
Butler’s work has resurfaced for its depictions of the future seemingly coming to life.
The grave of Octavia Butler, whose novel Parable Of The Sower imagined fires engulfing Los Angeles, still stands at a local cemetery in Altadena.
Butler’s work has gained new traction after seemingly prophesying the tragedy that still threatens metro Los Angeles. In a coincidence, despite her grave site’s location in one of the main communities impacted by the fires, the cemetery’s website confirmed minimal damage to the grounds.
The first fire in the novel only foreshadowed the flames to come, with some calling Butler’s reading a warning. The book’s 1998 sequel, Parable of the Talents, also depicts an authoritative politician who sought to “Make America Great Again.” While currently associated with President-elect Donald Trump, Butler originally heard the phrase used by Ronald Reagan. However, the similarities between her decades-old literature and real life remain uncanny.
The Kindred novelist remains heralded as an esteemed writer for science fiction and Afrofuturism. Her legacy continues to live on in her hometown as well. A bookstore named in her honor currently serves as a donation center for fire victims.
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Source: Black Enterprise