The Ambivalence of the Gene Trade in Octavia E. Butler’s Xenogenesis Trilogy

The ambivalence of gene trading in Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis trilogy is treated in this paper. Genetic manipulation is one of the main science-related issues addressed in that trilogy. The behavior of the alien race presented in the paper, the Oankali, is analyzed from three points of view and compared with contemporary human behavior. Interbreeding with other species and the creation of new ones, the use of genetic engineering to cure diseases and the acknowledgement of DNA information as property when it is used for research or other objectives are considered.