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"God can't be resisted or stopped, but can be shaped and focused."

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her nightmares consist of the walls burning and fire, which might be relevant to the frequent torching that occurs

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creation of identity and violence

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question? how did their world get to this point, and also if the world is so bad how are they maintaining a government 

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question? how did their world get to this point, and also if the world is so bad how are they maintaining a government 

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I really liked how they introduced the idea that wisdom doesn't just come with age. as Laurens perception of religion caused her to think about things in different ways. showing her wisdom over her fathers'.

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She will eventually come back to her fathers religon

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Is Lauren the only person that experiences hyperempathy, or are there others that we simply haven't encountered yet?

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I think many of the underlying problems for the characters' lives in this book will stem from a corrupt and failed government yet they won't recognize that.

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Why cant they go to school anymore?

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"Is it a sin against God to be poor?"

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truth vs. denial

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Religion , hope, struggle with faith

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gruesome descriptions of what she sees outside the walls of her neighborhood

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I think that the story being told in Lauren's point of view will be significant to the plot/climax

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Chaos of the open streets vs. walled parts of society

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The setting of the story is quite interesting, Lauren being able to connect with others makes it all more fun to read as we see a different perspective due to this

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I actually really found Lauren questioning her faith as really relatable to me because I wasn't raised religious and as I grew older and was made aware that there were such things as religion, I always wondered if there was a right religion/choice.

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hypothesis: I think her ability to feel others pain will become an asset instead of being seen as a disability

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hypothesis: I think her ability to feel others pain will become an asset instead of being seen as a disability

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Pride, hypocrisy, religion, nationalism, self-preservation, survival.

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What was the recurring dream and why does she cot

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I wonder whether the religious themes relate to Octavia Butler's childhood

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I found it really intresting that she called herself a coward for not beliving in her fathers religon and i really wanted to hear more about why

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I really like the format Butler uses to tell Lauren's perspective through journal entries that aren't from every single day. Using this format lets the readers have a more realistic first-person perspective because it's entirely plausible to read someone else's journal. I think this adds to Butler's idea of Lauren's world being our future reality. This format also sticks out to me because she's creating her own religion and documenting the events that led her to making Earthseed.

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reaction: It stood out to me when they said that water prices were much more than gas bc you can go to the store and buy like 32 bottles for $2 today

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reaction: It stood out to me when they said that water prices were much more than gas bc you can go to the store and buy like 32 bottles for $2 today

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Themes of innocences/experience -- coming of age

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Themes of innocences/experience -- coming of age

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A common theme I noticed was change, although it being for the worse.

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A common theme I noticed was change, although it being for the worse.

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"going outside to a real church was like stepping back into the good old days when there were churches all over the place and too many lights and gasoline was for fueling cars and trucks instead of torching things"

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A them I noticed so far in the story is identity. 

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A them I noticed so far in the story is identity. 

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Lauren continuously refers to her father's deep connection to the Baptist religion, but she also always mentions her separation and skepticism towards God. Her hyperempathy also allows her to connect with others' thoughts and emotions. She feels bad for the people she sees dead on the streets, but it's Mrs. Sims and the astronaut that she really empathizes with. Her identity is questioned by herself often when she thinks about religion and her community.

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"The only lasting truth is change"

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I was shocked at the inclusion and descriptions of violent acts that were occurring throughout the initial section. Butler was also very blunt about them (no sugarcoating).

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This is a mix of categories but religion seems to be a fairly prominent theme. at least in these early chapters. I think religion is going to continue throughout this book and be something that Lauren struggles with. I'm not completely sure where the book will take that idea, but currently Lauren seems to be going away from traditional religion and breaking it down, so maybe she will find her own form of religion or it could wrap back around to her regaining her faith at the end

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Chapter 2 set the tone of Parable of the Sower with the amount of hardship and violence being described and normalized

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A theme I noticed is the theme of freedom. Lauren's concept and emphasis on freedom is evident through her Earthseed religion. The fact the God is embodied in change is interesting because in most religions God is seen as something we cannot control. However, Laurens perception of God is something malleable and in her control. This perception really speaks to how must she values freedom.