Dawn

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Pfeiffer, John R. "Butler, Octavia Estelle (b. 1947)", in Richard Bleiler (ed.), Science Fiction Writers: Critical Studies of the Major Authors from the Early Nineteenth Century to the Present Day. 2nd edn. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999. 147–158. Robyn McGee, "Octavia Butler: Soul Sister of Science Fiction", Fireweed 73. Fall 2001, pp.60 and following.

Devil Girl from Mars: Why I Write Science Fiction", Media in Transition (MIT February 19, 1998; Transcript October 4, 1998) Scott Simon, " Essay on Racism: A Science-Fiction Writer Shares Her View of Intolerance", Weekend Edition Saturday. September 1, 2001 [Audio]. Science Fiction Chronicle Award for Best Novelette – "The Evening and the Morning and the Night" [76] Omry, Keren, "A Cyborg Performance: Gender and Genre in Octavia Butler". Phoebe: Journal of Gender and Cultural Critiques. 17.2 (2005 Fall): 45–60. The futures of both mankind and an alien species rest in the hands of one hybrid son in the award-winning science fiction author’s masterful sequel to Dawn.

The theme of agency, which is closely linked to the theme of consent, appears multiple times in the second half of "Family." For a person to have agency, they must be able to act independently and make their own choices. For Lilith and other humans aboard the Oankali ship, their agency is incredibly limited and, at times, removed completely. For example, when it comes to the procedure that will alter her memory, Lilith is only given two limited choices: let Nikanj perform the procedure or wait until Kahguyaht surprises her with it at a later date. For Lilith, this is not a real choice and instead constitutes "coercion" (80). Lilith understands that even though the Oankali present this kind of situation as a "choice," Lilith's true desires—to be left alone—are not an option. When she is told that Paul lives aboard the ship and has chosen to stay among the Oankali rather than return to Earth, she already knows that Paul's choice probably was not a true choice at all: "What kind of choice had they given him? Probably the same kind they had given her, and he had been years younger" (81). Additionally, the Oankali knows each human aboard their ship intimately. They have studied these individuals closely, going so far as to look at their genetic structure and DNA. As Paul warns Lilith, this gives the Oankali the power to affect their decision-making capacities: "'they know how to change your mind'" (91). The International Astronomical Union named a mountain on Charon (a moon of Pluto) Butler Mons to honor the author, after a public suggestion period and nomination by NASA. [83] Schwab, Gabriele. "Ethnographies of the Future: Personhood, Agency and Power in Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis", in William Maurer and Gabriele Schwab (eds), Accelerating Possession, New York: Columbia University Press, 2006: 204–228.

Thus, without a true choice as to whether or not to breed with the Oankali, this kind of coercion can be defined as rape. For female humans in the novel, the threat of rape does not solely come from their Oankali captors. Literary analyst Meghan K. Riley writes: "rape is central, and apparently acceptable, in Dawn." Both men and women have to worry about being forced to submit to Oankali sexuality. Joseph, Lilith's lover, is actually induced to perform sexual activities with Nikanj without having verbally consented while they are all in the training room. However, human women also have to worry about the threat of rape at the hands of the human men. Lilith has to fight off Paul Titus who attempts to rape her after she turns down his sexual advances. Later, Leah is almost raped in the training room by her partner: "Leah's charge, a small blond man, grabbed her, hung on, and might have raped her if he had been bigger or she smaller" (171). In an environment where humanity has been denied consent at the hands of their extremely powerful alien captors, the human men lash out against human women, who are doubly under threat. Nittle, Nadra (November 4, 2022). "Octavia Butler's middle school has been renamed in her honor". The 19th.Charlie Rose, "A Conversation with Octavia Butler", Charlie Rose. 2000. [Two videos on YouTube: Part 1 and Part 2.] Juan Gonzalez and Amy Goodman, "Science Fiction Writer Octavia Butler on Race, Global Warming, and Religion", Democracy Now! November 11, 2005. The Pasadena City College Foundation". pasadena.edu. Pasadena City College. 2019. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019 . Retrieved April 5, 2019. In 1983, Butler published "Speech Sounds", a story set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles where a pandemic has caused most humans to lose their ability to read, speak, or write. For many, this impairment is accompanied by uncontrollable feelings of jealousy, resentment, and rage. "Speech Sounds" received the 1984 Hugo Award for Best Short Story. [23]