Dawn Lesson Plan

Recall Lilith’s question to Allison Zeigler in Chapter 11: “Think about it. If I weren’t human, why the hell would I care whether you got raped?” Now, answer the (rhetorical) question. Is there a straightforward and obvious answer? Why or why not?

A follow-up question might be whether humans consistently and automatically stick up for their own kind. For example, students might point to the fact that Allison was the victim of human violence, and might reasonably struggle to trust Lilith’s reasoning which is based on species solidarity. Further, students might consider how the Oankali have maintained an approach of nonviolence over the course of Lilith’s time on the...