Science Fiction
The Benevolent:
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1869)
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
The Ohio State University Rare Books and Manuscripts Library
PR5397.F7 1869
Arguably one of the most famous European novels of all time, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s literary debut Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus continues to be read and studied nearly 200 years after its original publication. Written when Shelley was 18, this science-fiction novel, first explored as a ghost story, encourages the reader to see men as monsters and monsters as men. Urging others to see the best in people did not end with Shelley, as teenage girls are often noted to be extremely tolerant of the horrific actions of villainous characters in literature and media today. Some argue that a woman’s ability to sympathize with 'the bad guy' stems from men asking women to constantly consider the impacts of their actions on others.
An interesting point about this book is that it's immensely soft. The pages and the spine are worn to compliance, despite the abuse of water and coffee. Frankenstein is a popular work for an introductory English class and, as such, the comments and markings within this volume are at and about key points of revelation within the piece. For example, when the so-called 'monster' gains humanity or when Frankenstein seems to lose it. The person writing in pencil, despite underlining most of the book, annotated multiple comments about the "monster" and how he interacts with the world. The others writing in blue and black pen didn't seem too keen on having their thoughts forever etched within the book and mostly underlined text on top of the pencil marks. However, the person writing in blue pen made one phrase known on the page where Frankenstein confronts his creation: "Devil --> Fallen Angel." These markings and thoughts given to the novel show how people still find her work thought provoking, despite how long ago it was written and how old she was when she wrote it.
The Observant:
Parable of the Sower (1993)
Octavia E. Butler
The Ohio State University Rare Books and Manuscripts Library
PS3552.U845 P37 1993
Octavia E. Butler’s science-fiction novel, The Parable of the Sower, follows Lauren: a Black teenage girl with the uncontrollable ability to feel the physical sensations of others within her sight, especially physical pain. During the book, Lauren is often pointing out things that are potentially dangerous to her or others both physically and emotionally. Lauren notes how the teenage boys in her neighborhood stare at a possibly drunk or dazed naked woman for personal pleasure and not concern. She describes the power of having a partially concealed gun during the day and why it loses this power at night when others can't see it. In detail, she notes the dangers of living in poverty outside of her town’s wall, which was built to keep out drug addicts and criminals. At the intersection of two oppressed groups, people of color and women, it can be argued that Lauren represents one of the most observant groups within society. In order to feel safe within their surroundings, they require a certain amount of wariness and the ability to see what others may carelessly miss.