Parable of the Sower

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    Bankole is a straggler who came across Lauren’s group. He offers his insight and supplies which makes the other members more inclined to let him stay. Lauren grows quite fond of Bankole, and they bond over similarities they discover about each other. Once Bankole and Lauren developed a sexually romantic relationship, they rely on one another much more. The most surprising aspect of Bankole’s and Lauren’s relationship is the age difference. Bankole was 57 years old, which was one year older than her father. According to an article on the Parable Series, the author explains that in the second book of the series, Parable of the Talents, Lauren states “He’s always being mistaken for my father. When he corrects people, they wink at him or frown or grin. Here in Acorn, if people don’t understand us, at least they accept us” (43).” (Theiss 66). Looking at this example through a post-colonial lens, Bankole’s and Lauren’s relationship defies the norm of being colonially oppressed in their community compared to how their relationship may be oppressed in her hometown by her friends and family. In their new religious community, they have the freedom to be their selves without judgement.

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    As a middle aged African American male, Bankole still holds true to a standard patriarchal role. As much as he admires Lauren’s ambition to form a new religious community, and her courageous feminist attitude, he feels a sense of protection over her. For example, there was a point in the book when Lauren had just been attacked by a man, she had to defend herself and ended up killing the man who then toppled on to her. She stated “I coughed and tried to get up, but Bankole held me down. ‘Are you hurt anywhere?’ he demanded. ‘No, I’m all right,’ I said.” (Butler 235). This would be anyone’s instinct to ask a person if they were all right, but the way Bankole held her down before she could even get up demonstrates his protectiveness and assertiveness over Lauren.

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    When Bankole was first being introduced into the book, Lauren describes his appearance as clean for a person who seemed to be scavenging for supplies like other travelers on the road. “He wore expensive walking shoes and had had, not too long ago, an expensive professional haircut. What was he doing out here on the road, pushing a cart?” (Butler 229). According to Bankole’s attire, he had come into some money, or had been “rich” previous to traveling on the road. As the group decides where they want their destination to be, Bankole brings up that his sister owns a house in the country that they could all live in. Even though Bankole does have more experience with money and has a higher socio-economic status than the other group members, he doesn’t flaunt it. He offers his help to benefit the rest of the group.