1. What is your reaction to the text you just read? That was…a lot. There’s a lot to unpack with the relationship between the Tlic and the Terrans. It’s disgusting in a literal sense, but it also mirrors a lot of things going on in the real world. Their parasitic relationship, which the Tlic make out to seem mutually beneficial, reminds me of how some white people view Black people. In America, the whites are the ruling race, like the Tlic in the Preserve. They make it seems like Black people are just part of the “mutually beneficial” system of capitalism, but really, they are an oppressed class, being used to further the wealth of those in charge. This parallels how the Tlic use the Terrans as host bodies for their young, but make it seem like they’re doing the Terrans a favor by “protecting” them, when in reality they are putting them in harm’s way. 2. What connections did you make with the story? Discuss what elements of the story with which you were able to connect?...
I really love how counterculture is portrayed in Babel-17. The book almost presents transhumanist elements as something that’s inevitable. Like, of course people who don’t fit in will give themselves giant fangs or fleshy wings; we already pierce our skin and give ourselves horns, so it’s not like we’re far off. It really taps into that idea that some members of marginalized groups say “fuck it, if society’s going to put us down for being ourselves, we might as well give in to our wildest ideas.” It’s kind of a fun part of not being a part of the mainstream, right? Just being able to go nuts and have fun with your appearance and having that be accepted. I think that’s what the book really conveyed to me through its descriptions; a sense of fun and playfulness with self-image. I feel like that’s elevated when these people with out-there body mods are juxtaposed with the customs officer who’s put off by them. Basically, it’s like putting some weird people next to a narc and saying “do y...
The Gilda Stories has a unique take on vampirism, where drinking blood isn’t simply an act of taking from a victim, but is treated as an exchange. When the vampires drink the blood of others, they leave them with pleasant dreams and heal their wound. This leans hard into the more romantic takes on vampirism, which I find more compelling than a lot of vampire fiction. Being a vampire in this novel doesn’t automatically make you a monster, although it does make it easier for one to become one. The vampire is not in the same league as werewolves or other creatures; they are instead like the mythical Sandman, leaving pleasant dreams for those they visit. The tragedy, then, comes more from immortality. While the novel does romanticize the idea of living forever at points, it also doesn’t leave out the downsides. With being able to witness new life and amazing advancements comes the downside of seeing the worst in huma...
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