on
3.5/5
Non-Fiction
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Read for AP Lit.
Rating: 3.5/5
Pages: 96
Started: 7 October 2022
Finished: 13 October 2022
Summary:
Against the wishes of her family, sixteen-year-old Binti has left the arid lands of the Himba people and embarked into space, heading to the esteemed Oomza Uni university, which she has been accepted into because of her incredible talent at harmonizing, or keeping working with complex equations in her head. . But a few days into the journey, the ship taking her to the university is boarded by the ruthless Meduse aliens. And she is the only one who survives. Through the power of her harmonizing and a mysterious object she brought with her, Binti must find a way to negotiate peace and stay alive.
Thoughts:
I would have enjoyed this book much more as a full novel. I liked the characters and the plot, but the world building and pacing both felt rushed. I liked the descriptions of Himba culture, of the spaceship, of the Oomza Uni, but I felt like I needed fifteen more pages (spread throughout the book) of world building to fully understand what was happening. And same with the plot: a lot of the points felt rushed; there were only about 8 complete scenes and, to have a complete story arc in less than one hundred pages, some of the scenes were rushed or written so as to function as multiple parts of the story arc.
That being said, I did enjoy this book. I liked how smart Binti was--I'm a sucker for a powerful protagonist--and I thought the world building was super cool. If given the chance, I wouldn't say no to finishing the rest of the trilogy.
Essay:
From medieval epics to blockbuster action movies, the idea of the hero is often associated with a muscular man prepared to leap into battle. Yet at its core, heroism is based upon victory, not violence. In her African-futuristic novella Binti, Nnedi Okorafor explores Joseph Campbell’s proposed structure of A Hero’s Journey with Binti, a young protagonist who subtly defies the characteristics of a stereotypical hero. Through her portrayal of Binti as physically unassuming yet ultimately victorious, Okorafor exemplifies the modern archetype of the peace-making hero.
Compared to the physical dominance of heroes of old, Binti is quite underwhelming. As a young girl, her stature is likely small, and having lived a peaceful life in the desert, she has had no reason to learn to fight. Yet by presenting her as brilliant rather than physically intimidating, Okorafor suggests that heroism does not need to rely on physical prowess. When Binti arrives at the spaceship terminal, she stands in line in front of a group of women who touch and comment rudely about her hair. As the many women who refuse to walk outside alone at night can attest, people who appear menacing are less likely to be approached by unfriendly strangers—fear of retaliation can be a strong deterrent for those who want to cause trouble. The women’s thoughtlessness in acting disrespectfully toward Binti suggests the heroine does not appear intimidating enough to discourage troublemakers. Yet Okorafor contrasts this scene of indignity against one that displays Binti’s intelligence. When the elderly blind man checks Binti’s identity and finds that she has been admitted to the esteemed Oomza Uni school, he tells her, “you are the pride of your people, child.” In a hero’s story, wise elders who offer predictions of the future are considered to be prophets or portents. The old man’s blindness, often a symbol of an otherworldly sight, only adds to his aura of mysticism. Drawing attention to Binti’s brilliance through a prophet’s recognition, Okorafor emphasizes that Binti is gifted, just not physically. Well-rounded characters tend to have weaknesses and strengths in equal measure, and by juxtaposing Binti’s lack of physical strength with an acknowledgment of her cleverness, Okorafor presents Binti’s intelligence as the antithesis to her limited physical presence, acknowledging it as a noteworthy trait—a trait which is quickly put to use.
The climax of a traditional Hero’s Journey revolves around a great battle against the forces of evil, full of gore and sacrifice. But for Binti, an alternate kind of battle is instead presented: an intellectual one. When Binti is taken before an audience of learned Oomza Uni professors to speak for peace on behalf of the Meduse, she delivers such an impassioned and articulate argument that she is moved to tears, and after a short deliberation, her audience agrees to her request for a tentative peace. Tears, which symbolize purity and sincerity, are a contrast to the steady logic of an argument so effective there is no rebuttal. By combining Binti’s earnestness with her impressive cleverness, Okorafor presents Binti as genuine but powerful. Considering Binti’s success in creating harmony between two conflicting people—an incredible yet nonviolent victory—Okorafor suggests that Binti’s power, though inapplicable in physical battle, is formidable nonetheless.
Okorafor takes Binti’s nonviolent peacemaking one step further by demonstrating the positive results of the harmony she created. Near the end of the novella, Binti presents some of her freshly made otjize clay to the Meduse Okwu to heal its injured tentacle. Though the color red usually represents violence, Okorafor creates a strong association between home and the substance throughout the book; thus, otjize is a symbol of healing and culture. That Binti offers it freely suggests that she views Okwu—who expressed extreme disgust upon meeting Binti for the first time, earlier in the novella—as kin. The Meduse responds by telling Binti warmly that it views her as family, reciprocating the unlikely relationship. Where a traditional fighting hero would have battled and smote an antagonistic character, a peace-making hero forges new connections. Close relationships offer countless benefits: care, connection, an opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences. Through a hero who argued for peace instead of fighting for dominance, Okorafor demonstrates how harmony can result in invaluable opportunities.
The stereotypical hero is often brutish, abrupt, or cruel in the pursuit of their goals. By presenting a hero who fights with logic, aims for peace, and reaps the rewards, Okorafor sidesteps the pitfalls of a more physically intimidating hero. Indeed, through Binti’s victory in bringing harmony to her world, Okorafor suggests that the archetype of the peace-bringing hero holds considerable potential—that there is equal, albeit different, strength in choosing wit, logic, and peace.