGHPLDHGXOZULJKWHPDLOZFXHGX:ULJKW /DXUDFDQEHUHDFKHGDWOZULJKW#HPDLOZFXHGX &DP 0DF4XHHQ LV WKH FUHDWRU DQG PDQDJHU RI WKH ³&XOWLYDWLQJ &RPSDVVLRQ´FROXPQ6KHFDQEHUHDFKHGDWQFPDGYRFDF\#JPDLO FRP
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As featured in: The Washington Post Romper Magazine No.Virginia Magazine Loudoun Times Mirror Posh Seven Magazine
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PATHWAYS—Fall 25—35
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