Dawn

by

Octavia Butler

Dawn: Book 3, Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Lilith continues to face opposition on the grounds that she’s not human enough, although a core group of Joseph, Tate, Gabriel, Leah, and Wray forms to support her. Peter’s arm, which is clearly broken and unusual, one day gets healed by the Oankali, and afterwards his own people look at him strangely. Lilith tells everyone modified stories about the Oankali that she thinks they are capable of handling. There are now 43 humans, and Lilith warns that the Oankali could visit them at any time.
Lilith finds herself in a position of lying and having to withhold truths about the Oankali as she speaks to the people in her group. Whether she realizes it or not, her situation is similar to what the Oankali themselves did to Lilith when she first Awakened. Unlike the Oankali, however, Lilith will later reckon with whether or not she’s leading these humans to a future that’s best for them.
Themes
Motherhood and Leadership Theme Icon
One evening when Lilith has no warning, the meal is drugged. Her body feels very relaxed. She warns Joseph the Oankali will be coming soon. Everyone reacts in fright when the Oankali finally arrive, although the drugs have muted their reaction. One speaks to Lilith, and she realizes it’s Kahguyaht. All of the Oankali are ooloi. Even though he’s drugged, Curt attacks one of the aliens and others resist in their own ways, but the ooloi persist in calming everyone down.
The surprise drugs in the food show again how the Oankali refuse to respect human autonomy by constantly springing surprises on the humans—even their trusted “partner” Lilith. While on the one hand, the way that Curt and the others attack the aliens shows the violent, territorial nature of some humans, in many ways the Oankali have made the situation worse by deceiving the humans with drugs.
Themes
Consent and Autonomy Theme Icon
Eventually Nikanj arrives and speaks with Lilith. It says that it’s confident Lilith and Joseph will survive whatever the future has in store. However, Nikanj has doubts about Tate and Gabriel, who are the next-calmest after Lilith and Joseph—Nikanj believes Gabriel might not survive, perhaps by his own choice. Joseph wonders why he still feels unsettled around Nikanj, even knowing that Nikanj isn’t malicious, but Nikanj explains that most species find the unfamiliar to be threatening.
This passage continues to show the divide between humans and Oankali, with Nikanj believing that Joseph is only afraid of the unknown, when in fact, some of Joseph’s fears about what the Oankali might do to him are legitimate.
Themes
Humanity, Evolution, and Genetics Theme Icon
Consent and Autonomy Theme Icon
Lilith sees that Kahguyaht is with Tate and Gabriel, seemingly attempting to start a union. Nikanj wants to have sex with Lilith and Joseph again. Joseph is still against the idea, believing that all that Nikanj can do is create illusions in people’s heads by stimulating nerves. Nikanj says that Joseph’s body seems to have made a different choice. Joseph continues to voice doubts, but Lilith trusts that Nikanj knows what Joseph wants. Lilith, Joseph, and Nikanj have neural link sex again.
While it is possible to take Nikanj’s words about Joseph’s body’s consent at face value, it is also possible to view what happens in this passage as coercion or even rape. For example, Nikanj’s continued neural sex in spite of Joseph’s protests could be interpreted as a version of a willfully (and predatorily) ignorant, “no means yes” way of thinking. This continues to advance the idea that despite Lilith’s close relationship with Nikanj, Nikanj may be a complicated or even malevolent figure in the story. Lilith herself has not reached this conclusion yet and seems to tentatively trust most of what Nikanj says here.
Themes
Consent and Autonomy Theme Icon
Sexuality and Gender Theme Icon
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