Introduction
It is impossible to imagine the modern world without technological advancements. They are present in multiple spheres, including business operations, communications, entertainment, and even personal relationships among individuals. That is why it is exciting to know how this state of affairs impacts society. In particular, it is reasonable to answer the following question: What role does technology play for modern people, and what will the world be like if technology disappears? Finding an answer is a challenging and intriguing process, and one can use information from multiple sources to cope with the task. Literary works can be considered a suitable option since they comment on the topics that are essential for ordinary people in a particular period. That is why it is not a surprise that numerous authors of the late 20th-early 21st century wrote about technology. The analysis of Octavia Butler’s short stories, “Bloodchild” and “Speech Sounds,” an essay, “Positive Obsession,” demonstrates that individuals have versatile and human-like connections with technology, meaning that its disappearance will destroy the existing world order.
Introducing the Theory about Technology
There are many theories to explain the role of technology in society. The Ethics Center, for example, stipulates that continuous development will result in post-humanism when human beings are not considered the top creatures in the world hierarchy (par. 4). In turn, the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) implies that people and non-human instruments and tools should receive equal attention (Braga and Suarez 219). However, the given essay will consider the technology and society theory. This approach ensures that the presence of technology and its development level are primary factors that affect how the world lives. The given framework is similar to Ogburn’s theory that implies that any improvements or deteriorations in society occur because of technology (Wardynski par. 13). Thus, this information denotes that the essay will consider how reliance on advancements impacts people individually and socially.
Technology in Butler’s Literary Works
Bloodchild
One should explain that Butler’s short stories offer different insights into the role of technology in society, and it is reasonable to begin with “Bloodchild.” Even though this literary work depicts that the Tlic, an alien race, are dependent on humans since the latter are perfect hosts of their eggs, it reveals a relationship between modern people and technology. Human beings, also known as the Terrans, play a significant role in “Bloodchild,” but it is impossible to mention that they have power in this world. This suggestion is made because the Tlic chooses individuals who will host their eggs, and the Terrans may not refuse (Butler 11). This information allows for supposing that the Tlic-Terrans relationship is an analogy to the real-world people-technology connection, and the following paragraph will try to explain this claim.
A few aspects from the short story justify the statement above. One should clarify that the Terrans were necessities in that world (Butler 12). Even though they occupied an essential role in that society, they were considered material objects necessary for survival. Technological advancements are in the same position in the modern world, and Miguel supports this statement by admitting “human life is shaped and determined by technologies” (34). It is impossible to imagine that a grocery can operate today without a simple computer. Thus, the dependence of the Tlic on the Terrans is identical to that of modern people on technology. However, it is challenging to state that the short story under investigation reveals that exploitation is the only relation between the involved parties.
It is possible to mention that the relationship between T’Gatoi and Gan is more than that of necessity for the Tlic. It is worth admitting that the short story offers many arguments to claim that T’Gatoi is connected to Gan’s family. For example, it refers to the fact that the alien and Gan’s mother were friends and that T’Gatoi considered their house her second home (Butler 11-12). It means that the Tlic was emotionally interested in maintaining this relationship. This fact allows Japtok to state that “Bloodchild” is a story of love between oppressor and oppressed (51). The justification of love between the characters is also found in the last scene of the short story when T’Gatoi promises that she will always take care of Gan (Butler 32). This information demonstrates that it is challenging to offer a unanimous interpretation of their relationship.
Thus, the explanation above finds its reflection in the modern world because many people develop robust and human-like connections with their gadgets. It means that smartphones, laptops, and many other devices play an important role in modern society. Individuals cannot imagine their existence without these gadgets in the same way as the Tlic cannot live without the Terrans. This analogy also demonstrates that it is not reasonable to believe that the relationship between the characters in “Bloodchild” is that of a master and a slave (Miguel 34). Since T’Gatoi respects Gan’s feelings and promises to take care of him, one can mention that there is a kind of equality between the characters. That is why it is impossible to admit that modern people only exploit their gadgets. For example, individuals develop robust connections with the devices, making it impossible to imagine the world without smartphones, smartwatches, and other technological advancements.
Even though it has been mentioned that the essay will focus on the technology and society theory, it is impossible to deny the fact that “Bloodchild” bears some post-humanist features. The Ethics Center reveals that this framework implies that human beings are not the superior creatures in the world, which leads to the reconsideration of a world moral hierarchy (par. 4). That is why the relationship between the Tlic and the Terrans reflects this theory’s features. However, it is worth mentioning that the essay focuses more on the connection between technology and society because the analysis above has revealed that this short story offers valuable insight into this issue.
Positive Obsession
Since Butler’s autobiographical essay comments on what role reading and writing played in her life, it could be challenging to identify any direct references to technology and its role in society in this literary work. However, a closer analysis of “Positive Obsession” allows one to suggest that the author mentions interesting thoughts regarding how people should deal with technologies. This idea refers to the fact that Butler describes writing science fiction as her obsession, and the latter can only be helpful if it is positive (106). In the modern world, one should admit that individuals are obsessed with multiple gadgets. The rationale behind this claim refers to the fact that electronic devices have become integral parts of numerous life spheres. Consequently, Butler uses the essay under investigation to demonstrate that people can achieve successful results with any activity if they invest sufficient time and effort in it. It means that technology can only be beneficial for society when its members use it for good purposes.
Furthermore, the essay has one more thought regarding the role of technologies. In this case, it is reasonable to draw attention to Butler’s description of why she liked archery. It refers to the fact that it is an individual kind of sport where people can only rely on themselves (Butler 106). This idea is topical for modern society, where multiple technological advances result in the fact that people become detached and isolated from others in the real world. It is a typical case when individuals are more willing to interact with their smartphones and laptops than with other people. This finding demonstrates that technology can adversely influence people.
Speech Sounds
Simultaneously, Butler’s “Speech Sounds” can offer a slightly different approach to demonstrate that technology plays an essential role in society. Since the short story describes that a virus led to the fact that people could not speak, read, or write, it is possible to equal the disease to real-world technology. The rationale behind this comparison is that the spread of gadgets resembles a pandemic based on its scale. It is challenging to imagine a family that does not have at least one electronic device in its possession. Thus, individuals speak, write, and read mainly using technology, meaning that its disappearance can become a significant shock for the whole world. The author demonstrates that people do not know how to communicate and look for any information without relying on gadgets. This information reveals that technology occupies an irreplaceable place in modern society.
In addition to that, Butler represents a connection between technology and feminism in her “Speech Sounds.” This statement refers to the scene when Rye and Obsidian meet a running woman and a man with a knife chasing her. This situation results in the fact the man killed the woman and Obsidian while Rey murdered the stranger (Butler 89). It is possible to consider this scene a manifestation of feminism because Rey acts as a fully-fledged character alongside male Obsidian (Streeby 520). Since it has been identified above that the topic of technology is represented in “Speech Sounds,” it is reasonable to determine how the two themes relate to each other. At this point, one can claim that the given short story reveals that technology contributes to equality in the world. The rationale behind this suggestion is that Rye is depicted solving the problems by herself without external help, and it might happen because society had been impacted.
Another essential thought regarding technology and society arises when two children appear in the short story. In particular, attention should be drawn to the fact that they can communicate and their speech is fluent (Butler 90). It seems that the author chose to include this detail in her literary work to demonstrate that children are usually less affected by technology. Consequently, the virus that symbolizes the excessive use of gadgets significantly impacted adults because they were more connected with technology. Simultaneously, children typically spend less time with electronic devices, meaning that they were less affected in “Speech Sound.” Through this example, the author wanted to admit that technology plays a dangerously significant role in modern society, which can result in adverse consequences for numerous people. Specific attention should also be drawn to the fact that children are less subject to harmful influence, denoting that there might be hope for the world.
Conclusion
The essay has demonstrated that Octavia Butler’s literary works, including “Bloodchild,” “Positive Obsession,” and “Speech Sounds,” offer valuable comments to understand the specific role of technology in the world. The task was to answer the research question regarding this role and how society will survive if technology disappears. Data from Butler’s writing pieces and outside sources were introduced and analyzed to support the paper’s claims. Furthermore, it is worth admitting that the essay has focused on the technology and society theory to explain the connection between these two phenomena.
It is reasonable to mention that Butler both explicitly and figuratively emphasizes the significant role that technology plays in the world. Firstly, “Bloodchild” analysis reveals that individuals can have human-like connections with multiple gadgets. This claim implies that electronic devices are integral elements of everyday life, and many people consider technological advancements equally weighted rather than inferior phenomena. Secondly, “Positive Obsession” allows for identifying an analogy between technology and individual kinds of sport. This comparison demonstrates that reliance on gadgets makes people detached from society. Thirdly, “Speech Sounds” explains that the community excessively uses devices, and this situation has some shared features with a virus spread. In this literary work, the writer also admits that the existing world order will be destroyed if technologies disappear.
In conclusion, it is possible to make specific implications from the analysis above. On the one hand, the essay has demonstrated that various technological advancements are more than instruments in the modern world. People can love and hate them, meaning that technology can positively and negatively affect humanity. On the other hand, the essay is helpful since it demonstrates that people should reduce the volume of using electronic devices. It specifically refers to the analysis of “Speech Sounds” because this literary work allows for concluding that the reliance on technology will result in the fact that people cannot speak and write. Furthermore, the fact that children in this short story can speak denotes that society should protect young individuals from excessive use of gadgets.
Works Cited
Braga, Camila, and Maribel Suarez. “Actor-Network Theory: New Perspectives and Contributions to Consumption Studies.” Cad. EBAPE.BR, vol. 16, no. 2, 2018, pp. 218-231.
Butler, Octavia E. Bloodchild and Other Stories. 2nd ed., Seven Stories Press, 2005.
Japtok, Martin. “What Is ‘Love’? Octavia Butler’s ‘Bloodchild. ‘” Human Contradictions in Octavia Butler’s Work, edited by Martin Japtok and Jerry Rafiki Jenkins, Palgrave Macmillan, 2020, pp. 51-71.
Miguel, María F. S. “Appropriated Bodies: Trauma, Biopower, and the Posthuman in Octavia Butler’s ‘Bloodchild’ and James Tiptree, Jr.’s ‘The Girl Who Was Plugged In. ‘” Journal of the Spanish Association of Anglo-American Studies, vol. 40, no. 2, 2018, pp. 27-44.
Streeby, Shelley. “Speculative Writing, Art, and World-Making in the Wake of Octavia E. Butler as Feminist Theory.” Feminist Studies, vol. 46, no. 2, 2020, pp. 510-533.
The Ethics Center. “Ethics Explainer: Post-Humanism.” 2018, Web.
Wardynski, DJ. “To What Degree Is Technology and Social Change Related?” Brainspire, 2019, Web.