That is one attractive DNA sequence!

Throughout the history of science fiction everyone seems to be absolutely certain what an alien looks like. This book, Lilith's Brood takes the alien appearance to the next level by fusing an alien with a human. In fact, much of "Adulthood Rites" is based on a male Human-Oankali construct (an alien human child) and his journey to discover what and who he is, and most importantly why he is. This male Human-Oankali construct, Akin, "did not have [the human] flaw. He had been assembled within the body of an ooloi. He was Oankali enough to be listened to by other Oankali and Human enough to know that resister Humans were being treated with cruelty and condescension." (404) Akin has the important role as the intermediary between Humans and Oankali because of his appearance, and the role of becoming the future generation because of what resides in his DNA.

The Oankali, the Human-Oankali Constructs and the Humans are different in many ways. Much of their anatomy is shared but their appearance is distinguished between each race. I made a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the similarities between the "species".



The Human-Oankali constructs are more repulsive to the humans than the Oankali. From the Human perspective, the Oankali are simply aliens. A Human commented on two girl Human-Oankali constructs saying that their tentacles "looked more like slugs than worms most of the time" which seemed to not alien, but inhumane and "criminal to allow little girls to be afflicted with such things." (391) Such strong words describe the repulsiveness of the Human-Oankali constructs to Humans, whereas the Oankali were tolerable. I think it is interesting that the Oankali do not find the Humans repulsive. The Oankali do not fear the Humans from a physical standpoint, because they strive to eliminate difference within their society in order to ensure peace.

More importantly, the personality traits and values differ between each species. Humans are loyal to humans, however they seek heirarchial status and power, and will kill one another to recieve it. Oankali see this as a fatal flaw of humans and thus their species thrives on conformity and division of power between their three different sexes- Ooloi, Male, and Female - though the Ooloi are constantly conceived of being the most powerful. The Human-Oankali constructs are more or less children, pure and naive and can be easily swayed between the Humans and the Oankali. However the Human-Oankali constructs resemble more than just a offspring of the two alien species, they are the Oankali upgrade in many ways. The constructs are the Oankali version two, and the future of Humans and Oankalis.

The human revolt is constantly perpetuated by the hatred of the differences of the Oankali. Humans have a suspicion that they are being assimilated by the Oankali who seek to trade genes with the Humans to further empower themselves. This is not fully realized until Akin gives it away. The Oankali are a race that needs to constantly self improve and "someday the people of Lo-or their descendents-will be in space again, looking for some other people to infect or afflict or whatever you call it." (364) This uncovers the agenda behind the Oankali, the saving of the Humans was just a "trade" to find genes that would suit the Oankali and make them more efficient. The main difference between Humans and Oankalis is simple. Humans find other attractiveness through intelligence and physical beauty. Oankali find attractiveness through the sequence of DNA. Personally I find eyebrows to be really attractive.

Works Cited

Butler, Octavia E. Lilith's Brood. New York: Warner Books, 1989.