One literary genre that has undoubtedly captured the attention of millions of readers is science fiction. Its particular content deals possible consequences, positive or negativewhich may occur in the future due to scientific and technical invention.
Why is science fiction so important?
The reality today is that few people refuse to read science fiction. However, it is considered the perfect sex to explain the problems that we can find in the present. Although most of his works are almost always set in the future.
The science fiction works that continue to be a big hit are those of Octavia Butler. An African-American woman who fascinated her readers with the best stories imaginable. Even after his death, his writing received several nominations.
How did Octavia Butler get started in science fiction?
While still a child, Octavia suffered from a learning disability characterized by difficulty reading, improved known as dyslexia. However, this was not an obstacle for her.
His mother’s help was essentialThanks to the fact that she provided him with discarded books in the houses he cleaned, he was able to improve. Also, her great effort was quite noticeable, she did her part because she loved what she was doing.
For Butler, at first, writing and reading comics was just a hobby, but her imagination will later lead her to fame. She says that when she was young, she fantasized about an impossible but magical life. It was at the age of 12 that he discovered the literary genre that completely captured his attention, science fiction.
Butler’s life before she became a famous writer
Octavia Butler with some of her artwork.
Octavia had a rather special childhood, she was born on June 22, 1947. His father, who worked as a shoe shiner, died while still a child and was raised by her mother, who worked as a domestic. They were very humble people.
She lived in California for much of her childhood as an only child. Since childhood, his entertainment revolved around telling fictional storieswithout imagining that she would later become a renowned writer.
He didn’t give up on his dream
As 1970 progressed, Butler was able to hone his craft as a writer, despite the fact that I had a pretty busy schedule. At that time, she was washing dishes, selling telephones, and at the same time she was a supervisor in a large chip factory.
Although her responsibilities were many, she participated in writers’ programs, had a mentor, and found herself selling her first story. At first it was not so successful, and the answers were often quite negativeBut he continued to pursue his dreams.
Sell your first novel
In 1975, Octavia was finally able to take her first big step as a writer because He managed to sell his first novel entitled: “Patternmaster”. In particular, this one is about a world dominated by telepathy, as people progress through different genetic groups.
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Critics raved about it, but it didn’t stop there. his career as a science fiction writer was just beginning. The famous African-American writer also began producing two more books, which would take her to the pinnacle of fame. Known as “Mind Of My Mind” and “Survivor”.
Great works, with predictions?
Octavia was one of the first women to dare a genre dedicated to men. His novels have great appeal and generally place humanity on the brink of apocalypse, but they open the door to survival if one is able to adapt to the circumstances.
Some of his works from 1993 even feature almost prophetic events, occurring in the years 2024 and 2032, about a future in which the world’s population faces climate change and a global economic crisis, radical politicians and dream devices, accustomed to living out virtual fantasies. , among others.
“I wanted to tell in my books something that could somehow happen in reality” – Octavia Butler.
Some of his most famous books
1. Lilith’s Brood / Lilith’s Brood (Xenogenesis Trilogy): This story is about Lilith Iyapo, who wakes up in a Oankali spacecraft, the alien race that saved humanity from extinction after the Earth was devastated by a nuclear war. These beings have kept Lilith and other survivors asleep in suspended animation for centuries. She will be the chosen one who will guide her family to their own planet, now dominated by wilderness, so that they learn to live there and become the seed of a new lineage.
2. Kinship or Kinship: In this play, Octavia uses time travel to explore slavery in the United States. Here, Dana, an African American woman, is inexplicably transported from 1976 Los Angeles to Maryland in the early 19th century. He meets his ancestors: Rufus, a white slaver, and Alice, an African-American woman who was born free but became a slave. It is his most popular book, with over 250,000 copies sold.
The awards he received
Running in 1980, Butler was already in one of the best moments of his career, as recognition for your great effort. received two hugo pricefor the best novel and the best short story.
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obtained two Nebula awardsas well as a well-known price places. And recognition of the science fiction chronicle as the best novel. The last he received was in 2010, from the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
Despite the fact that the last award was received when he was already deceased, His writing has left an indelible mark. In the whole world.
His stories still sell well enough today, being taught at over 200 colleges and universities in the United States, and many of them have received adaptations for other genres. Undoubtedly, limitations were no obstacle for Octavia Butler.
References: BBC.
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