Author: Claire Lustig

Claire Lustig

My opinions on the two biggest topics of this class, Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis Trilogy and AI, have definitely changed, or rather, become broader and more flexible. Of course, I am still anxious about the same things I was at the beginning of the course, and I am still optimistic about the same things, but there has also been an expansion of my feelings and learnings as the course has progressed. I have also learned through interacting with both Butler’s work and a broad series of work on AI that more information is always better. I have to be more careful not to make quick surface-level assumptions before collecting as much information as is available to me to form future thoughts and opinions.  

I came into this course having absolutely no experience with generative AI programs, and having extremely strong feelings about the scary and negative consequences of using generative AI. I was so unfamiliar with it that I became uncomfortable and closed off to it. I was even closed off to any positive uses. But boy, was I in for a ride! In my AI Inspire Essay, I wrote about my learning journey with generative AI and its uses. I had recently come across the immensely positive and large number of uses that people with disabilities have for various AI programs. In my essay, I wrote, “Just because I don’t have a use or need for something, doesn’t mean that others don’t have a need for it, and it certainly does not mean that that thing does not have value in the world at large… I realize now that that opinion was a result of misinformation and bad faith.” To say that I was ashamed of my closed-mindedness would be an understatement. So I opened my mind. I dove headfirst into the world of AI. I started exploring ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. I even explored Apple’s new AI-generated emoji program. (That was fun!) The more I used, experimented with, and experienced AI programs, the more comfortable I became with them and the more my positive opinion expanded… until March. 

I’ve been a Studio Ghibli fan since I was a child. Howl’s Moving Castle and From Up on Poppy Hill are two of my favorite films ever. When OpenAI came out with a new branch of their program that mimicked the work of Studio Ghibli’s animating artists like the incredible Hayao Miyazaki, I was shocked and heartbroken. Even Miyazaki himself responded to the trend. “I am utterly disgusted…I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself.” Miyazaki is known for his passion and back-breaking attention to detail in his work. For people to rip off his life’s work and turn his heart and soul into viral internet memes was one of the most devastating internet trends I’ve ever witnessed. 

The whiplash I’ve had over the last year regarding AI, the companies that develop it, and what people use it for has been absolutely exhausting. I’ve really had a hard time making up my mind about what I think about the issue. I’ve toggled between being absolutely gung-ho about the development of new AI technologies and completely rejecting the idea because of the potential risks and dangers. Something that this course has taught me is that it’s okay to take my time in forming an opinion, and that it’s okay for my opinion to eb and flow and change. In fact it should! The first reaction I  have to a new piece of information should not be the end-all be-all of my opinion of it. I have to keep my mind open and collect as much information as possible. My interactions with AI over this semester have not been the only interactions that have led me to come to this conclusion. Reading Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis trilogy taught me the dangers of making up my mind too fast. 

In the Butler Trouble Essay I wrote, I focused a lot on the empathy I had for Lilith’s heartbreak and the anxiety I felt about the Oankali’s lack of honesty. I felt deeply saddened by Lilith’s realization that she would never return to Earth, and I felt deeply worried about the fact that the Oankali lied to her and was nervous about what other lies they could potentially be telling her. In my essay, I wrote, “ I would honestly be concerned if someone read this text and didn’t feel uncomfortable by any of it.” I do still agree with this. Butler wanted her work to be more than an entertaining futuristic story. She didn’t want it to be an easy read. She wanted her work to drive doubt, rethinking, and questioning in her readers

My essay was written shortly after reading the first installment of Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis Trilogy, Dawn. At this point, I had only read one of the three books. I remember wanting more. Dawn ended on a cliff-hanger, and I was definitely frustrated by that. I wrote, “I found myself wanting more and frantically flipping through the back of the book, scrounging around for more information.” It’s true. I was so flabbergasted by the Oankali’s betrayal of Lilith at the end that I thought that I had skipped a couple of pages where it was explained. But alas… I had indeed read all of Dawn. Luckily for me, there were still two more books in the trilogy! 

As I would learn later on in the course, the Oankali didn’t lie to Lilith. In the second installment of the Xenogenesis Trilogy, Adulthood Rites, we learn that Lilith has been returned to Earth. She finally gets to enjoy all the aspects of being human that she has missed for so long. She lives in a village with other humans who have experienced similar things, she has become a mother to multiple children, she experiences love, intimacy, and physical touch, and interacts with the natural world around her. Upon reading Adulthood Rites, I felt a sense of relief after discovering that the Oankali had their reasons for lying to Lilith in Dawn. Lilith says, “I begged to go to Earth with the first group I awakened. I was supposed to. But when the time came, Nika wouldn’t let me. It said the people would kill me once they got me away from the Oankai. They probably would have.” (Adulthood Rites pg 53) Of course, the Oankali had their reasons! Of course, these omniscient, ancient beings knew things that we didn’t! How could I have doubted them?! By making Lilith wait to go back down to Earth, they saved her life. 

After reading Adulthood Rites, I felt ashamed at my initial reaction of anger, anxiety, and mistrust towards the Oankali. I was making assumptions and judgments about them without reading all of the books in the trilogy and gathering all of the information provided to me. Butler wrote a trilogy for a reason. The books are not meant to be read, absorbed, and analyzed as individual works, they are meant to be experienced together all at once. As Nikanj says, “Trade means change. Bodies change. Ways of living must change.” (Adulthood Rites pg 11) The trade of information between me and Octavia Butler led to a change in my opinion of the Oankali. I now have a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the Oankali and the motives for their actions. The Oankali are deeply feeling creatures who have a thorough understanding of humanity, what we excel at, and what we struggle with. The Oankali care deeply about humans, and everything they do is to preserve humanity. Don’t get me wrong,  I still struggle with many aspects of the Oankali. They are alien, and I am only human. It’s ingrained in me to be suspicious of the unknown. But I now know the importance of overcoming that first gut reaction. Of course, that first reaction is valuable and shouldn’t be ignored. But humanity is more evolved than ever. We have the resources and protections to allow ourselves to pause, assess our initial reaction, collect data, and rethink those first reactions. 

I used the term previously, but “whiplash” really is the best way to describe my experiences with both Butler’s work and AI usage in the 21st century. It feels like I’ve been tossed about in an ocean of uncertainty and an overflow of information. My thoughts and opinions on both topics have changed drastically over such a short period of time. But it hasn’t been for nothing. I’ve learned an incredible new lesson. I now understand the importance of not only gathering information but having many real-life experiences, and taking my time when forming an opinion. I also understand the importance of giving myself the grace to let my opinion flex, expand, and even change. 

By: Victor Leon-Melendez, Claire Lustig, Hailey Bilby, Josie Hastings, and Mari Greaney

Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis Trilogy details a long journey of advocacy for the rights of Human-Oankali constructs. It provides insight into a different effort towards care described by Dr. Buolamwni in her book Unmasking AI.  In Butler’s Trilogy, the lack of care in the creation of constructs and then the subsequent rejection of them illuminates Dr. Buolamwni’s own journey of advocacy with Olay in a new light by emphasizing the importance of prioritizing concerns of safety and inclusivity over profits and desires. Simultaneously, we must not completely reject the idea of future AI programs out of fear, rather, we must adjust them so that they are not actively conducting harm to others. Both Octavia Butler and Dr. Buolamwini’s Unmasking AI remind us that proper legislation, education, and understanding are required to ensure that neither a complete aversion nor a complete homogenization of AI dependency occurs. 

 In Butler’s Trilogy, there is a distinct lack of care in the creation of a new species. Nikanj allowed their innermost desires to drive them towards creating the first Human-Oankali construct that grew up to be Ooloi. The first construct child that is able to manipulate genes is dangerous because of its uncertainty. The other members of Nikanj’s family have come to distrust them because of fear. “How can we possibly trust you? No one else has made such a dangerous mistake?” (Imago, 28). The fear of the unknown and the anxiety surrounding a move that was made without care or thought is what drives the distrust. The result is the exile of Jodahs, which is a complete rejection of them and the new technology they represent. 

The “journey of advocacy” comes when another member of Jodahs’ family sticks up for them and suggests that “The people are going to have to change the old agreement before more accidents happen. The next one might be flawed too” (Imago, 23). Dichaan reminds his family that the previously established rules and regulations are no longer sustainable with this new reality that they are now living in. As Nikanj brought life to a brand new construct, they were unaware of the construct’s potential to disrupt the natural environment that they live in and the other Oankali around them. If the already existing Oankail want to reach the desired balance of not letting anxiety take over the good parts that could come from new technology, but also not let this new technology completely take over, they need to establish new and expand on old rules. Not a lot of care was put in at first, but that does not mean that care cannot be put in now. We also see this ideology being explored and established in our current world. 

Rather than bore her readers with thousands of potential examples of how companies could abuse AI tech and/or not take responsibility for the mistakes and dangers of AI, Dr. Buolamwini provides us with an astoundingly positive example. When she brings up concerns regarding the preservation of humanity with Olay’s AI use, not only do they take the first step by listening to her concerns, but they actually follow through with actions to address her concerns. “‘If we find bias in our tool, we will do what it takes to fix it … .If there is no way to make it more just and inclusive, we will just shut it down.’ I was shocked” (262). We, as readers of her book and experiencers of our world, were shocked too. To have a company as big as Olay stand up for the rights and protection of normal citizens and put those protections first before profits is huge! Dr. Buolamwini’s interaction with Olay should serve as a blueprint for all future human/AI company interactions. Care was put into the AI product that Olay was developing. Care for the preservation of humanity. 

However, despite Olay’s presence of care, Dr. Buolamwini says that it is still not enough. She urges that advocating for proper legislation is necessary to protect people’s identities when using and interacting with AI.  “…relying on the goodwill and moral motivations of the tech industry is not a responsible or reliable strategy… government agencies would need to be pressured to test technology from companies offering AI services” (264). Allowing tech companies to continue operating without oversight is not an option. With technology so widely available, powerful, and potentially life-changing, governing bodies need to take initiative to protect their citizens. It is imperative that when new AI technologies are being created, that there is a proper response towards understanding its full potential before it ever reaches the consumer market. This delay could potentially keep AI companies from being on the cutting edge of development, which we’ve established is one of the major drives of developing technology. This push for innovation could even be named the reason as to why AI has made the leaps and bounds as it has, and is required for AI to grow effectively, similar to how Octavia Butler’s Oankali creatures rely on unchecked genetic development in order to continue the existence of their species. 

One could argue that what the Oankali do is for their survival, but is that entirely true? From what we have come to understand from the trilogy, it is essential for the survival of their species to be in contact with unfamiliar genetic material. However, it is necessary to consider what is done to meet biological needs, and when it goes beyond just meeting those needs. “Aaor wants Human mates. It must have mates of some kind. Until it can get them, will you share what we have with it?” (Imago, 152). The italicizing of must is not just cosmetic; Butler wants us to know that the Oankali absolutely must do this to survive. Throughout Imago, we see Aaor self-destructing due to the lack of mates, so we know that this is true. The Oankali do what they need to in order to survive, but this is possible without overstepping boundaries and infringing on the basic rights of a living being, and should be done in good faith with as much care as possible, which is where many Ooloi in the series fall short. Similarly, AI developers such as Olay have to push the limits and boundaries of AI as a career, and it is something that they must do. In both instances, there is no room for carelessness in what must be done. Mistakes in developing AI can cause harm to people on a global scale, especially minorities. What remains most important is consistent effort to work carefully, in good faith, and in the wake of a conflict, do what is necessary to bring justice to the situation.

So much of the new AI technologies and the companies that create them feel performative and exhibitionist. The companies seem to be in a show-off war with each other, each one is trying to develop the new, top-performing AI engine. There seems to be such a focus on barreling through new technology development because we can, but there is not enough discussion of whether we should. This is where the care and journey of advocacy come into play. If we are going to continue down this path of a new version of AI coming out every other day, we must proceed with caution and attention to the livelihoods of its users. But why take so much care? Why does it matter so much? We as humans find ourselves at an impasse, a transition point. We now have the choice to either let new AI run rampant and take over, completely reject it and try to close the chapter completely, or be flexible enough to adapt to new AI tech in a way that both allows exploration of the future but also preserves protection, identity, civil rights, and privacy. To evolve is to adapt, and Octavia Butler teaches us that no progress will be made unless we can overcome the need to reject what is unfamiliar. 

Octavia Butler’s speculative sci-fi novel Dawn is a fantastical, wildly entertaining, and deeply philosophical piece of writing. Butler has mastered the art of asking only the best and hardest questions of humanity. But there are dozens of aspects of Butler’s work that are troublesome and deeply disturbing. I would honestly be concerned if someone read this text and didn’t feel uncomfortable by any of it. The questions Butler asks of us in her writing wouldn’t be so profound if the narrative in which she set them up wasn’t unsettling in any way. Her technique is just as important as her content. While preparing to write this, I found it hard to pick just one topic to discuss, there was just so much to think about. I was troubled by many of the themes brought up in Dawn; surveillance, consent, isolation, etc. But after re-reading, debating over and over in my head, and talking to my peers there was one thing that I kept coming back to… The Oankali’s lie and why Butler chose to write about it in the way she did. 

Throughout the novel, Lilith is always looking to “catch the Oankali in a lie”. Up until this moment, it’s assumed by both Lilith and the reader that the Oankali never lied to her. There was certainly deception, half-truths, and censorship of information but there were never any outright lies. But then right at the end, there it was, a lie. A blatant, screaming inescapable lie. The Oankali told Lilith again and again that she was going back to Earth, and when the time came they didn’t send her. When reading the passage where Nikanj reveals to Lilith that the Oankali have sent the very humans she awakened and trained to Earth without her and worse they did it behind her back without telling or warning her my heart ached for Lilith. The poor thing has endured so much tragedy, her family has died, she has survived a nuclear winter, she was subjected to isolation and sexual violence, and her lover Joseph was murdered. But to me, this lie (or rather the revelation that it was a lie) was by far the biggest heartbreak of the entire book. The Oankali betrayed Lilith in the biggest and nastiest way possible. The idea of going back to Earth, escaping the Oankali, connecting with humanity again, and having a fresh start was the only thing that kept Lilith going. She had countless doubts about the morals of the Oankali but she always came back to the fact that they said they would bring her home. I can only imagine the anguish and grief that Lilith would have felt with this new information that she would not in fact be going home. If I were Lilith I don’t think I would have survived it. The realization that I would never go back to Earth would destroy me. Also, the realization that these beings who I put all my trust in and swore would never lie to me did in fact lie would probably drive me to insanity. 

The way that Butler chose to write about this event only raised more questions for me. Out of a 283 page novel, this lie is only revealed on the 278th page and really only discussed for about a page and a half. After reading the last page and then subsequently realizing that it was indeed the last page, I found myself wanting more and frantically flipping through the back of the book scrounging around for more information. If this revelation of the lie that the Oankali have continued to tell Lilith was as devastating as I thought it was, why didn’t Butler spend more time on it? This seems like a vital event of Lilith’s actions and thought processes as a person so wouldn’t Butler want to write lots about such an important event? I think my scrounging was what actually provided me with one possible answer. This is what Bulter wants us to feel. The sudden confusion, frustration and panic that sets in after the audience learns that the Oankali have been lying this entire time with only six pages left was absolutely intentional. This is how Lilith feels. Lilith feels the exact emotions that the readers do for the exact same reasons. The Oankali have dropped this absolutely massive bomb on Lilith and left her to rush through the acceptance process alone. Just like the readers, Lilith is not given any time to come to terms with the realization that it has all been a lie. She is hurried along to another problem the Oankali are requiring her to solve. 

Another answer to why Butler left the biggest tragedy of the book for the last couple of pages I actually learned from my Horror Film Studies class. We’ve been talking about the impact of indirect horror, subtlety, and letting the audience guess what is happening beyond what the camera is showing. Perhaps this is what Builder is trying to get at. We as readers don’t see much of how Lilith reacts to the realization that she has been lied to. We see her initial response of shock and confusion but we don’t get much more than that. What I’ve learned from my Film Studies class is that true terror comes from what the audience makes up in their mind when they are not given direct answers. Dawn doesn’t give us answers about Lilith’s reaction, so readers are forced to make something up in their heads based on their own individual interpretations of the text. This is where the real disturbance of the Oankali’s lie can start to creep in. A reader could imagine Lilith’s reaction going any which way, from violent, to peaceful, to ignoring it, or to fighting back. The majority of the trouble comes not from what Butler gives us, but what she doesn’t give us. 

Of course, with all of this comes the fact that Dawn is only the first book of a trilogy. I think a definite reason that Butler did not explore the Oankali’s life very much in this book is because she planned to discuss it more in the following books. She left us as readers very much on a cliffhanger and jonesing for more. She needed her readers to want to read the next installment and of course, we wouldn’t do that if all of our questions were answered immediately. All good things come to those who wait. 

I’ll be honest, I have very little experience with using AI. I use Grammarly (a writing tool) to check my spelling and grammar in my papers, but other than that I’ve never used AI to help me with my work. I’m so inexperienced that I don’t even know what the Chat GPT website looks like. I guess I don’t really have any reason to use it. I believe that most other people in my demographic use AI for help with their homework and papers etc. But, I’ve always enjoyed writing. I don’t mind having to write a ten-page paper as much as other people do. I love the process of thinking over my topic, scouring for research and evidence, and rewriting and rephrasing my words to display my thinking in the best way possible. It’s very rewarding, therapeutic, and even cathartic for me. Because I enjoy the process so much, I’ve never felt the need to have AI write things for me. My lack of need for AI assistance led me to have the naive belief that AI programs like Chat GPT and Microsoft Copilot do not have any positive attributes. But, as it turns out I’ve been corrected and learned a valuable lesson in the process. Just because I don’t have a use or need for something, doesn’t mean that others don’t have a need for it, and it certainly does not mean that that thing does not have value in the world at large. 

Before I begin, I find it important to define which type of AI I am specifically referencing. Chat GPT, Microsoft Copilot, and others of the like fall into the category of “generative AI”. This is the type of AI program that most people are using. As the name suggests, generative AI is a type of technology that generates content (words or images). Generative AI requires the human user to give it a prompt of content to generate. (AI Snake Oil) As I’ve recently learned the ability of these AI programs to almost instantly create content is incredibly helpful for people with disabilities. 

I first encountered this revelation in an article about “AI super users”. The author, Danielle Abril, introduces readers to Lisa Ross, who has ADHD and says that using AI to help them at work has “more than doubled their productivity.” Ross uses generative AI to help with project planning, determining the impact of those projects, creating content within a specific framework, and even preparing for tough conversations in the workplace. ADHD is often associated with executive dysfunction. People may have trouble planning and organizing, sequencing steps to complete a task, remembering details, or multitasking. (Attention Deficit Disorder Association) I imagine that AI programs could help a lot with things like this. People could give AI all of the tasks they have to do, and have the program tell them how to organize their time and split up the big tasks into smaller ones. AI is also great at summarizing large bodies of text. AI could even be used to schedule, organize, and plan a person’s entire weekly schedule. I can see how helpful this could be to someone who has trouble with executive functioning. I can see how much time, energy, and frustration can be saved by having a tool that can easily help you. I can also see how free and independent a person could feel if they don’t have to rely on others to help them but can use a readily available AI program instead.  

I’ve also found evidence that generative AI helps people with physical disabilities, specifically the hearing and visually impaired. Handtalk.com (a sign language translation app) lists some of the many AI assistive technology examples, including—but not limited to—language captioning and translation, image recognition, facial recognition, lip reading, and user navigation. AI technology can also provide live transcription. This could help in educational settings, by generating real-time captions for lectures. AI also has the potential to help in home settings. Things like turning on lights, adjusting temperature, and turning on appliances could all be automated by AI. The independence this could provide for people with physical disabilities is incredible. People would no longer have to worry about hiring help or relying on their loved ones to care for them and take care of their physical needs. I think a lot of people with physical disabilities struggle with feeling infantilized by the people around them because they don’t have much physical independence. I can see how AI could help with this feeling. 

Another important point to make is that generative AI programs are relatively cheap,  widespread, and readily available. These programs are much more accessible than typical assistive technologies for people with disabilities. Imagine a world where people with disabilities are not going to medical debt for acquiring technology that helps them to care for their basic human needs! Imagine a world where loved ones and caretakers are not burnt out by high demand and low staffing! Imagine a world where life is more accessible and equitable for those with disabilities! The best part is that these worlds are not far out of our reach with the advance of AI assistive technology. 

Generative AI designed to help people with disabilities is not perfect yet. There is definitely a bias toward English speakers, and AI-developing companies need to focus on hiring more employees with disabilities to provide more authentic perspectives and advocacy in the places where this technology is being developed. Even so, I do believe that there is good faith development happening in this new field. There is progress being made, and the accessibility gap is slowly but surely getting smaller. 

Doing my own research, exploring different perspectives, and reading other’s stories has opened my eyes to an entire world of AI use that I had previously not known about. I had assumed that generative AI was mostly used by neurotypical students who were just too preoccupied to do their homework. I realize now that that opinion was a result of misinformation and bad faith. There is a very diverse group of reasons why people choose to use AI, most of them NOT coming from a place of laziness but a place of accessibility and need. I’ve never broken a bone in my life, I’ve never had a reason to use crutches. How insane would I sound if I claimed that crutches were stupid and not necessary to the world just because I’ve never personally needed them? This is the same with AI. I now recognize that my limited and unfavorable opinions toward generative AI use were misguided and exclusionary towards people with disabilities.  

I’ll admit, before starting this course, I had many assumptions about Black Art and the types of novels we would be reading in the course. I have always strived to be anti-racist, but what this course has taught me is that any assumption one makes about Black Art limits their experience of it. The literature I read over this semester smashed any assumptions I had to pieces. Specifically, while reading The Water Cure by Percival Everett and African Fractals by Ron Eglash I have come to realize that not only are these books the ultimate examples that Black Art proves all of the Western World’s assumptions to be false, but the ultimate examples that prove my assumptions to be false. 

African Fractals by Ron Eglash goes into great depth on the subject of the mathematical complexities of African cultures. But, after reading, I think the real throughline of African Fractals is the sheer amount of evidence provided by African cultures that proves Western World assumptions about them to be misguided and racist. 

African Fractals disproves two main assumptions that the Western World has held about African societies and their capacity for complex mathematics. The first is that the fractal geometry displayed by African societies is a result of an accident or a mimicry of nature. Eglash reminds us that “most indigenous societies seem quite interested in differentiating themselves from their surroundings.” (Eglash 51) This supports the fact that the displays of fractal geometry in African societies are not the result of trying to mimic the natural environment like people in Western societies think they do.) African societies are just as complex and competent as Western societies are, and that complexity is a result of the profoundly deep minds of African people. “The fact that African fractals are rarely the result of imitating natural forms helps remind us that they are not due to “primitives living close to nature.” (Eglash 53 To think they are “primitive” is to assume a racist ideology that Black people are less than White people. 

The second assumption that African Fractals proves false is the one that claims that the Western World invented/discovered fractal geometry first. African Fractals draws attention to an important timeline of the world’s “first fractal”. The Cantor Set, or the so-called “first fractal” was created by Georg Cantor in 1877. But what African Fractals points out is that a fractal pattern that looks awfully similar to the Cantor Set can be seen atop ancient Egyptian temples, which of course are much older than the 17th century. Eglash makes the inference that Georg Cantor may have even taken inspiration from ancient Egyptian architecture to create his Cantor Set. (Eglash 207) I can selfishly ease my conscience a bit by reminding myself that I did recognize the fact that African societies are much older and thus wiser than Western ones… I am not as racist as I could be. It was fascinating and new to me, to read such explicit examples that prove this fact in African Fractals. I found it even humourous to see such blatant examples (like the use of the Cantor Set in Egypt) of how misguided the Western World’s view of African Societies is. 

Something else in this class I found humorous because of just how ridiculously and shamelessly racist it was, was Thomas Jefferson’s assertion in his Notes on the State of Virginia: Query 14 that “But never yet could I find that a black had uttered a thought above the level of plain narration…” (Query 14) Again, to me, this seems like such a ridiculous notion. Of course, Black people are capable of telling intricate and sophisticated stories that include perplexing examples of narration that span beyond streams of consciousness. I had known deep down that this was possible and did not hold this same assumption, I still had my own assumptions about Black literature. I had assumed that the literature we would read in this course and thus the majority of Black literature would be mostly “fugitive slave narratives”, folk tales, and abolitionist songs/poems/essays. Luckily, I was wrong and have never come across such a great display of this fact as I did by reading The Water Cure by Percival Everett. 

The Water Cure could be read as the diary of a man named Ishmael Kidder. His young daughter has been brutally murdered and Kidder is crippled by his grief. In order to cope with these incapacitating feelings, Ishemeal decided that his daughter’s murder needs to be punished. As the book progresses, the reader comes to realize that Ishmeael “may or may not” be holding a man hostage in his basement and torturing him. 

The Water Cure is anything but “plain narration”. Throughout the book, the story is intercepted by various modalities of interruptions. Some of which include drawings. There are drawings of the narrator’s daughter (Everett 19), Picassoesque self-portraits of the narration (Everett 30 ), and a curious slow-built drawing of a cat that is not fully completed until the end of the novel. (Everett 213) These drawings help the book to function more as a journal of the narrator’s mind. The wild drawings help the reader to grasp just how unsettled and sick the narrator is. The main story of The Water Cure is also disrupted by textual interruptions. There are sections of text in other languages (Everett 8), handwritten poems by the narrator (Everett 61), and riddles (Everett 18). I will admit these textual interruptions are even more distracting to the reader than the visual interruptions. But I think that may be precisely the point. Kidder, as the narrator, is trying to distract the reader from what is occurring in his basement. 

To me, it seems that Kidder recognizes that what he “may or may not” be doing could be considered wrong by some people, and while he is trying to confess his inner thoughts to us as the readers he is also trying to be cautious. I think this is exactly why cases of “plain narration” are few and far between in The Water Cure. Kidder wants the readers to focus on what really matters in his situation, not the man in his basement, but the death of his daughter and the grief he is feeling as a result. One of the few examples of “plain narration” that does come up in the book is when Kidder reads his daughter’s coroner’s report to the possible hostage in his basement. This is a detailed account of his daughter’s injuries, the state and place her body was found in, as well as her suspected cause and time of death. (Everett 200) The report is gruesome and devastating. It is at this point, almost at the end of the book, where The Water Cure grinds to a halt. The readers are forced to ignore everything else that has been told to them. Ignore all the previous interruptions, ignore all of their assumptions about what Kidder is doing, and just simply focus on the death of his young daughter. After finishing The Water Cure, I realized that this book is the ultimate example of Black Art that proves both Jefferson’s assumptions of Black Literature and my assumptions wrong.

The fact that Everett even references Thomas Jefferson in The Water Cure (Everett 35) proves that this book was a direct reaction to Jefferson’s racist statement and intended to serve as proof that he was wrong. Jefferson claimed that Black authors and their writings were not capable of producing complexities or works that included anything other than simple streams of consciousness. The Water Cure absolutely destroys this assumption by telling a deeply moving, emotional, and intelligent story all the while hardly using any “plain narration” at all. 

Looking back at my thoughts on Black literature from the beginning of this course, although I am proud to say that my assumptions were not as awful as Thomas Jefferson’s, I still had them. I had assumed that Black literature consisted only of the traditional “fugitive slave narrative” genre. Historically, that was the only example of Black literature I had read. The Water Cure was the first piece of Black literature where the focus was not slavery. Of course, there are still undertones of this in The Water Cure, but after reading I think that the main point of this book was the grief that parents must deal with after they have lost a child, and how much grief can drive a person to extremes. The Water Cure is not only different from any other book by a Black author that I have ever read, but different from any other book I have read period. It completely obliterated the assumptions of Black literature that I had held and helped me realize that Black literature is so much more diverse than I had previously thought. It’s sad to think that in the past I had been limiting myself and my reading to books and literature that fit into my false and misguided schema. I am so grateful to this course for expanding my knowledge and expectations and teaching me to think critically about my assumptions. While African Fractals by Ron Eglash and The Water Cure by Percival Everett seem to have nothing in common, they both have had very similar functions in my learning about literature over the semester. Both books have functioned as counter-stereotypes and provided evidence that completely shattered any assumptions that I or other people in the Western world have historically had.

Simply put a fractal is an infinite, recursive shape often occurring in nature. But if one were to look deeper, they would discover that there is much more to fractals than meets the eye. There are five essential components that make a shape a fractal. Likely the the most important self-similarity. Self-similarity is the central seed shape that the rest of the figure is branched off of. (Eglash) The seed shape as described in its name is the start of every fractal and branch of the fractal. It is the commonality that connects every aspect of the very complex and diverse shape. English 337: African American Literature is an in-depth course that examines a multitude of texts written by several Black authors. The course just so happens to follow the rules of fractal geometry. 

Although we have explored many texts and various forms of art, gone down many different paths, and branched off into many different directions, there is a central seed shape that connects the texts throughout the course and provides a connection between them. Interestingly enough, I think that seed shape is the diversity and complexity of literature written by Black authors. Every text that we have read, every folk song we have listened to, and every poem that we have investigated displays a different life and experience with Blackness in America. There is a diversity of styles, genres, and opinions within the literature as well. That variety is in itself the connection between all Black literature and is the seed shape that connects the concepts of the English 337 course. 

Frederick Douglass is perhaps one of the most famous authors of all time, not to mention one of the most famous Black authors. His autobiography The Narrative Life of Fredrick Douglass: An American Slave was an instant success as soon as it was published and has remained one of the most popular books in America. In the book, he tells the story of his enslavement as a child and a young man. One of the most key scenes in the narrative is when Douglass fights his enslaver, Mr. Covey. Douglass himself says that the “battle with Mr. Covey was the turning point in my career as a slave.” (Douglass 302) It is this conflict that makes him realize that his freedom is something he wants to fight for. Not only is his battle with his enslaver about his freedom as a human being but it can be interpreted as a fight for his manhood. Douglass says “It… revived in me a sense of my own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence…” (Douglass 302) By fighting and winning against the most classically masculine figure in his life, he not only claims his freedom but reclaims his own masculinity. 

The Narrative in general could be categorized as a more traditionally masculine presenting story. It is a plot-driven narrative that focuses more on the physical actions and steps Douglass overcame to fight his way to freedom. There is not much focus on deep inner monologue or overcoming thoughts of self-doubt. Also, Douglass did not have to worry about any children or other members of his family while escaping, and there isn’t much discussion from him about them. All of this is in contrast to another story of escaping enslavement we read in the course. 

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl written by Harriet Jacobs is at first glance a similar story to that lived and written by Frederick Douglass. It is a story of a young Black person risking and dedicating their life to escaping enslavement. On closer inspection, however, one starts to notice massive differences between the two. So much of Jacob’s writing focuses on the intersectionality of “the disadvantages of being an attractive black female and a slave.” (Call and Response 433) Jacob’s story of escaping slavery is long and drawn out because she could not easily run away. Her enslaver was regularly sexually abusing her and would come to her house often asking for sexual favors. Also, Jacobs had two young children to think about. She couldn’t simply pack her things and run away on her own. The solution that she finally arrived at was to hide in the crawl space of her grandmother’s house for seven years until her enslaver finally stopped looking for her and her children were old enough to travel. It was this incredible feat of dedication and sacrifice that led readers and historians alike to dismiss “her narrative as fictionalized when she recounted the incident.” (Call and Response 433) So much of the way Incidents was written and received by the public was because Jacobs was a woman.

 A vast part of what makes Incidents so intriguing is the amount of stream of consciousness that is displayed. We get to hear, understand, and become well acquainted with Linda/Harriet’s inner thoughts. It is a deep character study and introspective look at the life of an enslaved black woman rather than an action-focused narrative. It was also the fact that Jacobs was a woman that made her story unbelievable to the public. When Incidents was published, it was not an instant success and it took until the 1980s to be authenticated and treated as such by the public. This is a common phenomenon in literature written by women and it contrasts with literature of the same type written by men.

The differences in both the content of the writing as well as the reception of the two slave narratives are glaringly obvious despite their similarities. It is this that provides us with insight into the vast diversity of Black literature. Both The Narrative by Fredrick Douglass and Incidents by Harriet Jacobs are classic slave narratives that tell the stories of young enslaved Black people who do everything in their power to escape enslavement. But even so, there is so much that is different about the two narratives and the writers that created them. Douglass was an action-based man and his writing followed suit. His story is suspenseful and exciting to read. He describes in great detail the gore he witnessed while being a slave. The Narrative is fast-paced and comes to a satisfying close where Douglass has gained his freedom in the North. Incidents functions completely differently. Jacobs is deeply retrospective and spends a lot of time in her story with her inner thoughts and feelings while experiencing enslavement. She heavily discusses the emotional pain of being sexually abused and experiencing the loss of multiple friends and family members. While both slave narratives pull at the heartstrings of their readers and function as abolitionist works, they do so in very different ways. 

One can see through the vast differences in The Narrative and Incidents that Black literature is full of diversity and variety. It is so important to not only recognize this diversity but to respect it. Unfortunately, among White people, there is the assumption that everything made by Black artists has the same meaning and message. Not only is this assumption false, but it is hurtful and damaging. The Black experience is very diverse and therefore the literature written by Black people is just as diverse. To ignore or diminish this diversity is to delete and disregard the Black experience itself.  This is the seed shape of English 337… identify and validate diversity in Black literature and in doing so to respect and identify as many Black experiences in America as possible.