From Anthropocene To Post- Anthropocene In Octavia E. Butler’s Dawn

Abstract

Over millions of years, our planet earth witnesses millions of species right from dinosaurs to many aquatic and land species. Though there are many species from unicellular to multicellular, human beings are the one who exert their dominance over other creatures. Thus, human beings become the primacy of domination. Thus, we are all living in an Anthropocene epoch. Sooner or later the situation may change from Anthropocene to Post – Anthropocene. Octavia E. Butler’s novel Dawn is a perfect example of this situation, where the human beings are coerced to involve in Gene Trade with an extraterrestrial species, Oankali. In this novel, when the earth becomes uninhabited because of atomic holocaust, it was saved by Oankali. They in return ask the whole humanity to involve in gene trade, which brood human – Oankali children. Oankali sterilized the human beings who denied this deal. Through this cautionary tale, Butler warns the human beings that their hierarchical nature is the flaw which leads to several crises. Anthropocene is the state where human exert their power upon the other species of the earth, whereas Post – Anthropocene is something where humans can be dominated by non – human entity.