Who or what is Lauren’s God?

Lauren’s God, and the God of the Earthseed religion, is Change. While Lauren recognizes that mainstream religions such as the Abrahamic religions, Hinduism, and Buddhism have helpful elements, she feels that they do not adequately address the importance of adaptability. She also rejects the idea of God as a supernatural entity, such as the God of her father and her community’s Christian religion. For Lauren, God is not a conscious being that rewards or punishes humans out of love or malice. Rather, God is simply the universe’s most powerful force—change—which is neutral to humanity and humanity’s survival, and can be either advantageous or injurious to us, but not purposefully so. Lauren observes that the members of her community are terrified of change, and that they resist it even though resistance is futile. Lauren predicts that their denial of the changing world will find them either killed or in worse conditions. In Lauren’s estimation, this need not be the fate of all humanity. Lauren believes that, while God (or change) is ultimately more powerful than humanity, we still have the ability not only to adapt to it but to shape it in ways that benefit us. Thus, rather than deny or fear God, we must accept and lean into God, and chart a course for ourselves that always keeps God in mind.

How does Lauren’s family die?

The first of Lauren’s family to die is her half-brother Keith, who, in his early teenage years, leaves the community to presumably earn money selling drugs. Keith admits to Lauren that he killed others in order to survive outside the community, and that he was taken in by a shady group of people who agreed to let him join their operation because he was literate. While Keith is initially successful in bringing large quantities of money home to his family, it isn’t long before he is found murdered. His abused body shows signs that he was tortured before eventually being killed. The killers are never apprehended or identified, and it is unclear if Keith was murdered by rival drug sellers, his own gang, the family of one of his victims, or randomly targeted by an insane sadist. The second of Lauren’s family to die is her father, who disappears coming home from work. His body and cause of death is never discovered, leaving the Olamina family with little closure. The rest of Lauren’s family—her stepmother Cory and her half brothers Marcus, Bennett, and Gregory—are killed when pyros attack the neighborhood and murder most of the inhabitants. Although Lauren witnesses her family escape the neighborhood, she is told later by Zahra Moss that Cory and her brothers were found by the pyros and dragged back, where they were killed.

Why does Lauren want to travel north?

Many people in Southern California, Lauren included, hope to travel north because Northern California, Oregon, and Washington do not suffer from the same levels of fire damage and water shortage as the south. Although the north still struggles with climate change and a lack of paying jobs, it’s more possible to survive by living off the land, which has not yet been devastated by scorching temperatures and wildfires. Lauren especially wants to travel north because she envisions leading a self-sufficient farming collective with people who follow the Earthseed doctrine. Due to its relatively abundant water in comparison to the south, the land in the north is more suitable for growing food and medicinal plants. Throughout the novel, the north also exists as a symbol of hope and freedom. Just as enslaved people once traveled north in hopes of escaping enslavement, so too does Lauren and her community, some of whom are victims of corporate slavery. Lauren even compares their journey to that of enslaved people traveling north via the Underground Railroad in search of freedom, cementing the idea that reaching the north is both a literal and symbolic goal.

What is the goal of Earthseed?

As Lauren develops Earthseed over the course of her teenage years, she questions what the doctrine’s higher purpose should be. She knows that Earthseed is a collective of people who believe that the most powerful force is change, and that humans must adapt to and work with change if they wish to survive and thrive in a turbulent world. However, Lauren realizes that Earthseed has a goal that goes beyond the creation of communities that seek to harness the power of change. The greater goal of Earthseed is to see human beings successfully travel out into the universe and settle on new planets, since Earth may at some point no longer be habitable. The name “Earthseed” implies that humans are the seeds of Earth, which are picked up and carried to new destinations, where they then settle and grow. Lauren understands that she and most of her descendants will never travel to new planets and galaxies, as it will take humans centuries, if not longer, to create technology that will allow them to travel great distances or terraform planets in our own solar system. However, as a collective, Earthseed will strive to live communal lives in harmony with the changing world, all while each generation contributes to moving slightly closer to the goal of leaving Earth.

What is Olivar?

Olivar is a town in Southern California which has allowed itself to be purchased by a private company in exchange for the assurance of paid work and protection. Initially, Olivar was a regular, state-controlled seaside town that was mainly inhabited by wealthier Californians. As the climate crisis grew increasingly destructive, Olivar struggled to ward off rising sea levels on their western oceanfront as well as refugees and pyros coming in from the east. In a risky and unusual agreement, the town’s local government voted to be purchased by KSF, a company that promises to provide armed protection and stable work to residents. KSF will expand projects such as solar power, desalination, and agriculture, which in theory would provide residents of Olivar with stable access to fresh water, energy, and food. In return, residents of Olivar will work in their plants, businesses, and schools for low wages. While they will be protected, many will find themselves indebted to KSF as they will not be able to afford to live on their meager salaries. Thus, KSF will build a town of corporate slaves who must continue to work indefinitely to pay off their debts. If Olivar is a financial success for KSF, the company hopes to purchase more towns in a similar manner and monopolize agricultural and desalination industries across the West Coast.

Take a Study Break