Parable of the Sower: Metaphors 5 key examples

Lauren presents Mars as a metaphor for the failed versions of "heaven" that humanity has established thus far, both literal and figurative. These old versions of heaven are "cold, empty, almost airless, dead," which justifies the need for Earthseed as an alternative.

Lauren's own visions of heaven, being further away in space, are based on the belief that current religious models are missing truths that she is able to perceive. Put differently, others are looking "too nearby" for solutions to the problems of Earth, while Lauren will be able to gaze farther out in space and think of entirely new modes of survival. This is her role as the creator of Earthseed: to guide people far away from those who have made "such a hell of life here on Earth."

"Earthseed" is a metaphor for how small ideas and small groups of people can slowly transform themselves into something greater. All cultivation has a beginning, and sometimes, seeds/people must "travel great distances" in order to fulfill a new generation of creation. This metaphor reflects a core tenet of Earthseed that claims people must travel far away from what is known in order to find hope for the future. The sentence "I am Earthseed" is also a metaphor. That an individual person within the religion can represent its core tenet by acting as the spark of a new generation, community, or environment is reflective of Earthseed's regenerative ideals. 

The book employs very little figurative language but does often provide direct, detailed images of the apocalyptic world. Since the level of destruction Lauren and her community live within is foreign to the reader, these stark images of human remains are crucial to establishing an atmosphere that makes Lauren's turn to religion understandable. In this passage, Lauren lists "rotting corpses," human bones such as a "femur" and "skulls," as well as animal bones. These details make clear how the sites of violence and destruction are so widely available in this apocalyptic world. 

In the final line, Lauren compares the boundaries of the community to a blanket using an implied metaphor. She describes the party returning to be "wrapped" and "huddled" in the "community wall," draws an image of the community coming together for comfort and consolation. As Lauren notes that this is merely an "illusion of security," this moment of comfort is undercut by the harsh reality of violence that lies just beyond their walls.

Lauren uses the metaphor of a river to describe the flow of people heading north up the California coast, just as she is. Comparing the people within the river to "fish," she wonders if she should be trying even harder to recruit more members into Earthseed. The choice of the river and fish as images is significant because they are images commonly employed in Christian theology. Through this metaphor, Butler draws parallels between Christianity—the religion Lauren was raised with—and Earthseed. This helps the reader better understand Earthseed's origins and Lauren's strategy as a religious leader. 

As Lauren declares the hunger she sees in the woman and child insatiable through figurative language, she implies that the two have witnessed and experienced tragedy or destruction that have left them wounded or "hungry" in ways food cannot remedy. Lauren notes that even with "all [their] food," the woman and child would not be made whole. This implies an emotional hunger—perhaps for feelings of comfort, safety, or normalcy—that cannot be filled due to their apocalyptic environment. As the reader is very likely to have experienced the physical sensation of hunger for food, this metaphor makes it easier to understand the woman and child's emotional distress. 

By conflating physical and emotional needs via the metaphor of hunger, the novel makes clear that Lauren's world is lacking—not only in resources for physical survival, but also in emotional safety. While issues such as lacking food or water might be more obvious,  the need for emotional fulfillment is also acknowledged in this apocalyptic setting.