Parable of the Sower Character Analysis

Lauren Olamina

Lauren is the main character of the novel, which is told through her perspective in the form of her diary entries. At the beginning of the narrative she is 15, and in the final chapter… read analysis of Lauren Olamina

Lauren’s Father (Reverend Olamina)

Lauren’s father is rarely referred to by name, and we never learn his first name. He is an African-American Baptist minister, college professor, and dean, who works at a college near his gated community in… read analysis of Lauren’s Father (Reverend Olamina)

Corazon (Cory) Olamina

Cory is Lauren’s stepmother. She is Mexican-American, and runs the neighborhood school. Of all her children, Keith is Cory’s favorite, which Lauren finds surprising. Cory and Lauren get along well, but after Keith begins… read analysis of Corazon (Cory) Olamina

Taylor Franklin Bankole

Bankole is a 57-year-old African-American man who joins Lauren’s group on the road north. Trained as a medical doctor, he is a widower who is on his way to Mendocino, where he owns a… read analysis of Taylor Franklin Bankole

Zahra Moss

Zahra Moss was born outside the neighborhood and was homeless until Richard Moss “bought” her from her mother. Although Richard was sexist and his other wives treated Zahra cruelly, she still liked living in the… read analysis of Zahra Moss

Keith Olamina

Keith is Lauren’s brother, the eldest son of Reverend Olamina and Cory. He is 12 when the book starts and is stubborn, reckless, and often cruel. He is desperate to grow up quickly… read analysis of Keith Olamina

Joanne Garfield

Joanne is Lauren’s best friend in the neighborhood. The two are close, but a rift forms between them when Lauren tries to tell Joanne about her fears for the future. Joanne is less courageous… read analysis of Joanne Garfield

Travis Charles Douglas

Travis is an African-American man who Lauren meets while on the walk north. He the husband of Natividad and father of Dominic. He was taught to read by his mother, a maid who would… read analysis of Travis Charles Douglas

Gloria Natividad Douglas

Natividad is Travis’s wife and the mother of Dominic. She worked as a maid for the same employer as Travis and his mother, until the employer began sexually harassing her and they decided… read analysis of Gloria Natividad Douglas

President Christopher Donner

Christopher Charles Morpeth Donner is a presidential candidate at the beginning of the book, and is elected while Lauren is still living in the neighborhood. Some characters hope that Donner will deliver on his promise… read analysis of President Christopher Donner

Harry Balter

Harry is a white man from Lauren’s neighborhood who was Joanne’s boyfriend, and is one of the only people who survives the massacre. He joins Lauren and Zahra on the walk north, eventually… read analysis of Harry Balter

Allison (Allie) Gilchrist

Allie is a 24-year-old white woman rescued from a collapsed building by Lauren and her group. Allie and her sister, Jill, ran away from their father, who forced them into prostitution and killed Allie’s… read analysis of Allison (Allie) Gilchrist

Mrs. Sims

Mrs. Sims is an elderly white woman in Lauren’s neighborhood. Deeply religious and openly racist, Mrs. Sims is rude to the non-white residents of the community. After suffering a series of traumatic events, Mrs… read analysis of Mrs. Sims

Tracy Dunn

Tracy Dunn is Amy Dunn’s mother. She was raped for years by her uncle, resulting in her becoming pregnant at 12 with Amy. Tracy has difficulty expressing love for Amy, but after Amy dies… read analysis of Tracy Dunn

Wardell Parrish

Wardell Parrish is a relative of Mrs. Sims who moves into her house after she dies. He is a widower. He is an unkind and suspicious person who tries to get the police to arrest… read analysis of Wardell Parrish

Curtis Talcott

Curtis is Lauren’s boyfriend in the neighborhood. His exact age is not specified, though he seems to be roughly the same age as Lauren, and he is also African-American. He expresses hopes of marrying… read analysis of Curtis Talcott

Richard Moss

Richard Moss is an African-American man who lives in Lauren’s neighborhood. He practices his own, deeply sexist religion—an amalgamation of traditional West African beliefs and Old Testament teachings. He works for a water company… read analysis of Richard Moss

Emery Tanaka Solis

Emery is a 23-year-old woman who joins Lauren’s group on the road. She is half African-American, half Japanese, and was formerly married to a Mexican man, with whom she has three children: Tori and… read analysis of Emery Tanaka Solis

Alexandra Casey

Alexandra is Bankole’s sister. She is 40 years old and is married to Don Casey, with whom she has three children. They live on Bankole’s property in Mendocino, although by the time the Earthseed… read analysis of Alexandra Casey

Alicia Leal

Alicia Catalina Godinez Leal is an astronaut who dies on a mission to Mars. Lauren learns that Leal had expressed a wish for her body to be left on Mars, but that the American Secretary… read analysis of Alicia Leal

Minor Characters

Lauren’s Mother

We learn very little about Lauren’s mother other than the fact that she was a drug addict who died giving birth to Lauren.

Marcus Olamina

Marcus is Lauren’s second-oldest brother. He and Lauren get on well, and Lauren describes him as very handsome. He is killed at the age of the 11 when the neighborhood is destroyed.

Bennett Olamina

Bennett is another of Lauren’s younger brothers. He is killed at the age of 9 when the neighborhood is destroyed.

Gregory Olamina

Gregory is Lauren’s youngest brother. He is killed at the age of 8 when the neighborhood is destroyed.

Amy Dunn

Amy Dunn is a three-year-old girl living in Lauren’s neighborhood. Her mother, Tracy, was only 13 when Amy was born, and Lauren writes that Amy was unloved. Amy is killed by accident when someone from outside shoots through the neighborhood gate.

Rosalee Payne

Rosalee Payne is Wardell’s sister. She is a widow who moves into Mrs. Sims’ house. She is killed along with her children when the house is set on fire.

Peter Moss

Peter Moss is one of Richard Moss’s sons. Lauren dislikes him because he tries to be like his father.

Michael Talcott

Michael is Curtis’s brother. Lauren finds him lying dead after the neighborhood massacre.

Bianca Montoya

Bianca is a 17-year-old Latina girl in Lauren’s neighborhood who gets pregnant and decides to marry her boyfriend. Lauren cannot decide whether this decision is “stupid” or “brave”; in any case, Bianca represents a foil (contrast) to Lauren’s decision to not get married or have children.

Dominic “Domingo” Douglas

Dominic is a baby, the son of Travis and Natividad.

Jillian (Jill) Gilchrist

Jill is Allie’s 25-year-old sister. Like Allie, she was forced into prostitution by their father before running away, and joins Lauren’s group after being rescued from the collapsed building. Jill is shot by an unknown attacker while carrying Tori to safety.

Justin Rohr

Justin is a three-year-old white boy who Bankole finds when Justin’s mother is killed in an attack. He was born in Riverside, California, and is adopted into the Earthseed community after Bankole discovers him.

Don Casey

Don is Alexandra’s husband, and Bankole’s brother-in-law.

Tori Solis

Tori is Emery’s 9-year-old daughter. Like her mother, she also has hyperempathy.

Grayson Mora

Grayson is an Afro-Latino man who joins Lauren’s group after Emery’s daughter Tori befriends his daughter, Doe. Grayson and Doe were both formerly enslaved and both have hyperempathy. They settle on Acorn with the rest of the group.

Doe Mora

Doe is Grayson’s daughter. She is 8 years old.