Dawn – An Analysis through the Theory of Performance Enhancement

The book Dawn by Octavia E. Steward is a story about how mankind is rescued from a war unleashed by an alien race known as the Oankali, who are not human. They are special and enjoy life. They rescued the last Earth refugees. The plot continues after World War III, where only a few survivors exist on Earth. The aliens are incredibly intelligent beings that have mastered gene mutations and can transform nearly everything they want. Their augmented capabilities enabled them to save, preserve, and protect the critically endangered human species. The earth is being reborn as disclosed by one of the Oankalis’ to Lilth Iyapo, the main protagonist. The story concentrates on the human resisters who want their opportunity to be returned, paying little heed to the results. One of the important aspects of the story is the effective use of performance enhancement by the writer to develop the relationships between the humans and aliens through the episodes.

Lilith is stirred on board of the Oankali spaceship. She is one of the few human survivors who will, in future, lead the other humans who will be reintroduced to the Earth's surface so that it can hold life once more. But, the Oankali, a weird looking race, need to interbreed with the humans in order to initiate the rebirth programme. They call it hereditary designing. However, there is resistance from the humans because they thought that they did not need it. However, in the long run, Lilith is regarded a backstabber in the wake of sparing the Oankali who she has been mated with. At the point when the other humans are sent to Earth, Lilith is kept behind for her security.

The Thematic Mien

In the Xenogenesis collection, Octavia E. Butler tells a tale of agreements, disagreements, and survival of two different cultures which include human beings and far more superior extraterrestrials of outsiders called Oankalis. When a struggle devastated the Earth and killed maximum of its population, the Oankali transported the survivors to their spaceship, where they treated the people for two and a half of centuries. It was uncovered subsequently that human nature is so badly unsuitable to inhabit any place. Thus, sensibly, the Oankali refuse to let humans reproduce their own type. They are inclined, however, to take in the human species through mating with people, casting off human flaws through genetic alteration, and the usage of human genes inside the manufacturing of recent lifestyles-paperwork which means that the human beings are given a tough choice: either to breed with aliens or to grow to be extinct (Magedanz 55).

The first human offered such preference is a young black Californian, Lilith Iyapo. Dawn is her tale. Although it is a 3rd-individual narrative, the novel is ruled via Lilith’s recognition; the plot is moved and is produced by her adjustments in attitude. The four elements of the novel, “Womb,” “family,” “Nursery,” and “The training ground,” describe the foremost ranges in Lilith’s improvement (Jesser 34). But, the fascinating aspect of the novel resides with the relationships, agreements, and even disagreements that arise along the personal history of Lilth Iyapo. Octavia has beautifully crafted the very nature of the humans as well as the aliens through emotional and cultural etiquettes which have paved a better chance for performance enhancement.

After waking up from her drugged sleep Lilith needs to learn how to discard her human prejudices. Her first test is to learn to see underneath the reptilian outdoors of the Oankali trainer Jdahya to his actual awareness and kindness (Koch 690). Then she is sent on an assignment to satisfy different members of his own family, especially his baby Nikanj, who is an ooloi, a member of a 3rd gender that heals contamination and genetic defects as well as linking pals for sexual pride. While Lilith helps Nikanj through its metamorphosis, she turns into even greater intently bonded to it. Subsequently, she will become its mate. Octavia implements the principle of performance enhancement on the intimate relationship between Lilth and Nikanj which has shaped the rest of the story (Nanda 774).

The story as well as the character development is proportional to the performance enhancement factor that structured the very existence of the characters, theme, and even the relevance of the story with the present conditions of the world.

Research Question:

How has Octavia Butler used the Transhumanist themes in Dawn? How has the author used performance enhancement towards developing the characters and story?

Hypothesis: Octavia uses the principle of performance enhancement to develop the main themes and characters who are included in her book.

Literature Review

There have been specific scholarly articles on the topic that have been aimed at assessing the person aspects that have informed Octavia to put in writing the e-book sunrise. The trans humanist concept and the way it has been used in the context of the e-book have additionally been identified.

Jesser, Nancy. "Blood, Genes, and Gender in Octavia Butler's Kindred and Dawn." Extrapolation 43.1 (2002): 36-61.

In the text the writer analyses the heroines Lilith and Dana from the novels Dawn and Kindred by using African-American creator Octavia Butler. The writer focuses on the relation between organic essentialism and genetic frame; differences in biology in regards to race and intercourse; the author also discusses the effect of gene principle on feminism.

Osherow, Michele. "The Dawn of a New Lilith: Revisionary Mythmaking in Women's Science Fiction." NWSA Journal 12.1 (2000): 68-83.

The writer in the Dawn Of New Lilith indicates the usage of parable of Lilith. Inside the ladies’ fictions, Lilith threatens male protagonists; she evolves right into a complex hero belying the stereotypes that typically restriction woman characters. Vacillating among the pix of depraved temptress and fond mother, the Lilith emerging from girl’s science fiction affords a new female photo, one reflecting a diversification of women's roles in contemporary culture.

Ramírez, Catherine S. "Cyborg Feminism: The Science Fiction of Octavia E. Butler and Gloria Anzaldúa." Reload: Rethinking women+ cyberculture (2002): 374-402.

Ramirez takes the reader through the value of survival and the specific characteristics between the human beings and extra-terrestrial beings within the book. It’s far a story of the exceptional aspects of weak spot that would be recognized and how they informed the character tools and way used within the eBook. The supply is valid because it outlines the exogenesis tendencies and creates a connection between the humans and transhumans within the eBook.

Chow, Stephanie S. "Coping with Difference: Social Identity and Mediating Intergroup Conflict in Octavia E. Butler’s Science Fiction Novels."

Chow identifies the human attributes, and inhuman standards which are developed and indicated in the character precepts and models of exchange wanted in the transhumanism issues. It indicates a trend in the method and models used and extrapolate the person capabilities and equipment which might be identified and advanced via the evolutionary future.

Rieder, John. "Science Fiction, Colonialism, and the Plot of Invasion1." Extrapolation 46.3 (2005): 373-394.

Rieder outlines the distinct attributes by using Octavia and indicates the man or woman evolutionary tendencies that have been highlighted in the science fiction story. The supply is important since it enhances the opposite assets and offers man or woman way and attributes that outline science fiction and the method developed as a result.

Tucker, Jeffrey A. "'The Human Contradiction': Identity and/as Essence in Octavia E. Butler's' Xenogenesis' Trilogy." The Yearbook of English Studies (2007): 164-181.

Tucker identifies the human attributes, and inhuman concepts which can be evolved and indicated in the character precepts and models of trade wanted within the transhumanism subject matters. It shows a trend in the way and fashions used and extrapolate the person capabilities and equipment that are diagnosed and evolved through the evolutionary destiny.

Luckhurst, Roger. "‘Horror and beauty in rare combination': The miscegenate fictions of Octavia Butler." Women: A Cultural Review 7.1 (1996): 28-38.

Luckhurst assesses how the individual models which have been used by Octavia in identifying with the lady characters this is described and recognized inside the society. The item is crucial because it offers a retrospective movement and model in the direction of information the character fashions and manner which might be important for a change.

Peppers, Cathy. "Dialogic Origins and Alien Identities in Butler's Xenogenesis." Science Fiction Studies (1995): 47-62.

Peppers indicates the person developments and origins of the alien identities that have been inclined into the tools used as a result. There are exceptional approach and fashions which might be used via creating a proper means and equipment which might be evolved and augmented beneath the alien identities and global.

Bonner, Frances. "Difference and Desire, Slavery and Seduction: Octavia Butler's" Xenogenesis"." Foundation (1990): 50.

Bonner takes the readers through a distinction in the motives and topics that were experienced by using the primary characters in the story. Difference and choice and slavery and seduction are a few of the most important elements that have been diagnosed within the ebook and increase the goals of people. It is a useful resource since it outlines the weaknesses which can be present in humans and how transhumanism is described.

Potts, Stephen W., and Octavia E. Butler. "" We Keep Playing the Same Record": A Conversation with Octavia E. Butler." Science Fiction Studies (1996): 331-338.

In this article an analysis of the fundamental concepts that informed the writing of the Book and other similar books is analyzed. The author is taken through questions that are aimed at assessing what was the main motivator towards writing in science fiction genre and how she developed the individual characters. The source is valid since it gives first-hand information on the author and the main elements that were developed while writing her science fiction books.

Holden, Rebecca J. "The High Costs of Cyborg Survival: Octavia Butler's" Xenogenesis" Trilogy." Foundation (1998): 49.

Holden takes the reader through the cost of survival and the unique characteristics between the humans and aliens in the book. It is a tale of the different aspects of weakness that could be identified and how they informed the individual tools and means used in the book. The source is valid since it outlines the xenogenesis traits and creates a connection between the humans and transhumans in the book.

Smith, Stephanie A., et al. "Octavia Butler: a retrospective." (2007): 385-393.

Smith assesses how the individual models that have been used by Octavia in identifying with the female characters that is defined and identified in the society. The article is important since it gives a retrospective action and model towards understanding the individual models and means that are important for change.

Ferreira, Maria Aline. "Symbiotic Bodies and Evolutionary Tropes in the Work of Octavia Butler." Science Fiction Studies (2010): 401-415.

Ferreira outlines the different attributes by Octavia and indicates the individual evolutionary traits that have been highlighted in the science fiction story. The source is important since it complements the other sources and gives individual means and attributes that define science fiction and the means developed accordingly.

Hampton, Gregory Jerome. Changing bodies in the fiction of Octavia Butler: Slaves, aliens, and vampires. Lexington Books, 2010.

Hampton assesses how Octavia uses different beings and individuals in augmenting transhumanism in Octavia works. It is indicative of the means and attributes that have been identified in the means and tools that are defined and articulated in the different changing bodies accordingly.

Tucker, Jeffrey A. "'The Human Contradiction': Identity and/as Essence in Octavia E. Butler's' Xenogenesis' Trilogy." The Yearbook of English Studies (2007): 164-181.

Tucker identifies the human attributes and inhuman concepts that are developed and indicated within the individual precepts and models of change needed in the transhumanism themes. It indicates a trend in the means and models used and extrapolate the individual features and tools that are identified and developed through the evolutionary future.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework of the research includes the establishment of the thematic expressions as well as the characters of the novel within the periphery of performance enhancement. The theory of performance enhancement is implemented to witness an evolutionary stand of Lilith and her emerging relations with her immediate surroundings. The idea of the enhancement factor is well represented by the socio-psychological stances of Lilith, Oankalis, and other human survivors.

The alien Oankali saved the few remaining people and started recuperating the planet earth. These aliens, tentacled higher animal-like creatures, plan to give back the general population to Earth. They take every chance to improve their race by getting together with the races they encounter (Hompton 3). They've spared humankind so as to satisfy their natural need to interbreed. It all started with Lilith to produce new human-Oankali people group on Earth. Her kids have some fun limbs (Peppers 62). Lilith responds to this with all around scepticism but, she practically murders herself. Octavia’s imaginations are quite creative as she establishes a very strong connection between the humans and the aliens through important agreement - producing human-Oankali population (Luckhurst, 33).

Interestingly, Octavia tries to establish a very strong linkage between the continuous episodes that do play important roles for better presentation. The character of Lalith is very well established as an intelligent woman (human) who now sees no other way to save the dignity of the humankind. Furthermore, it includes the most challenging and frightening out-gathering possible a wise outsider race (McNamee 166). Lilith naturally fears and doubts the outsiders. She finds that she's been stirred and returned in stasis time. While Lilith's fright ends up being unwarranted and she starts to think rationally. The outsiders truly need to help the people and intend no damage or harm (Mageganz 30). However, they do have their specific arrangements and see a way to get mutually benefited by their communication with the humans. While the outsiders don't lie, they do withhold data, just bit by bit doling it out as they see fit (Bonner 50).As Lilith's dread dies down and her trust at any rate in a constrained sense develops, this limited data is a consistent wellspring of pressure amongst Lilith and her outsider handlers.

While Lilith is at first unsure and totally hesitant for connecting with the outsiders, she turns to acknowledge the reality of the circumstance and starts to unite with the strangers, attempting to find her end-diversion. Her (generally) quiet and receptive nature was one of the reasons as to why she was picked. She's to be a contact between other recently stirred human survivors and the outsiders. She and the people she has officially awakened include the main creatures that would undertake the re-colonization of the earth. Apparently, this makes Lilith questioned among her kindred people. The vast majority of them are solidified in a Cold War mentality and think they are under the control of the Russians like people, declining to trust the "babble" about outsiders.

The Oankali control her into preparing the first gathering of people to re-colonize the earth. Lilith is a characteristic pioneer but her loyalties are isolated. On one hand, she needs human adaptability and on the other, she comes to respect and possibly adore a segment of the Oankali. She develops a satisfying yet unequal private association with one of the Oankali ooloi. The connections Butler makes oppose the emerging agreements because the choice made by Lilith was the tough one. Lilith is both a friend and a foe to the people and to the Oankalis. Neither the people nor the Oankali makes this simpler on her. The human group is derisive, savage and unfeeling. The Oankali are presumptuous, reckless and have no understanding of human rights.

Theme of Performance Enhancement

The theoretical explanation of the events mentioned in the book – Dawn, the author has tried to reveal the very existence of an attempt to repopulate the earth by a joint action of humans and aliens. A long time later Lilith has a kid, that is part Oankali and part human, is snatched by a group of human resisters. The tyke, Akin, is taken to a town called Phoenix and left there to find out about the humans. It understands that the human combatants are being abused. At the point when Akin is mature enough he begins battling for the humans to have the capacity to start a settlement on Mars where they will be free from the Oankali impact (Lilly, 4).

Lilith has another kid substantially later named Jodahs. Jodahs is the first ooloi Human and Oankali blend. Jodahs goes into an outcast in the woods with its family. Since it is the first of its kind, it is viewed as unsafe. Jodah stumbles upon a sibling and sister who are humans and who originated from a gathering of wealthy Humans that have been stowing away in the mountains. Jodahs pick these two humans as its friends. Together they go and inform the others in their town of the Mars province yet say that they can't stay where they are since the Earth will be inhabitable when the Oankali are done with it. Jodahs is not trusted by the humans, but rather, in the long run, it recuperates every one of them of the hereditary imperfections that they have acquired from years of interbreeding. A few of the Humans stayed and find ooloi mates, as Jodahs, instead of going to Mars.

Not at all like by far most of the outsider snatching stories, Dawn introduces an organically hidden clarification for why the Oankali need to interbreed with humankind in spite of their severe dislike for humankind, which seems colossal for its mix of high knowledge and pointless savagery, the "human inconsistency." The Oankali have advanced generative organs and subcellular structures which are in control of their particular qualities to augment wellness in their condition, a self-supporting starship which is itself a living life form (Holden 2). Incomprehensibly, because the Oankali is such efficient hereditary specialists, they tend to design themselves into a transformative deadlock; losing all differing genetic qualities, they lose the capacity to adjust to change. The main way they can recoup hereditary differing qualities is to interbreed with an entirely new species, which contributes new genetic qualities and shortcomings.

Octavia Butler's Dawn is a novel that is based on people's instinctual drive towards debasement. For instance, the gathering of individuals Lilith mingles from suspended movement, in spite of being new to their environment, is resolved to build up an antagonistic domain wherein its people must pick a group leader to motivate them to strange new lives (Gordiin 49). The gatherings have to perniciously divide itself based on the emerging oppositions to make a social domain free of persecution and legislative issues would propose. Octavia is making a remark on humankind's natural inclinations toward enabling itself as originating from an imbued pretentious drive. Jdahya says as much when he tells Lilith, "You are hierarchal… when human insight did not recognize it as an issue. That resembled an overlooking tumor. I think your kin did not understand what a risky thing they were doing" (Ferreira 39). Jdahya's announcement, at first glance, is revealing to her that humankind can't help its inclination as a result of its strong self-image. Be that as it may, inside this announcement lies a more profound remark on humanity, that of humanity's relentless nature to trust it will dependably have the capacity to be an operator of its aggregate future.

The main focus of the novel is on Lilith’s unwilling agreement towards which both Uncle Tom and Judas Goat responded as allied survivors (Smith 391). She was given powers by the outsiders, though constrained, and she was allowed to exercise them. Such exclusive establishment make her a bigger suspect (Ferreira 403). These incorporate the capacity to stir people from stasis and to reconfigure the zone in which they live. However, it additionally includes quick recuperating and upgraded physical limits. Also, these powers enabled her to secure her stand against the threatening recently stirred. The outsiders know there will be physically aboriginal people since they encountered it firsthand (Reider 390). Truth be told, they trust that using Lilith as a delegate will facilitate this proclivity. In any case, it does nothing of the kind, and rather makes Lilith and the individuals who are near her objectives for the rest.

The people who were awaken by Lilith trust that they have the ability to be the operators of their predetermination (Osherow 83). They exhibit this conviction through their rehashed endeavors in the nursery, and the preparation wilderness, to usurp Lilith and the Ooloi. Dwindle, and Curt's endeavors to arrange an upset inside the gathering against Lilith and the Ooloi are two cases of their silly faith in their "ability… to apply control" in their circumstance. They can't see past their bogus sentiment office since despite everything they trust they have "mental and enthusiastic flexibility" (Butler 227) inside their condition. They can't see that they now share a cooperative association with the Ooloi wherein each requires the other's assent in matters concerning the possibility of any critical change to either race. For instance, the Ooloi expect the people's agree to start to engrave (Koch 191) on the people. In like manner, the people require the Oolois' agree to have the capacity to trip to Earth because the people must take after the Oolois' convention to accomplish the privilege to re-occupy their home.

Many scholars assert that Butler is primarily critical about humankind and that her viewpoint on what's to come is tragic. Unquestionably the people respond to the Oankali with xenophobia and viciousness. Indeed they share these propensities with each other too. The people are none excessively enthusiastic about having a pioneer who seems to have aligned herself with the adversary. The men are especially undermined by Lilith's quality and certainty. They beat her and call her a prostitute. They endeavour to assault one of the other ladies. They react to Lilith's Chinese-American sweetheart Joe with extremism and homophobia (Sands 13). The people begin a war with their outsider captors. The Oankali are tranquil, naturally dependable and libertarian. They're quite recently attempting to spare humanity, isn't that so? What's more, take a gander at the thanks they get.

Butler's Dawn is demonstrating that there is no office without assent, and no assent without somebody or something having an office. The people require the Ooloi the same amount of as the Ooloi require the people. In any case, the Ooloi fail by not considering humankind's instilled conviction that it will dependably be operators of its fate in their underlying arrangement to re-populate the earth. It is this mistake that prompts the human uprising which harms two Ooloi. However, it is likewise this error adds to the Ooloi accomplishing their objective of hybridising humankind with the Oankali. If the people had not rebelled against the Ooloi, Nikanj would not have possessed the capacity to inseminate Lilith since "it" would not have felt the loss of Joseph similar to the stimulus for making Lilith pregnant. Moreover, the people blunder by supposing they are operators of their fate on the Ooloi transport because they had not felt along these lines, they would not currently be interminably reliant on the Ooloi to "join… human sperm and egg" (245). It is these unexpected conditions that persuade Butler could remark on our reality's narrow-minded inclination to consider itself the focal point of the universe. It is a propensity that estranges us from each other because it makes billions of little and individual worlds of egotistical people only skipping off of each other without actually setting up any relevant association.

However, Butler isn't keen on essential portrayals: Oankalis are great and the humans are terrible. The Oankali don't have an idealistic culture. They censure the people for their dangerous mix of insight and various leveled considering. However they always abuse the privileges of their prisoners, and their general public has its pecking order among its three sexual orientations. Their constrained interbreeding program looks a great deal like the assault with which the people debilitate each other. Lilith is kept in isolation for a long time with no learning of who her captors are. At the point when she's discharged she has no power over her life. She is denied contact with different people for quite a while. At first, the Oankali won't permit her composition materials or access to some composed human records they spared (Tucker 163). What's more, she finds that they have obliterated the few vestiges of human culture, so humankind can "start once more" with the Oankali. This sounds a considerable measure like imperialism, subjection, internment camps … Take your pick. On the off chance that Butler is demonstrating her pessimism about humankind. She's doing it figuratively through the Oankali as much as she is specifically through the people.

This book is science fiction and theorizes about alien life, and proposes the world in which astounding innovative advances have been made. Honestly speaking, if there was a class called psych-fi (mental fiction), it may be all more an opportune. The heart of this story is about dread and trust, and how individuals treat in-gathering and out gathering people and those seen as a traverse. It likewise addresses the issue of the disintegration of in-gathering attributes and the inborn dread that makes. Imagine a scenario in which humankind does not survive, but instead some race that is in large part human play brutal.

Discussion

This book could be enjoyed by fanatics of sci-fi, as well as by the individuals who like a decent story portrayed logically and, specifically, the people who jump at the chance to consider what makes individuals sensible (Hilvoorde, & Landeweerd 2234). Cautioning to the queasy, there's a repeating topic of endeavored assault in the book. In the primary case, this is instinctive and trustworthy. Notwithstanding, there's a stressing of credulity when individuals later are coming straight out of stasis and surrendering to their most base indecent inclinations. Sex is an active driver, yet in such a circumstance doubtlessly more prompts survival drivers would rule. At the end of the day, it must be the uncommon horn-pooch who awakens from a 300-year stasis on board an outsider's vessel, and the principal thing he considers is getting his monstrosity on.

Conclusion

The theory of performance enhancement establishes better recognition of the importance of the characters and their role in enhanced portrayal of the thematic elements of the story. Octavia has tried to develop a very interesting narrative thread of the story of the Dawn by creating interesting relationships with the consistent happenings through parallel thematic expressions.

The book is very much interesting and provocative. The idea scared me from the start. Head servant's utilization of dialect is delightful. However, she doesn't run over the edge with expound dialect that diverts or impedes the story. But, the author did not try to be a cynic. Not surprisingly, I discover a beam of expectation in her work. There are redemptive characters among both the people and the Oankali. While Lilith doesn't recapture her opportunity, there is the likelihood toward the finish of the novel that other people will. Lilith is constrained and controlled, and her decisions are significantly restricted (interbreed, demise or a single life on board the ship). Be that as it may, she's a canny, inventive and robust willed woman, and she does what Butler's courageous women do well: She consults between poor choices. She reluctantly goes about as the middle person between the people, what's more, the Oankali.

She isn't ready to be used as an Oankali pet or a guinea pig, yet she isn't ready to return to cave dweller society with the people either. All through the novel she requests regard from the Oankali and attempts to manufacture a more similar association between the two gatherings. The novel, as the first in an arrangement, offers no determination, just the confirmation that our courageous woman is unafraid in her mission for self-sufficiency, and that the likelihood of change and advance exists for both species.







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Ferreira, Maria Aline. "Symbiotic Bodies and Evolutionary Tropes in the Work of Octavia Butler." Science Fiction Studies (2010): 401-415.

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Jesser, Nancy. "Blood, genes, and gender in Octavia Butler's Kindred and Dawn." Extrapolation 43.1 (2002): 36-61.

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Luckhurst, Roger. "‘Horror and beauty in rare combination': The miscegenate fictions of Octavia Butler." Women: A Cultural Review 7.1 (1996): 28-38.

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Osherow, Michele. "The dawn of a new Lilith: Revisionary mythmaking in women's science fiction." NWSA Journal 12.1 (2000): 68-83.

Peppers, Cathy. "Dialogic Origins and Alien Identities in Butler's Xenogenesis." Science Fiction Studies (1995): 47-62.

Pickens, Therí A. "Octavia Butler and the Aesthetics of the Novel." Hypatia 30.1 (2015): 167-180.

Pryor Ackerman, Erin. "Becoming and belonging: the productivity of pleasures and desires in Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis trilogy." Extrapolation 49.1 (2008): 24-43.

Potts, Stephen W., and Octavia E. Butler. "" We Keep Playing the Same Record": A Conversation with Octavia E. Butler." Science Fiction Studies (1996): 331-338.

Ramírez, Catherine S. "Cyborg Feminism: The Science Fiction of Octavia E. Butler and Gloria Anzaldúa." Reload: Rethinking women+ cyberculture (2002): 374-402.

Rieder, John. "Science Fiction, Colonialism, and the Plot of Invasion1." Extrapolation 46.3 (2005): 373-394.

Sands, Peter. "Octavia Butler's chiastic cannibalistics." Utopian Studies 14.1 (2003): 1-14.

Smith, Stephanie A., et al. "Octavia Butler: a retrospective." (2007): 385-393.

Tucker, Jeffrey A. "'The Human Contradiction': Identity and/as Essence in Octavia E. Butler's' Xenogenesis' Trilogy." The Yearbook of English Studies (2007): 164-181.

Van Hilvoorde, Ivo, and Laurens Landeweerd. "Enhancing disabilities: transhumanism under the veil of inclusion?." Disabi