Pattern: (Revision of previous pattern!): A pattern of language that suggests that the humankind is an entity of gain and manipulate from for a purpose through studying them, observing them, learning from them, and molding them into a form that can be utilized to extend the prosperity of a separate entity.

Example 1: “How can we not? We’ve helped your world restore itself. We’ve studied your bodies, your thinking, your literature, your historical records, and your many cultures . . . . We know more of what you’re capable of than you do” (32).

Example 2: “”Of course not.” His tentacles smoothed. “We do what you call genetic engineering. We know you had begun to do it yourself a little bit, but it’s foreign to you. We do it naturally. We must do it. It renews us, enables us to survive as an evolving species instead of specializing ourselves into extinction or stagnation”” (40).

Example 3: “She spent all her time teaching it and learning what she could from it. It kept her as busy as she would permit. It needed less sleep than she did, and when she was not asleep, it expected her to be learning or teaching. It wanted not only language, but culture, biology, history, her own life story . . .. Whatever she knew, it expected to know” (60).

Example 4: “There was no give behind the refusal. He was part of the family conspiracy to keep her ignorant – while trying as hard as they could to educate her” (72).

Example 5: “That’s the way that we think of it. To teach, to give comfort, to feed and clothe, to guide them through and interpret what will be, for then, a new and frightening world. To parent” (111).

Hypothesis: The human race has been rescued for a reason other than a mere act of protection for Earth and her inhabitants. The language has a particular manner that alludes to the human race being taken for a purpose rather than a rescue out of kindness. Explanation: Example 1, 2 and 4 depict how the Lilith was initially observed and studied. They also lead into the apparent purpose that Lilith had with Awakening other human individuals upon the ship, which I think can be seen through the Oankali keeping her ignorant to continue allowing Lilith to think that she had freedom when it came to her choice. Example 3 and 4 tie into it by stemming from Lilith being observed and now onto step two of being educated and molded to a form that could be utilized. Lilith was to be utilized to Awaken others, so Lilith was kept within a state of unknown while simultaneously knowing only enough to continue participating without physical force. Each example can relate to one another as alluding to a Step One: Observation to Step Two: Manipulation to exert the overall purpose that Lilith had. It’s an entire act of manipulation that became meaningful when understanding later portions of the novel when Lilith finally began to fill her purpose like function that the Oankali had chosen her for.

Reflection: As a reflection upon the patterns within the original context with a revision and addition of other example passages, I have interpreted the text as humankind serving only as a form to utilize rather than an entity viewed as a thing to protect from extinction. I read the examples four to five times with relation upon the novel, and I found that my original hypothesis remained true after a little bit of revision and additional information. My interpretation did not change by a vast amount, but I do think that I was able to gather further examples as evidence to fully understand how Lilith was the be utilized, since I previously did not know what function the humankind was going to fulfill until a later section of the novel. As a reflection upon the process of close reading, I think that I learned a lot from the novel by piecing certain examples together to understand the entirety of the novel rather than simply reading through. I also learned how important it is to read closely and pay attention to small details and actions in order to understand why certain character do certain things, which I think can be seen as very different practice than simply reading a novel straight through without any questions. The detection of patterns and questioning said patterns lead toward becoming even more familiar with a work to truly appreciate it on a deeper level than a superficial one.